Contactless smartcards on the railways of Great Britain
Contactless smart cards are being progressively introduced as an alternative option to paper ticketing on the National Rail system of Great Britain. The first large scale adoption for transport in Great Britain is the Transport for London Oyster card. This uses a proprietary encoding developed by Cubic Transportation Systems. Initially it was only available on the London Underground, but it has been progressively rolled out to National Rail services in and around Greater London.
The ITSO standard has been developed as a national standard 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 ENCTS concessionary passes are required to be issued in.
It should eventually be possible for any ITSO product to be loaded onto any ITSO card. However, this has only been implemented so far in Newcastle, where Nexus allows Metro tickets to be loaded on to any ITSO-compliant smartcard, and Greater Manchester, where System One Travelcards can be loaded on to most ITSO cards. South West Trains ticket vending machines allow tickets to be loaded onto most ITSO cards.
Regions of England that have had bodies created to implement smart ticketing include North East England, South West England and Yorkshire and the Humber.
In 2011, Transport for London offered to extend the Oyster card to the south east of England, but their bid was rejected.
The Welsh Government has trialled a multi-modal smartcard called the "GoCymru" card.
The Oyster card system was not originally compatible with ITSO. ITSO cards can now be used on Oyster card readers.
Some rail staff passes are now being issued on ITSO smart cards, which should be usable on all train operating companies installations.
, the position is:
| Train operating company | Period season tickets on an ITSO card or Oyster card | ITSO card pay as you go or Oyster card pay as you go | EMV contactless credit/debit card pay as you go | Single, Return & Day Travelcard tickets preloaded onto an ITSO card | Concessionary passes |
| Abellio Greater Anglia issue an ITSO card | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield London Liverpool Street to Harold Wood, Edmonton Green and Enfield Lock London Liverpool Street to March, Ely, Norwich, Great Yarmouth Lowestoft, Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton-on-Sea, Southminster & Southend Victoria Cambridge to King's Lynn | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield | London Liverpool Street to Hertford East and Shenfield | London Liverpool Street to Harold Wood, Edmonton Green and Enfield Lock | London Liverpool Street to Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood |
| Abellio ScotRail issues the ScotRail Smartcard ITSO card | All ScotRail services except Carlisle to Newcastle | - | - | Certain routes Planned: All routes | - |
| Transport for Wales issue a smartcard | Wrexham to Aberwstwyth;; Cardiff to Radyr, Cardiff Bay, Barry Island, Swansea, Aberdare, Treherbert, Ebbw Vale Parkway, Merthyr Tydfil, and Maesteg, Severn Tunnel Junction Stafford and Shrewsbury to Birmingham International Bidston to Heswall; Earlestown to Newton-le-Willows Proposed: Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road | Proposed: Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road | Proposed: Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road | Bidston to Heswall; Earlestown to Newton-le-Willows | Wolverhampton to Birmingham International Bidston to Heswall; Newton-le-Willows to Earlestown Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road |
| Caledonian Sleeper | Glasgow to Fort William and Kingussie to Inverness | - | - | - | - |
| c2c issues the c2c smart ITSO card | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham All stations | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Grays | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Grays Proposed: All stations | All stations | London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham |
| Chiltern Railways issues an ITSO Smartcard | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham London Marylebone to Aylesbury, Leamington Spa and Oxford Leamington Spa to Kidderminster London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Harrow-on-the-Hill | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham Projected: Bicester Town to Oxford Parkway | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Harrow-on-the-Hill | London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham Dorridge to Stourbridge Junction |
| CrossCountry issues an ITSO smartcard | Some Crosscountry journeys Basingstoke to Bournemouth Nottingham to Sheffield Leamington Spa to Stafford Doncaster to Sheffield Wakefield Westgate to Leeds Beeston to Nottingham Proposed: Winchester to Southampton Central | Proposed: Doncaster to Sheffield | - | Basingstoke to Bournemouth Nottingham to Sheffield | Coventry to Wolverhampton |
| East Midlands Railways issues the EMR SmartcardITSO card | London St Pancras to Boundary Zone 6 London St Pancras to Boundary Zone 6 London St Pancras to Bedford London St Pancras to Sheffield ; Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse Attenborough to Bulwell and Carlton Wakefield Westgate to Leeds Dore & Totley to Doncaster To be announced: At Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Bedford Proposed: Hazel Grove to Irlam Proposed: Nottingham to Lincoln Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway | Proposed: Hazel Grove to Irlam Proposed: Dore & Totley to Doncaster Proposed: Wellingborough and Kettering to London St Pancras | St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway | London St Pancras to Sheffield ; Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway | No Greater London acceptance Hazel Grove to Irlam Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway/Hunts Cross |
