Pay as you go expansion

Pay as you go with contactless is now available at six additional Chiltern Railways stations.

It is now possible to use pay as you go with a contactless card or device at the following six additional Chiltern Railways stations:

• Beaconsfield
• Denham
• Denham Golf Club
• Gerrards Cross
• High Wycombe
• Seer Green & Jordans

You can still buy tickets for your journey and in some cases, for example, Child fares, railcard discounts and season tickets may provide better value.

Turn up, touch in, and go

Pay as you go with contactless is fast, flexible and convenient. All you need to travel is your contactless card or device.

Pay as you go with contactless means you can avoid the queues buying a paper ticket or topping  up before you travel.

You can seamlessly switch between National Rail train services, Tube, London buses and London trams that accept Pay as you go with contactless.

You only pay for the journeys you make.

You can benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday caps into and within London.

Pay contactless automatically works out the best adult fare for you (in some cases, Child fares Railcard discounts and Season tickets may provide more value, please scroll down towards the bottom of this page for more information).

About pay as you go with contactless

You can use a contactless card or device to pay as you go on National Rail, London Underground, DLR, London Buses and London tram services within London and at an increasing number of stations across the South East - including our 6 additional Chiltern stations.

You can use this technology by touching your card or device on a card reader at the start of your journey and touching out with the same card or device at the end of your journey.

Travelling using pay as you go with contactless

Always check pay as you go with contactless is available at your destination.

Before you touch in at the start of your journey, make sure that pay as you go with contactless is available at your destination. If you do not touch out, this will show as an incomplete journey, and you will be charged a maximum fare. 

If you do not have a valid ticket for your whole journey, you may be liable to pay a full fare or Penalty Fare.

Always touch in and out

Touch in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end of your journey to pay the correct adult fare, even if the gates are open.

If you don’t touch in and out on each journey you make, we won’t know where you have travelled, so we can’t charge the right fare. If this happens your journey will be incomplete, and you could be charged a maximum fare. On a London bus or tram you only need to touch in.

Use the same card or device to touch in and out

Remember to touch out with the same card or device as you touched in with. If you use a different contactless card or device, we won't be able to calculate the best fare for you.  

For example, if you touch in with a physical card and touch out with a device, this will show as 2 incomplete journeys, meaning you'll be charged a maximum fare for each journey.

Only touch one card or device on the reader

Keep your contactless cards and devices away from each other when touching in and out so that you only touch in or out with the one you wish to pay with.

If you touch more than one card or device on the contactless reader at a time, the reader won't know which card or device to charge. This is called ‘card clash’ and will show as two incomplete journeys, meaning you'll be charged a maximum fare for each journey.

Check you have enough battery on your device

If you are paying as you go with a contactless device, make sure you have enough battery to complete your journey. If you do not touch out because your device has run out of battery, this will show as an incomplete journey and you will be charged a maximum fare.

Ticket inspection

You will need to show your contactless card or device for inspection when asked to do so by a member of staff. Simply touch your card on the reader when asked.

Pay as you go with contactless pricing

When you use pay as you go with contactless, you’ll be charged the best adult fare for your journey on the day and time of your travel. For most people, this fare is the same as a ticket bought on the day. If you make multiple journeys into or within London, you could also benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday capping.

Pay as you go with contactless may not always be the cheapest way to pay for your journey.

For example:

• If you have a Railcard or are eligible for other discounts (like a Child discount), it may be cheaper to buy a ticket for your journey. Currently discounts cannot be applied to pay as you go with contactless.

• If you make the same journey regularly, buying a Season ticket (weekly, monthly, annual or Flexi) may be better value.

   

Capping with contactless 

Use the same contactless card or device for every journey, and you could benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday capping.

Capping limits how much you pay for all your journeys. When your pay as you go with contactless journeys into and within London add up to a certain amount in a day or week (Monday to Sunday), you won't be charged anymore. 

A pay as you go with contactless daily cap is calculated over 24 hours, starting at 04:30 and ending at 04:29 the next day. If you use the same contactless card or device to pay for all your journeys throughout the week, you will also be eligible for a Monday to Sunday cap. 

