Contactless smartcards are being progressively introduced as an alternative option to paper ticketing on the National Rail system of Great Britain. Tickets for use on National Rail services can be loaded onto any ITSO card.
The ITSO standard has been developed to cover all types of public transport. It has been included as a requirement by the Department for Transport for all new rail franchises in the last few years. It is also the format that the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) concessionary passes and rail staff passes are issued in.[1]
Three train operating companies have launched pay-as-you-go systems where fares are automatically deducted by touching-in-and-out at the start and end of the journey. Branded as keyGo on Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Tap2Go on South Western Railway (SWR), they require use of GTR's The Key and SWR's Touch smartcard respectively. Great Western Railway (GWR) also launched a pay-as-you-go system called GWR PAYG in August 2022, which requires the use of the GWR Touch smartcard.[2] [3] Transport for Wales (TFW/TrC) have also started rolling out a Pay-as-you-go system from, February 7th 2024 throughout 2024 across South East Wales.[4] [5]
The first large scale adoption of smartcards for transport in Great Britain was by Transport for London (TfL) with the Oyster card.[6] It was initially only available on TfL services, but it has been progressively rolled out to National Rail services in and around Greater London. ITSO cards can also now be used on Oyster card readers.
, support for smartcards is as follows:
| Train operating company | Smartcard issued | Routes supported by smartcards for: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season tickets | Pay-as-you-go | Single, Return and Day Travelcards loaded to the card | Concessionary passes | ||||
| Smartcard | EMV credit / debit cards | ||||||
| Avanti West Coast | Avanti West Coast Smartcard[7] | London Euston to Watford Junction (Oyster) London Euston to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) Northampton to Stafford and Shrewsbury via Birmingham (Swift ITSO) | None | None | None | No Greater London acceptance Coventry to Wolverhampton (Network West Midlands ENCTS) | |
| c2c | c2c Smart[8] | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham(Oyster)[9] London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham (Travelcards on ITSO)[10] | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Grays (Oyster) | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Grays(TfL EMV)[12] TBA: All stations (TfL EMV) [13] | All stations (c2c smart ITSO)[14] | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham (Freedom Pass)[15] | |
| Caledonian Sleeper | Does not issue its own smartcard | Glasgow to Fort William and Kingussie to Inverness (ScotRail Smartcard ITSO)[16] [17] | None | None | None | None | |
| Chiltern Railways Smartcard[18] | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Oyster) All stations(Chiltern smartcard ITSO)[19] Leamington Spa to Kidderminster (Swift ITSO) London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Harrow-on-the-Hill (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Oyster) | London Marylebone to High Wycombe and Amersham (TfL EMV) | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Freedom Pass) Dorridge to Stourbridge Junction (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[20] | ||
| CrossCountry Smartcard[21] | Some Crosscountry journeys[22] (ITSO) Basingstoke to Bournemouth (SWR ITSO Smartcard)[23] Nottingham to Sheffield (EMT Stagecoach Smart ITSO) Leamington Spa to Stafford (Swift ITSO) Doncaster to Sheffield (SY smartcard ITSO)[24] Wakefield Westgate to Leeds (MCard ITSO)[25] Beeston to Nottingham (Kangaroo ITSO)[26] Proposed: Winchester to Southampton Central (Solent go ITSO)[27] | Cheltenham Spa to Weston-super-Mare (GWR PAYG ITSO)[28] Par to Penzance (GWR PAYG ITSO) | Newport to Cardiff Central (TfW EMV) | Basingstoke to Bournemouth (SWR ITSO Smartcard) Nottingham to Sheffield (EMT Stagecoach Smart ITSO) | Coventry to Wolverhampton (Network West Midlands ENCTS) | ||
