TfL Hits One Million Contactless Payments In Just Nine Days

London transport provider Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that its introduction of contactless payments across its full network has been an initial success.

The new service racked up one million uses after just nine days of being in place across TfL’s range of transport offerings, as Londoners flocked to use a supposedly quicker and easier method of paying for their travel across the capital’s tube, bus and tram services.

Overall, buses and trams, which have had the system in place for over a year, racked up 785,000 contactless payments, with the newly-enabled tube and Overground lines contributing 375,000 hits since the launch on September 16.

Extra charge

Despite widespread advertising warning customers of potential “card clash” where having more than one contactless-enabled card or device leads to incorrect charges, TfL reported 1,700 cases, below its estimate.

Customers wishing to pay with a contactless card or device are charged a full adult fare for their journey, meaning that in many cases it is still cheaper to pay with your Oyster card.

TfL has been introducing a number of technological advances across its network as it looks to modernise its services. Last month, it announced it would be trialling the rollout of a full Wi-Fi network on two of its bus services as part of its “Year of the Bus”, a celebration of the mode of transports contribution to London and the UK.

Contactless payments have been possible on London buses since December 2012, with cash payments abolished earlier this summer. Since then 825,000 customers have used the technology to make 17 million journeys.

Wi-Fi is already available at more than 140 London Underground stations through a deal with Virgin Media and at all London Overground stations thanks to a separate partnership with The Cloud.

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