For maximum benefit, start using your contactless card or device on a Monday. Your pay as you go with contactless fare is capped at either a peak rate, off-peak rate or a Monday to Sunday rate. Please remember to continue to touch in and out for every journey you make (using the same card or device).

In some cases, pay as you go may not be the cheapest method of payment if you have a railcard, or eligible for discounted fares (child tickets) or travel using a season ticket.

Frequently asked questions

• Q1) When is pay as you go with contactless being rolled out?
  • It is now possible to pay as you go with contactless at 6 additional Chiltern Railways stations, these changes were effective as of the 30 June 2024.

• Q2) Which stations will be getting pay as you go with contactless? 
  • Beaconsfield, Denham, Denham Golf Club, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe and Seer Green & Jordans.

• Q3) My station already has pay as you go with contactless. Is anything changing for me? 
  • No, if your station already has pay as you go with contactless then you can continue to pay as you go with contactless as usual.

• Q4) What is pay as you go with contactless? 
  • Pay as you go with contactless is a way for customers to pay for journeys by touching a contactless card or device on a card reader at the start and end of their journey so that the best adult fare can be calculated and charged to their account. 

• Q5) Will my card work for pay as you go with contactless? 
  • If your UK-issued bank card shows the contactless payment symbol, you can use it to pay as you go at an adult rate. You can also pay as you go with contactless devices such as phones, watches, key fobs, stickers and wristbands that have been linked to a valid debit or credit card.  For more information please visit the TFL website here

• Q6)  Can I use pay as you go with contactless with my phone, watch or FitBit? 
  • If your phone, watch or FitBit is contactless enabled and is linked to a valid debit or credit card, you can use it to pay as you go with contactless.

• Q7) Can I mix and match touching in and out with my contactless card and devices? 

  • No, you must use the same card or device to pay as you go with contactless. If you use a different contactless card or device when touching in or out, it will not be possible to calculate the best fare. 

    For example, if you touch in with a contactless card and touch out with a device, this will show as two incomplete journeys, meaning you'll be charged a maximum fare for each journey.

    Keep your contactless cards and devices away from each other when touching in and out so that you only touch in or out with the one you wish to pay with.  

• Q8) Can I still buy a ticket instead of using pay as you go with contactless?
  • Yes, you can still buy tickets for your journey. In some cases this may still offer the best value for Child fares, Railcard discounts and Season tickets.

• Q9) Can I still use my Oyster card?
  • Oyster will not be accepted for travel to the six additional Chiltern Railways pay as you go with contactless stations. You can continue to use your Oyster card on routes where it is valid. Oyster is not available on all pay as you go with contactless routes so please check before you travel.  

• Q10) Can I still use my Smartcard?  
  • Yes, you can still use your Smartcard on routes where it is valid. Paying with your Smartcard or buying and loading a ticket onto your Smartcard may be cheaper than using pay as you go with contactless if you can apply a discount. Click here for more information on Smartcards. 

• Q11) Is it cheaper to pay as you go with contactless rather than an Oyster card or Smartcard? 
  • It depends on your circumstances and preferences.  Pay as you go with contactless and pay as you go with Oyster usually cost the same. If you have a Railcard or other discount, it may be cheaper to use your Oyster or Smartcard as you cannot apply a discount to pay as you go with contactless.  
    However, you can travel further beyond London using pay as you go with contactless than you can with an Oyster card. Plus, there’s no need to top up with a contactless card or device. Oyster cards are not valid for travel at the six additional Chiltern Railways stations.

• Q12) Can I still buy a Return ticket?  

  • Yes, you can still buy Return tickets. On journeys where pay as you go with contactless is available, single tickets now cost around half the price of a return ticket, whether you pay as you go or buy a ticket for your journey.  It may be cheaper to buy two single tickets or use pay as you go with contactless rather than buying a return ticket, for journeys where pay as you go with contactless is available. 

    For example, if you make a peak journey in one direction and an Off-Peak journey in the other, then an Anytime day Single plus an Off-Peak Day Single will be cheaper than an Anytime Day Return.  