| East Midlands Railway | EMR Smartcard[29] | London St Pancras to Boundary Zone 6 (Oyster)[30] London St Pancras to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) London St Pancras to Bedford (The Key ITSO)[31] London St Pancras to Sheffield (not at Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Attenborough, Spondon, Langley Mill or Dronfield); Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse (not at Newstead) (EMR ITSO)[32] Attenborough to Bulwell and Carlton (Kangaroo ITSO) Wakefield Westgate to Leeds (MCard ITSO) Dore & Totley to Doncaster (SY smartcard ITSO) To be announced: At Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Bedford (EMRt ITSO)[33] Proposed: Hazel Grove to Irlam (Get Me There ITSO) Proposed: Nottingham to Lincoln (not at intermediate stations) (EMT Stagecoach Smart ITSO)[34] Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO) | Proposed: Wellingborough and Kettering to London St Pancras (EMR ITSO) | St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway (TfL EMV)[35] | London St Pancras to Sheffield (not at Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Attenborough, Spondon, Langley Mill or Dronfield); Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse (not at Newstead) (EMR ITSO) Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO)[36] | No Greater London acceptance Hazel Grove to Irlam (TfGM ENCTS) Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway/Hunts Cross (Merseyside ENCTS) | |
| Elizabeth line | Transport for London Oyster card | Abbey Wood and Shenfield to West Drayton and Heathrow Airport (Oyster) Abbey Wood and Shenfield to West Drayton and Heathrow Airport(Travelcards on ITSO) | Abbey Wood and Shenfield to West Drayton and Heathrow Airport(Oyster) | All stations(TfL EMV) | Abbey Wood and Shenfield to West Drayton and Heathrow Airport(Travelcards on ITSO) | All stations(Freedom Pass) | |
| Gatwick Express (brand of Govia Thameslink Railway) | Does not issue its own smartcard | London Victoria to Boundary Zone 6 (Oyster) London Victoria to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) Gatwick Airport to London Victoria (The Key (ITSO))[37] | London Victoria to Gatwick Airport(Oyster)[38] All stations (keyGo on The Key (ITSO))[39] | All stations(TfL EMV) | Gatwick Airport to London Victoria (The Key (ITSO)) Projected: London Victoria to Gatwick Airport (The Key (ITSO)) | None | |
| Greater Anglia | Greater Anglia Smart Card[40] | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield (Oyster) London Liverpool Street to Harold Wood, Edmonton Green and Enfield Lock (Travelcards on ITSO) All stations (except Shippea Hill, Lakenheath, Haring Road, Eccles Road, Spooner Row, Salhouse, Brundall Gardens, Buckenham, Somerleyton and Berney Arms) (ITSO)[41] Cambridge to King's Lynn (The Key TSO) | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield(Oyster)[42] | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield (TfL EMV) | London Liverpool Street to Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Liverpool Street to Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood (Freedom Pass) | |
| Grand Central | Does not issue its own smartcard | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Oyster) London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) Pontefract Monkhill to Bradford Interchange (MCard ITSO) | None | None | None | None | |
| Great Western Railway | GWR Touch[43] | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford(Oyster) Upwey to Weymouth; Ash to Guildford (SWR ITSO Smartcard) Worcester Foregate Street to Hereford (Swift ITSO) Dorking (Deepdene) to Gatwick Airport; Brighton to Chichester (The Key (ITSO)) Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Travelcards on ITSO) All GWR stations (Touch ITSO)[44] Proposed: Havant to Romsey (Solent go ITSO) | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford; Redhill to Gatwick Airport(Oyster) Area bounded by Ashchurch for Tewkesbury, Swindon, Freshford, Weston-Super-Mare, Seven Beach and Patchway (ITSO) Par to Penzance, Falmouth Docks and St. Ives (ITSO)[45] Redhill to Dorking Deepdene (keyGo on The Key (ITSO)) | Paddington to Greenford, Windsor & Eton Central, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow and Reading; Redhill to Gatwick Airport (TfL EMV)Projected:Reigate to Redhill (TfL EMV)[46] | Upwey to Weymouth; Ash to Guildford (SWR ITSO Smartcard) Dorking (Deepdene) to Gatwick Airport; Brighton to Chichester Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Travelcards on ITSO) | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Freedom Pass) | |
| Great Northern (brand of Govia Thameslink Railway) | The Key[47] | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Oyster) London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Travelcards on ITSO) London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Huntingdon and King's Lynn Cambridge to Cambridge North (Abellio Greater Anglia ITSO) Projected: Huntingdon to Peterborough; | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Potter Bar and Hertford North(Oyster) London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Huntingdon and Foxton (keyGo on The Key (ITSO)) | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Welwyn Gardn City and Hertford North (TfL EMV) | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill(Freedom Pass) | |
