Making first contact: adding bank cards to TfL’s ticketing options

From 16 September users of all forms of public transport in London will be able to pay for their travel by using a ‘contactless’ debit or credit card, should they prefer this option to that of using a dedicated transport Oystercard. Rik Thomas spoke to Transport for London’s director of customer experience, Shashi Verma, to find out how and why they are making this move

Rik Thomas

08 August 2014

From mid-September any UK debit or credit card carrying the contactless symbol can be used directly to ‘tap into’ London’s public transport system

Verma points out that, as most visitors to London come from other parts of the UK, they are ideal candidates to use contactless, “which means they don’t have to queue up at Euston to buy an Oystercard”

Shashi Verma, TfL’s director of customer experience, is keen to emphasise that the system developed to handle contactless card payments on London’s public transport network was developed by TfL in-house, thereby saving millions of pounds, he says

TfL is obviously aware of potential customer disgruntlement if they are overcharged as a result of the phenomenon of ‘card clash’

According to Shashi Verma, director of customer experience at TfL, in a few weeks the biggest change to public transport ticketing in London will take place. From mid-September travellers will be able to use their contactless debit or credit card to use the buses, the Tube, trams, DLR and Overground rail services. “Offering the option of contactless payments will make it easier and more convenient for customers to pay for their travel... and help them get on board without delay,” he...