• Q13) Why does the rollout of pay as you go with contactless mean fares for tickets have changed? 
  • Pay as you go with contactless fares are based on a single journey between two stations. To keep the price of tickets and pay as you go with contactless as similar as possible, single tickets now cost around half the price of a return ticket, whether you pay as you go or buy a ticket for your journey. Evening peak restrictions have been aligned on tickets and pay as you go with contactless, for journeys where pay as you go with contactless is available. Evening peak times apply 16.00 to 19.00, Monday to Friday, if you are travelling from or via a London station. Evening peak times do not apply to Day Travelcards. 
     

• Q14)  Is pay as you go with contactless the cheapest option for me? 

  • It depends on how often you travel and if you are eligible for a discount on your train ticket. When you use pay as you go with contactless, you’ll be charged the best adult fare for your journey on the day and time of your travel. For most people, this fare is the same as a ticket bought on the day. If you make multiple journeys into or within London, you could also benefit from daily and Monday to Sunday capping. 

    Pay as you go with contactless may not always be the cheapest way to pay for your journey.  

    For example:

    Child tickets  - for children aged between 5 and up to 15 years.

    Railcards - To check which Railcard might be best for you, click here. 

    Season tickets - If you make the same journey regularly, buying a Season ticket (weekly, monthly, annual or Flexi) may be better value. For more information on season tickets, click here.

    Advance tickets - These fares may be cheaper to buy a ticket for your journey. Currently discounts cannot be applied to pay as you go with contactless. Find out more about Advance fares here

     

• Q15) I use a Season ticket, should I switch to pay as you go with contactless? 
  • It depends on how frequently you travel. If you travel for two or more days a week, it may be cheaper to buy a Season ticket (weekly, monthly, annual or Flexi) rather than getting a Monday to Sunday cap through pay as you go with contactless.   Please note, capping is not available for pay as you go with contactless journeys that don't include travel in London Zones 1 to 9. 

• Q16) How can I work out the cost of my pay as you go with contactless journey before I travel? 
  • Use the Transport for London (TfL) single fare finder to find the cost of a pay as you go with contactless journey between any two stations on National Rail train services, Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line services where pay as you go with contactless is accepted.

• Q17) Where can I see my pay as you go with contactless journey details, I need a receipt to claim back expenses?
  • You can view up to seven days of journey history on the Transport for London (TfL) website. To see more than seven days of journey history, you will need to set up a TfL account from here you access your statement.
     

• Q18) Will peak times still apply on pay as you go with contactless journeys?
  • Yes, you will either be charged a peak or off-peak fare when you use pay as you go with contactless. Your fare is determined by when you touch in with your contactless card or device.
    Morning peak times apply 06:30 to 09:30, Monday to Friday apply to all journeys.  Evening peak times apply 16:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday, and apply on Northbound travel (from London Marylebone up to High Wycombe). Your journeys will be added up at the end of the day and you’ll receive one charge. Any pay as you go with contactless journeys made between 16:00 and 19:00 will still count towards an off-peak cap. Weekends and bank holidays are off-peak all day. Morning restrictions apply on all journeys between 06:30 - 09:30.
     

• Q19)  Can I pay for more than one person using pay as you go with contactless?
  • No, you cannot use one contactless card or device to pay as you go for multiple people. Each person must use a separate contactless card or device for each journey. It may be cheaper to buy tickets for your journey if you are travelling one or more other person.
     

• Q20) Can I use pay as you go with contactless for my child’s journey too? 
  • Yes, but you will be charged an adult fare. Concessionary and child fares are not available with pay as you go with contactless.  You can still buy tickets with a concessionary or child discount. If you want to use pay as you go with contactless for your child’s journey, you must use a separate contactless card or device for your journey and their journey. You cannot use one contactless card or device to pay for multiple people.
     

• Q21) How do I apply for Delay Repay on pay as you go with contactless? 
  • You can apply for Delay Repay for journeys made with Chiltern Railways by providing us statement of your journey from Transport for London (TfL) webpage . You can view up to seven days of journey history from the TfL website. To see more than seven days of journey history, you will need to set up a TfL account. Check for 24 hours.
     

• Q22) Do I need to set up a Transport for London (TfL) account to use pay as you go with contactless?
  • No, you don’t need a TfL account to pay as you go with contactless. You can also view see up to seven days of journey history from the TfL website without an account. If you do sign up for a TfL account and register your card, you’ll be able view your full journey history (more than 7 days), apply for refunds, and more. Click here to set up a TfL account.
     