| Heathrow Express | Does not issue its own smartcard | Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 (Oyster)[48] Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 (Travelcards on ITSO) | All stations (Oyster)[49] | All stations (TfL EMV) | Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 (Travelcards on ITSO) | None | |
| Hull Trains | Does not issue its own smartcard | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Oyster) London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) | None | None | None | None | |
| London North Eastern Railway | LNER Smartcard[50] | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Oyster) London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 (Travelcards on ITSO) Wakefield Westgate to Leeds (MCard ITSO) London Kings Cross to Stevenage (The Key ITSO) Somer LNER routes[51] Dunbar to Aberdeen, Glasgow Central and Inverness (ScotRail Smartcard ITSO)[52] | None | None | None | None[53] | |
| London Northwestern Railway (brand of West Midlands Trains) | London Northwestern Railway Smartcard[54] | London Euston to Watford Junction (Oyster) London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone (Travelcards on ITSO) London Euston to Long Buckby, St Albans Abbey & Bedford (LNW Smartcard ITSO)[55] Northampton to Stafford via Birmingham (Swift ITSO) Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO) | London Euston to Watford Junction(Oyster) | London Euston to Watford Junction (TfL EMV)TBA: Watford Junction to Bletchley and St Albans Abbey (TfL EMV) | London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone (Travelcards on ITSO) Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO) | Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway/Hunts Cross (Merseyside ENCTS) London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone (Freedom Pass) Coventry to Wolverhampton; (Network West Midlands ENCTS) | |
| London Overground | Transport for London Oyster card[56] | All stations (Oyster) All stations (Travelcards on ITSO) | All stations (Oyster) | All stations (TfL EMV) | All stations (Travelcards on ITSO) | All stations (Freedom Pass) | |
| Merseyrail | Merseytravel MetroSmart[57] | None | By late 2024: All stations [58] | By 2025: All stations | All stations (Merseytravel Saveaways on Walrus ITSO) | All stations (Merseyside ENCTS) | |
| Northern | Northern Smart[59] | Dore & Totley and Kiveton Park to Denby Dale, Darton, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall, Thorne North and Thorne South (SY smartcard ITSO) Walsden, Marsden, Denby Dale, Darton, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall and Knottingley to Steeton & Silsden, Horsforth, Micklefield and Pontefract Baghill (MCard ITSO) Nottingham to Sheffield (not at Langley Mill or Dronfield)(EMT Stagecoach Smart ITSO) Projected: Newcastle to Sunderland (Popcard ITSO)[60] Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Walrus ITSO) Proposed: Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough (Get Me There ITSO) | None | Proposed: Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge;Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop and Hadfield [61] | Nottingham to Sheffield (not at Langley Mill or Dronfield)(EMT Stagecoach Smart ITSO) Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Walrus ITSO) | Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Merseyside ENCTS) Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough (TfGM ENCTS) | |
| ScotRail | ScotRail Smartcard[62] | All ScotRail services except Carlisle to Newcastle(ITSO)[63] | None | None | Certain routes(ITSO) | None | |
| South Western Railway | SWR Touch[65] | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West (Oyster) All stations except Ewell West to Bookham Dorking to London Waterloo (not at intermediate stations between Epsom and Vauxhall) (The Key (ITSO)) London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West (Travelcards on ITSO) Proposed: Winchester and Rowland's Castle to Portsmouth Harbour, Romsey and Ashurst (New Forest) (Solent go ITSO) | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Epsom (Oyster) Leatherhead to Epsom (keyGo on The Key (ITSO))[67] All SWR served stations except Westbury, Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, Yeovil Pen Mill, Warminster, Dean and Mottisford & Dunbridge; Plus Dorking to London Victoria and London Bridge. | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Epsom (TfL EMV) TBA: Hampton to Shepperton; Feltham to Virginia Water and Windsor & Eaton Riverside (TfL EMV) | All stations except Ewell West to Bookham (SWR ITSO Smartcard) Dorking to Epsom and FROM Epsom TO London Waterloo (The Key (ITSO)) London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Epsom (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West(Freedom Pass) | |
