Airport railway stations to accept contactless

Passengers still need to be savvy to avoid paying over the odds, a watchdog warned

Stansted and Southend airport railway stations are to accept contactless payments for rail travel from next month.

The tap-in tap-out ticketing system is being introduced at barriers at both airports, except for services between Cambridge and Stansted.

London Travelwatch estimated thousands of people each year used contactless barriers at stations in the capital but were then fined up to £100 at Stansted for not having a ticket.

"Passengers still need to be savvy to avoid paying over the odds, and the rail industry has got be super-clear in communicating the changes," a spokesperson for the watchdog said.

They added that Oyster cards were accepted at Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale for the Stansted Express, but still could not be used to tap-out at the airport.

Both Essex airports are among 50 railway stations in the south-east to accept contactless payments from 14 December, as part of a £18.7m investment from the Department for Transport.

"Rail ticketing is far too complicated and long overdue an upgrade to bring it into the 21st Century," rail minister Lord Hendy said.

"Through the expansion of tap-in tap-out technology, and shortly through GBR (Great British Railways), we're doing just that and making buying tickets more convenient, more accessible and more flexible - and ensuring passengers can get the best fares."

Among other stations to benefit are Chelmsford, Southend Victoria, Stevenage, Luton, Aylesbury and Dorking (Main) in Surrey.