| Gatwick Express | London Victoria to Boundary Zone 6 London Victoria to Boundary Zone 6 Gatwick Airport to London Victoria | London Victoria to Gatwick Airport All stations | London Victoria to Gatwick Airport | Gatwick Airport to London Victoria Projected: London Victoria to Gatwick Airport | - |
| Glasgow Subway issue the Bramble ITSO card | All stations | All stations | - | - | - |
| Grand Central | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 Pontefract Monkhill to Bradford Interchange | - | - | - | - |
| Great Western Railway issues the Touch ITSO Smartcard | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford Upwey to Weymouth; Ash to Guildford Worcester Foregate Street to Hereford Dorking to Gatwick Airport; Brighton to Chichester Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa, excluding Oldfield Park and Keynsham Proposed: Havant to Romsey | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford; Redhill to Gatwick Airport Dorking Deepdene to Gatwick Airport; Chichester to Brighton | Paddington to Reading and Greenford; Redhill to Gatwick Airport | Upwey to Weymouth; Ash to Guildford Dorking to Gatwick Airport; Brighton to Chichester Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford | Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford |
| Great Northern issues The Key | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Huntingdon and King's Lynn Cambridge to Cambridge North Projected: Huntingdon to Peterborough; | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Potter Bar and Hertford North London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Huntingdon and Foxton | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Welwyn Gardn City and Hertford North | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill | London Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hadley Wood and Crews Hill |
| Heathrow Express | Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 | All stations | All stations | Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 | - |
| Hull Trains | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 | - | - | - | - |
| London Northwestern issues a smartcard | London Euston to Watford Junction London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone London Euston to Long Buckby, St Albans Abbey & Bedford Northampton to Stafford via Birmingham Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway | London Euston to Watford Junction | London Euston to Watford Junction | London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway | Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway/Hunts Cross London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone Coventry to Wolverhampton; |
| London Overground issues the Oyster card | All stations All stations except Hatch End to Watford Junction and Turkey Street to Cheshunt | All stations | All stations | All stations except Hatch End to Watford Junction and Turkey Street to Cheshunt | All stations |
| London Underground issues the Oyster card | All stations All stations except Moor Park to Amersham, Chesham and Watford | All stations | All stations | All stations except Moor Park to Amersham, Chesham and Watford | All stations |
| Merseyrail uses the Walrus card issued by Merseytravel PTE | - | - | - | All stations | All stations |
| Northern issue a smartcard | Dore & Totley and Kiveton Park to Denby Dale, Darton, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall, Thorne North and Thorne South Walsden, Marsden, Denby Dale, Darton, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall and Knottingley to Steeton & Silsden, Horsforth, Micklefield and Pontefract Baghill Nottingham to Sheffield Projected: Newcastle to Sunderland Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop Proposed: Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough | Proposed: Dore & Totley and Kiveton Park to Denby Dale, Darton, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall, Thorne North and Thorne South By Spring 2015: Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop By 2017: Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough | Proposed: Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough | Nottingham to Sheffield Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop | Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop Bromley Cross, Blackrod, Appley Bridge, Orrell, Bryn, Patricroft and Glazebrook to Hale, Manchester Airport, Bramhall, Middlewood, Strines, Glossop, Hadfield, Greenfield and Littleborough |
