Watford, St Albans, Kings Langley stations going contactless

Passengers getting on or off trains at Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood, Park Street, St Albans Abbey, Kings Langley, and Apsley will soon be able to tap-in and tap-out.

The £20 million in government funding means a total of 53 stations across the South East will be upgraded so that bank cards or smart devices can be used, with the best price available on the day guaranteed.

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Watford MP Dean Russell and Rail Minister Huw Merriman (Image: Dean Russell)

The move marks the first phase of a plan to bring contactless to 200 stations across the South East.

Following the announcement, rail minister Huw Merriman visited Watford this morning (July 4).

He said: "One of the best ways to get more people using our railways is to make journeys as simple, flexible and convenient as possible and the Government’s programme for rail reform prioritises exactly that.

“By removing the stress of finding the best deal in advance or having the right ticket ready to go at the barriers, the extension of tap-in tap-out ticketing is the next step of our plan for rail reform.”

Pay As You Go will be available at all the stations by the end of December, with the exact timing for each station depending on the amount of existing technology already at the stations.

Watford North Station (Image: Google Street View)

Further information on timings will be made available at each station. 

Other local stations such as Watford Junction and Watford High Street already accept contactless payment and TfL data shows more than 75 per cent of all Tube journeys are made using contactless or mobile devices.

Full list of the 53 stations set to accept contactless payments here

With the move, the system will now also be available on all Abbey Line stops, as well as between Watford and Hemel. Hemel Hempstead station and Berkhamsted are also benefiting from the investment.

Watford MP Dean Russell said: "One of the best ways to get more people back onto the trains is to make journeys as simple, flexible and convenient as possible.

"I am really pleased that Watford North has been named in the first tranche, so that local commuters can now use PAYG at Garston, Watford Junction, and Watford North.”