Full List of 50 London Commuter Stations Going PAYG from December 14

A long-criticised rail ticketing rule that has led to tens of thousands of fines for passengers travelling between London and Stansted Airport will be scrapped next month. The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that from December 14, Stansted Airport station will join nearly 50 others across South East England in accepting contactless (PAYG) payments.

For years, travellers using the Stansted Express from central London have faced £100 penalties because, although contactless cards could open ticket gates at Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale, they were not valid at the airport. Many unknowingly tapped in at the start of their journey but were unable to tap out when they arrived.

Greater Anglia – the operator of Stansted Express, which was taken into public ownership last month – often deployed extra ticket inspectors at the airport. According to London TravelWatch, around 16,000 passengers a year were fined in 2019 for attempting to pay with contactless or Oyster.

London TravelWatch welcomed the decision, calling the ban “unfair”, but cautioned passengers to understand the changes. It stressed that Oyster cards still won’t be accepted at Stansted Airport, even though contactless cards soon will be.

Rail minister Lord Hendy said the move is part of a wider effort to simplify and modernise ticketing through tap-in tap-out technology and the upcoming Great British Railways reforms. He added this will make fares clearer and travel easier while supporting economic growth.

The expansion of contactless travel across the region has been backed by £18.7 million in Government funding, with support from Transport for London. Other stations adopting PAYG include Aylesbury, Chelmsford, Luton, Dorking (Main), Southend Victoria and Stevenage.

Southend Airport station will also accept contactless from December 14, meaning all London-served airports will support the technology. However, contactless will still not be valid for trips between Cambridge and Stansted Airport.

Full list of stations adding PAYG contactless from December 14:
Aylesbury, Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Great Missenden, Little Kimble, Monks Risborough, Princes Risborough, Saunderton, Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Billericay, Bishop's Stortford, Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford, Harlow Mill, Harlow Town, Hatfield Peverel, Hockley, Ingatestone, Prittlewell, Rayleigh, Rochford, Roydon, Sawbridgeworth, Southend Victoria, Stansted Airport, Stansted Mountfitchet, Wickford, Witham, Southend Airport, Ashtead, Baldock, Box Hill & Westhumble, Dorking (Main), Dormans, East Grinstead, Harlington, Hitchin, Hurst Green, Knebworth, Leagrave, Leatherhead, Letchworth Garden City, Lingfield, Luton, Oxted, Reigate, Stevenage, Watton-at-Stone, Welwyn North, Woldingham.