| South Western Railway issues the SWR ITSO smartcard | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West All stations except Ewell West to Bookham Dorking to London Waterloo London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West Proposed: Winchester and Rowland's Castle to Portsmouth Harbour, Romsey and Ashurst | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Epsom Leatherhead to Epsom Reading, Windsor & Eton Riverside, Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St Davids and Weymouth to Ashford, Esher, Hinchley Wood and Bookham; Shepperton to Kempton Park; Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin ) | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Epsom Projected: Hampton to Shepperton | All stations except Ewell West to Bookham Dorking to Epsom and FROM Epsom TO London Waterloo London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West | London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West |
| Southeastern issues The Key ITSO smartcard | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Slade Green, Barnehurst, Crayford, St. Mary Cray and Knockholt All stations | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt; London St Pancras to Stratford International Proposed: Dartford, Swanley and Stratford International to Rainham | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt; London St Pancras to Stratford International Proposed: Dartford, Swanley and Stratford International to Rainham | From Southern stations outside Greater London TO London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Waterloo East and London Charing Cross City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Slade Green, Barnehurst, Crayford, St. Mary Cray and Knockholt | City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt |
| Southern | London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Watford Junction Warblington, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Brighton, Seaford, East Grinstead, Uckfield, Reigate, Tonbridge and Ashford International to Harrow & Wealdstone, London Victoria and London Bridge London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealstone Eastleigh to Southampton Central Proposed: Emsworth to Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central | Watford Junction, London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Gatwick Airport and Upper Warlingham; East Grinstead, Uckfield, Reigate, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Warblington, Seaford and Bexhill to Harrow & Wealdstone, London Bridge & London Victoria | Watford Junction, London Bridge and London Victoria to Epsom, Gatwick Airport and Upper Warlingham; n | Reigate, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Warblington, Seaford and Bexhill to Epsom and Merstham; East Grinstead and Uckfield to Woldingham; FROM Epsom, Merstham and Woldingham TO London Bridge and London Victoria Eastleigh to Southampton Central Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealdstone | London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealdstone |
| TfL Rail issues the Oyster card | London Liverpool Street to Shenfield; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport London Liverpool Street to Harold Wood; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport & West Drayton | London Liverpool Street to Shenfield; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport and West Drayton | London Liverpool Street to Shenfield; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport and Reading | London Liverpool Street to Shenfield; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport and West Drayton | London Liverpool Street to Harold Wood; London Paddington to Heathrow Airport and Reading |
| Thameslink issues The Key | Sevenoaks to St Pancras International Dartford, Swanley and Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet Sutton, Horsham, Littlehampton, Brighton, Sevenoaks and Rainham to Bedford and Cambridge North East Croydon, Slade Green and St Mary Cray to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet | Dartford, Swanley, Sutton and Gatwick Airport to Radlett and Potters Bar Sutton, Brighton and St. Mary Cray to Bedford, Huntingdon and Foxton | Dartford, Swanley, Sutton and Gatwick Airport to Luton Airport Parkway & Welwyn Garden City | East Croydon, Slade Green and St Mary Cray to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet | Dartford, Swanley and Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood and New Barnet |
| TransPennine Express issue an ITSO smartcard | Dore & Totley to Doncaster Huddersfield to Garforth Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway TBA Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport | Proposed: Dore & Totley to Doncaster TBA: Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport | TBA: Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport | Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway | Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool South Parkway |
| Tyne & Wear Metro issues the Popcard | All stations | All stations | - | - | All stations |
| Avanti West Coast | London Euston to Watford Junction London Euston to Boundary Zone 6 Northampton to Stafford and Shrewsbury via Birmingham | - | - | - | No Greater London acceptance Coventry to Wolverhampton |
| London North Eastern Railway issue an ITSO smartcard | London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 London Kings Cross to Boundary Zone 6 Wakefield Westgate to Leeds London Kings Cross to Stevenage Somer LNER routes Dunbar to Aberdeen, Glasgow Central and Inverness | - | - | - | - |
| West Midlands Railway | All stations except Coventry Arena to Nuneaton | - | - | - | Coventry to Wolverhampton; Blake Street to Longbridge; Dorridge and Earlswood to Stourbridge Junction; Birmingham New Street to Bloxwich North, and at Hednesford |