| Southern (brand of Govia Thameslink Railway) | The Key[69] | London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Watford Junction (Oyster) All stations except Harrow & Wealdstone to Milton Keynes Central (The Key (ITSO))[70] London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealstone (Travelcards on ITSO) Eastleigh to Southampton Central (SWR ITSO Smartcard) Proposed: Emsworth to Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central (Solent go ITSO) | Watford Junction, London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Gatwick Airport and Upper Warlingham(Oyster) East Grinstead, Uckfield, Reigate, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Warblington, Seaford and Bexhill to Harrow & Wealdstone, London Bridge & London Victoria (keyGo on The Key (ITSO)) Dorking to London Victoria and London Bridge (Tap2Go) (ITSO)) | Watford Junction, London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Gatwick Airport and Upper Warlingham (TfL EMV)TBA: Watford Junction to Hemel Hempstead (TfL EMV) Projected: Redhill to Reigate (TfL EMV) | All stations except Harrow & Wealdstone to Milton Keynes Central (The Key (ITSO)) Eastleigh to Southampton Central (SWR ITSO Smartcard) London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealdstone (Travelcards on ITSO) | London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealdstone (Freedom Pass) | |
| Southeastern | The Key[71] | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt (Oyster) City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt (Travelcards on ITSO) All stations (The Key (ITSO))[72] | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt; London St Pancras to Stratford International (Oyster)[73] Proposed: Dartford, Swanley and Stratford International to Rainham (Kent)[74] | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt; London St Pancras to Stratford International(TfL EMV) TBA: Swanley & Knockholt to Sevenoaks (TfL EMV) | From Southern stations outside Greater London TO London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Waterloo East and London Charing Cross (break of journey only at intermediate stations within Greater London) (The Key (ITSO)) City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt (Travelcards on ITSO) | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt (Freedom Pass) | |
| Thameslink (brand of Govia Thameslink Railway) | The Key[75] | Sevenoaks to St Pancras International(The Key (ITSO)) Dartford, Swanley and Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet (Oyster) All stations except Peterborough East Croydon, Dartford to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet (Travelcards on ITSO) | Dartford, Swanley, Sutton and Gatwick Airport to Radlett and Potters Bar (Oyster) Sutton, Brighton and St. Mary Cray to Bedford, Huntingdon and Foxton (KeyGo on the Key) | Dartford, Swanley, Sutton and Gatwick Airport to Luton Airport Parkway & Welwyn Garden City (TfL EMV) TBA: Swanley to Sevenoaks (TfL EMV) | East Croydon, Dartford and Swanley to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet (Travelcards on ITSO) | Dartford, Swanley and Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet(Freedom Pass) | |
| TransPennine Express | TransPennine Express Smart[77] | Dore & Totley to Doncaster (SY smartcard ITSO) Huddersfield to Garforth (MCard ITSO) Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO) TBA Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport (Get Me There ITSO) | None | Proposed: Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge | Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Walrus ITSO) | Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport (TfGM ENCTS) Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway (Merseyside ENCTS) | |
| Transport for Wales Rail | Transport for Wales Smartcard[78] | Wrexham to Aberystwyth; Cardiff to Radyr, Cardiff Bay, Barry Island, Swansea, Aberdare, Treherbert, Ebbw Vale Parkway, Merthyr Tydfil, and Maesteg, Severn Tunnel Junction (TfW ITSO Smartcard)[79] Stafford and Shrewsbury to Birmingham International (Swift ITSO)[80] Bidston to Heswall; Earlestown to Newton-le-Willows (Walrus ITSO)[81] Proposed: Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road (Get Me There ITSO)[82] | Gloucester to Cheltenham Spa (ITSO) | Ebbw Vale to Pontyclun (TfW EMV) [83] | Bidston to Heswall; Earlestown to Newton-le-Willows (Walrus ITSO) | Wolverhampton to Birmingham International (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[84] Bidston to Heswall; | |
| West Midlands Railway (brand of West Midlands Trains) | Transport for West Midlands Swift card[87] | All stations except Coventry Arena to Nuneaton (Swift ITSO) | None | None | None | Coventry to Wolverhampton; Blake Street to Longbridge; Dorridge and Earlswood to Stourbridge Junction; Birmingham New Street to Bloxwich North, and at Hednesford (Network West Midlands ENCTS) | |