The expansion of contactless payment systems on railways in south-east England has triggered significant changes to ticketing rules, leading to warnings that some passengers now face sharply increased travel costs.
Peak Time Changes and Passenger Backlash
As part of the Department for Transport's Project Oval, contactless pay-as-you-go was introduced to 30 more stations on 14 December 2025. To align with Transport for London's system, paper ticket time restrictions have been changed. This means some services that previously accepted cheaper off-peak tickets now require a more expensive peak fare.
Conservative MP for Reigate, Rebecca Paul, told the Press Association the new rules risked "pricing passengers out of rail altogether". She stated she had been contacted by numerous frustrated constituents and pledged to press train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the DfT on the issue.
A specific example cited is the first weekday London-bound Southern service from Reigate that can be used with an off-peak day travelcard. This now departs at 9.28am, half an hour later than the previous 8.58am cutoff. However, passengers boarding the same 8.58am service just five minutes later at Redhill station can still use an off-peak ticket, a situation described as "ridiculous" by a local rail users' association member.
The Hidden Costs of Contactless Convenience
While promoted as a simpler way to pay, the contactless system currently does not accommodate traditional railcard discounts or child fares. Analysis by the lobby group Railfuture found this can double the cost for some journeys.
For instance, a family of two adults and two children travelling from Luton to central London at a weekend would be charged £84 using contactless, but just £41.70 if they bought paper tickets with a Groupsave discount. Similarly, a commuter from East Grinstead using a Network Railcard could save £3.60 daily by sticking with paper tickets.
Neil Middleton, Railfuture's vice chairman, commented: "Offering the option for contactless payment for rail travel is a good thing... But it currently comes with a number of stings in the tail." The rollout has also led to the removal of the cheapest super off-peak tickets from some stations.
Operator and Government Response
In response to the criticism, a spokesman for GTR, which operates Southern and Thameslink services, said the changes were necessary to integrate with the TfL contactless system. He insisted the process was not designed to increase fare revenue and that many passengers would see savings.
GTR provided examples where Reigate passengers could save money, such as a single off-peak journey now costing £7.60 instead of £14.60. A commuter travelling before 6.30am and returning outside the new 4pm-7pm peak window could save £11.60 on a return trip.
A DfT spokesperson stated that contactless brings "simpler, more flexible travel" and that the majority of single tickets would be the same price or lower, aligning with London's 'best price promise'.
Passenger groups and Railfuture advise travellers to check their operator's website and TfL's single fare finder to identify the cheapest payment method for their specific journey.
