Contactless pay as you go arrives at three Welsh stations to make train travel smoother

You can now simplY tap in and tap out between cardiff central, newport and pontYclun

We’re all used to using contactless to pay for things, from the weekly grocery shop to meals out and now, thanks to a new initiative, you can use the same method when you travel by train.

All you have to do is tap your physical contactless bank card to activate first time use. Look for the pay as you go signage that’ll lead you to the right gates at Cardiff Central and Newport, and the platform card readers at Pontyclun, and don’t forget to tap out at the end of every journey to avoid paying extra charges.

Once you have completed your initial week’s travel (Monday to Sunday), you can then choose whether you want to continue using your physical contactless bank card or move to using a smart device, such as a mobile phone or smartwatch.

It couldn’t be more straightforward. There’ll be no more queuing at the ticket machine or searching your pockets for a physical paper ticket - just use your contactless bank card, phone, or smartwatch* when you arrive at the station and carry on with your day.

With daily and weekly price caps, you’ll never pay more than the applicable cap for the journey you’ve made. So, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your journey knowing you’re getting the best possible value.

To avoid being charged on multiple cards, make sure to remove your contactless card from your wallet or purse before you tap and remember to use the same bank card or device at the start and end of your journey to close the loop.

The pay as you go card readers are easy to find. Just look for the yellow card readers on station platforms at Pontyclun and follow the ‘pay as you go’ signage displayed on the ticket gates at Cardiff Central and Newport. Or, if you’d prefer, you can travel as a guest.

The benefiTs of

wiTH pay as you go

Travelling

There are a host of benefits available for passengers which include: • The ability to hop on and off trains without queuing • No need for physical paper tickets, or advance booking online Daily and weekly price caps, so you’ll never pay more than the applicable cap* Plus, you can get even more benefits when you register on the TfW app. See your journey and payment history all in one place, as well as quick access to your most frequent routes and handy reminders to tap out.

The app also allows you to add multiple devices to your account, making payments smoother at each station - and those travelling for work can easily download receipts to log any expenses. •