Over 150,000 customers choose new Pay As You Go rail ticketing in Wales
Over 150,000 rail customers have used the new Pay As You Go ticketing system in south Wales, three months since it launched – making it Transport for Wales’ (TfW) fastest growing ticketing product.
TfW became the first train operator outside of London and the south-east of England to introduce this paying system last year.
In November 2024, the tap in, tap out technology was made available at 95 railway stations throughout south Wales with fares starting at £2.60.
Capping
The new technology provides customers with automatic daily and weekly capping, offering a significant saving against standard anytime singles and 7-day season tickets.
Similar technology, offering tap on, tap off ticketing is also being used for bus services in North Wales and recent figures indicate that over 40% of transactions are now through this new paying method.
Three years ago, Transport for Wales launched a single integrated ticket, which could use both bus and rail services, enabling faster and cheaper travel between south Wales and Aberystwyth.
‘Delighted’
Recent figures reveal that between April and December last year, approximately 7000 people used the integrated ticket for journeys between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth.
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates added: “I am delighted that more and more passengers are opting for Pay as You Go, making the most of a simpler and fairer way of paying for their rail and bus tickets.”
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for Wales said: “We want to offer customers the fastest, easiest and cheapest ticket offer and tap on, tap off ticketing allows us to do this.
“We are proud to be one of the first train operators outside of London to be using this technology at 95 of our stations across south Wales.
“This was one of our huge promises around the South Wales Metro and it’s now been delivered and has become our fastest selling product.
“We’re using similar technology for bus services in North Wales and our integrated ticketing model, joining both bus and rail with one ticket, is continuing to be successful.
“These are all fundamental steps as we move forward in developing our vision of a public transport network that offers ‘one network, one timetable, one ticket’.”
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
What about seat reservations and on-train advertising. TfW could let a contract to someone like ITV and show Britbox TV shows on trains, offer seat reservations and have advertising on trains and inside trains. The revenue could be used for more rail projects to enhance linespeeds, fund CADW to open more sites – so TfW gets more passengers, reduce ticket pricing etc.
I agree with more advertising. Every time I see a space on a train or station that’s ad free I think how that’s making my ticket more expensive. Screens on trains as well as showing ads should also scroll through live timetable info (including bus and rail connections at the next station), weather, government messaging and local news.