RAIL passengers in south-east England are facing higher fares on certain journeys as contactless pay-as-you-go payments are rolled out to dozens of additional stations.
The system allows travelers to check in and out with a debit card or contactless device, eliminating the need to purchase a physical ticket in advance.
However, to align with Transport for London’s (TfL) contactless structure, restrictions on peak and off-peak times have been adjusted, meaning some services that previously qualified for cheaper off-peak fares now require more expensive peak or time fares.
The changes were introduced at 30 additional stations on December 14 as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Project Oval.
Rebecca Paul, the Conservative MP for Reigate, warned that the new rules risked “taking passengers off the rails altogether”.
She said: “This change should make rail travel easier, not more expensive or confusing.
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“Reigate passengers deserve the benefits of modern ticketing, but I will not stand by while my constituents face higher fares and less affordable travel options.
“Many people rely on off-peak travel to keep costs down and by quietly narrowing the definition of what counts as off-peak, there is a risk that passengers will no longer need to travel by rail at all.”
On weekday mornings, the first southbound service from Reigate to London eligible for an off-peak travel ticket now departs at 9:28am, rather than previously at 8:58am.
Confusingly, passengers who board the same 8:58 train at Redhill just five minutes later can still use an off-peak ticket.
An everyday travel card costs £37.10, compared to £20.60 for off-peak travel.
There are also new restrictions on travel outside peak hours between 4pm and 7pm.
The rollout has also resulted in the removal of the cheapest super off-peak tickets from some stations.
One passenger, a member of the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users’ Association, described the situation as “ridiculous” and said he would cycle to Redhill rather than pay the higher fare.
Steve Trigg, an organizer with the association, said the situation is “complex” and has caused “huge problems because the DfT does not want to talk to ordinary people who use its services”.
Lobby group Railfuture highlighted that contactless payments could cost up to twice as much as paper tickets on certain journeys, as rail ticket and child discounts cannot be applied.
For example, a family traveling from Luton to central London could pay £84 if they go contactless, compared to £41.70 if they use discounted paper tickets.
Train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) stressed that the changes were not intended to increase overall revenue.
A spokesperson said: “To introduce ‘pay as you go’ with contactless, we need to align the way fares are structured with that of the wider TfL contactless system.
“Peak and off-peak times must also match the TfL system.
“We understand that for some people this means rates will rise, but for many others they will fall.
“Overall, these changes are not intended to increase the amount of money generated from ticket sales.”
GTR highlighted savings for some passengers, such as a weekday non-peak single journey from Reigate now costing £7.50 – £7.60 instead of £14.60 previously.
A DfT spokesperson said: “Contactless ticketing means passengers will benefit from easier and more flexible travel and most single tickets will be the same price or even lower.
“We have aligned ticketing with London’s ‘best price promise’ to make it easier for passengers so they can be confident they are getting the best fare on the day of travel.”
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