Contactless payment
Contactless payment cards can be used to travel on most National Rail services in London
Contactless payment cards
Contactless payment cards can be used to travel on most National Rail services in London, as well as bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail.
They're usually debit or credit cards, but can also be charge or pre-paid cards used to pay for items costing less than £20.
With contactless, you will pay the same fare as Oyster.
Just touch your debit or credit card on a yellow card reader to pay for your journey, same as you would with your Oyster card. Always remember to touch in and out.
Getting around London with contactless is quick, easy and secure.
Contactless PAYG on highspeed services
You can use contactless payment cards for a single fare between St Pancras International and Stratford International on our highspeed services.
This should make it quicker and easier during busy periods because it means you no longer need to use ticket machines.
Please note that:
- Separate highspeed PAYG rates apply
- Travelcards are not accepted on highspeed services
- These fares are not included when calculating daily or weekly caps
- Please note that caps are based on Travelcard prices and not rail-only fares, therefore the daily cap may be more expensive than a rail-only paper ticket
For full details on Oyster and contactless payment please visit tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments.
Contactless at Dartford and Swanley
Dartford and Swanley fall within the London Fares Zones 1-9 so you can use contactless at these stations.
With these destinations there are occasions when contactless may not be the cheapest option for your journey.
Benefits of contactless
- Cheaper than paying cash
- No Contactless or paper tickets required, just use your existing bank card
- No need to top up
- If you use the same payment card for every journey you benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday price capping
- Daily capping - if you’re unsure of the number of journeys you’re going to make or where you want to go, contactless offers flexibility and convenience. Make as many journeys as you like in a day and you’ll never pay more than the daily cap for the zones you’ve travelled in
The daily cap is based on when and how you travel. Remember, you must touch in and out even if you’ve reached a cap or you may be charged a maximum fare.
Monday to Sunday capping
If you use the same contactless payment card to pay for all your journeys throughout the week until Sunday, you may be eligible for a Monday to Sunday cap.
Start using your contactless payment card on a Monday for maximum benefit. Although you can buy a 7 Day Travelcard to start on any day of the week, Monday to Sunday capping always calculates your travel week from a Monday and finishes on the following Sunday.
Please note that caps are based on zonal travelcard prices and not rail only fares therefore the daily cap may be more expensive than a rail only paper ticket.
Some things to remember...
Watch out for card clash
If you touch your contactless payment card on a card reader when it’s in the same wallet or purse as other contactless smartcards (eg. Oyster card or building pass), you may end up paying with a card you didn't intend to use.
To avoid this happening, only touch the card you wish to pay with on the reader when touching in and out.
Always touch in and out
Always touch in and out on a yellow card reader with your contactless payment card at the start and end of your journey (even if the gates are open) to ensure you pay the right fare. When changing trains you may need to touch your card on a pink reader.
If you're travelling on a bus or tram you only have to touch in.
For full details please go to tfl.gov.uk/contactless.