• Q23) When will I be charged for my pay as you go with contactless journey?
  • You will usually be charged for your pay as you go with contactless journey within 3 days.

• Q24) Why have I been charged by Transport for London (TfL)? I didn’t travel on the Underground.
  •  If you use pay as you go with contactless on Chiltern Railways services your bank statement will show a TfL travel charge. Pay as you go with contactless payments are processed by TfL.
     

• Q25)  Do I have to travel within Zones 1 to 9 to use pay as you go with contactless?
  • No, you do not have to travel within a London zone to pay as you go with contactless. If your departure and arrival stations are within the pay as you go with contactless area, you can pay as you go with contactless. Please note, capping is not available for pay as you go with contactless journeys that don't include travel in London Zones 1 to 9.
     

• Q26) I touched in with my contactless card or device but I didn’t touch out. What do I do?
  • If you don't touch in and out on each journey you make, we won't know where you have travelled, so we can't charge the right fare. If this happens your journey will be incomplete, and you could be charged a maximum fare. You can manually complete your journey by creating a Transport for London (TfL) account or logging in to your existing account. You can do this up to three times a month.
    If you were charged a maximum fare, find out if you can apply for a refund.
     

• Q27) I touched in but I need to come back out of the gates. Do I still get charged if I don’t use the train?
  • Yes. If you touch in and touch out at the same station within a short period of time, you’ll be charged a ‘same station exit charge’. These charges help prevent fare evasion. You can get a refund if you have been charged for touching in and out at the same station without making a journey. This should happen automatically within 48 hours, you can apply for a same station exit refund.
    Find out more about same station exits.
     

• Q28) I think I’ve been charged too much for my pay as you go with contactless journey. What can I do?

  •  If you think you’ve been charged incorrectly, please check the details of your charge by creating a Transport for London (TfL) account or logging in to your existing account.

    If you still feel you’ve been charged incorrectly, please contact TfL: 

    •    TfL website
    •    Telephone: 0343 222 1234

• Q29) I touched my card or device on the card reader twice by accident. What can I do?
  • If you touch your card twice at the same station in quick succession, the second touch will be rejected by the card reader and you won’t be charged for it. 
     

• Q30)  I touched in but my destination station doesn’t have pay as you go with contactless. What can I do?
  • It is your responsibility to check that pay as you go with contactless is available at your destination before you touch in at the start of your journey. If you do not touch out, this will show as an incomplete journey, and you will be charged a maximum fare. If you do not have a valid ticket for your whole journey, you may be liable to pay a full fare or Penalty Fare. The Penalty Fare is £100 plus the price of the full single fare applicable for your intended journey. If it is paid within 21 days, the Penalty Fare is reduced to £50 plus the price of the single fare applicable.
    
     

• Q31)  My device ran out of battery and so I couldn’t touch out at the end of my journey. What can I do?
  • If you are paying as you go with a contactless device, it is your responsibility to make sure you have enough battery to complete your journey. If you do not touch out because your device has run out of battery, this will show as an incomplete journey and you will be charged a maximum fare. If you do not have a valid ticket for your whole journey, you may be liable to pay a full fare or Penalty Fare. The Penalty Fare is £100 plus the price of the full single fare applicable for your intended journey. If it is paid within 21 days, the Penalty Fare is reduced to £50 plus the price of the single fare applicable.
    
     

• Q32) The gates are open. Do I still need to touch out?
  • Yes, you must always touch in and out with your contactless card or device, even if the gates are open, to ensure you pay the correct fare. If there are no gates, use a freestanding card reader next to entrances, exits or on platforms. If you do not touch out, this will show as an incomplete journey and you will be charged a maximum fare.

• Q33) I have a problem with pay as you go with contactless. Who do I need to contact?

  • If your problem is related to payments, unexpected charges, or refunds, please contact Transport for London (TfL) who process all pay as you go with contactless payments:

    •    TfL website
    •    Telephone: 0343 222 1234

    If you incur a delay of fifteen minutes or longer on a Chiltern Railways service you can claim for delay repay here. If you wish to make a complaint about the Chiltern Railways service then please contact the customer relations team here.