29 Sep 2026
Tap in and tap out train travel is now available at 25 stations in North East Wales as TfW extends the ticketing product to 10 new stations on the network.
TfW first launched tap in and tap out ticketing in North Wales in May 2026 at 15 stations across the region and following its success has now extended it further. The 10 new stations joining the network are:
- Chester
- Chirk
- Flint (including Shotton Low Level)
- Frodsham
- Gobowen
- Helsby
- Prestatyn
- Rhyl
- Ruabon
- Runcorn East
Pay as you go gives customers a simpler and more flexible way to travel without needing to buy a ticket before their journey. By tapping in and tapping out, customers are charged the best value equivalent fare for the journeys they make and can also benefit from daily and weekly fare capping to further improve value.
Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper, said: “Whether it’s getting to work, travelling to college, visiting family or enjoying a day out, people want public transport to fit around their lives.
“The expansion of pay as you go ticketing across North Wales will make rail travel easier and more flexible for thousands more passengers, removing the need to plan ahead and making journeys simpler.
“I’m pleased that more communities will now benefit from this service as we continue to improve transport links across North Wales and make it easier for people to stay connected.”
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for Wales said: "Since introducing tap in and tap out across North East Wales, we’ve seen how much customers value being able to travel without needing to buy a ticket before their journey.
“Expanding to more stations means even more people can tap in and tap out for our best value fares, making rail travel simpler and more convenient.
“We’re continuing to make public transport easier to use and helping more people choose sustainable travel across North Wales.”
Customers must tap in at the start and tap out at the end of every journey using the same bank card or payment device to ensure the correct fare is charged.
Customers are also encouraged to register for a pay as you go account through the TfW app, where they can receive enhanced customer support, view their journey and payment history, access travel receipts and receive alerts if they forget to tap out.
TfW are working with other operators in the region, such as Merseyrail to explore options to improve the customer proposition around pay as you go, particularly at stations where the schemes touch.
Notes to editors
- This marks the second phase of TfW's contactless tap in and tap out travel scheme for North East Wales and the borders, following its launch in May 2026 across 15 stations in the region.
- The expansion of contactless tap in and tap out forms part of Transport for Wales’ wider T Network ambitions and is a critical milestone in the delivery of the Network North Wales programme. Aimed at enabling simpler, more affordable and more attractive public transport, while supporting improved rail services across the region. The Network North Wales programme has supported significantly in the introduction of contactless pay as you go travel in North East Wales.
- Platform validators at interchange stations (such as Bidston) are colour coded by operator: Transport for Wales are pink and Merseyrail’s are yellow. Passengers should make sure they tap in and out at the correct operator’s validator (as travel between the regions using pay as you go is not currently possible).
- Best value is measured against the closest equivalent non-PAYG fares only (Anytime Day Single, Anytime Day Return/Saver Return and 7-Day Season ticket).
- Daily and weekly fare capping allows customers to make unlimited journeys within a set period of time and not be charged for additional journeys once the cap has been reached.
- Child access to pay as you go is something that TfW would like to rollout in the future. However, it would be contingent on further development work. Meanwhile, free concessionary travel and family or group offers are not in scope for our pay as you go offering. The latter position is aligned with that of most other pay as you go schemes nationwide
