Passengers travelling on selected rail services in Wales will soon be able to make contactless fare payments by tapping their physical or digital contactless EMV card on validators on station platforms or at ticket barriers at the beginning and end of each journey.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is the first UK train operator outside London to introduce contactless EMV fare payments and will pilot the service on trains running between Cardiff, Newport and Pontyclun before expanding it to the South Wales Metro area.

The service will also ensure “passengers pay the best available fare”, according to UK-based technology provider Unicard.

“Passengers no longer need to queue for tickets, apply for a travel card or change their ticket if their plans change. They can simply use their bank card or payment app on their mobile device to catch a train and enjoy the convenience of contactless travel,” Unicard CEO Sean Dickinson explains.

“It’s a scalable solution that can be extended to support contactless payments across other modes of transport, like trams and buses.

“TfW has delivered a proven model for other UK regions looking to roll out a best-value travel experience for their passengers.”

TfW launched open loop contactless fare payments on bus services in North Wales in April and revealed plans to develop a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) app for the whole of the country in February.

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