Tap in and tap out train travel is now available at 25 stations in North East Wales after Transport for Wales extended pay as you go to 10 further stations.
TfW first launched the contactless scheme in North Wales in May 2026 at 15 stations. The 10 stations now joining are Chester, Chirk, Flint (including Shotton Low Level), Frodsham, Gobowen, Helsby, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Ruabon and Runcorn East.
Pay as you go lets customers travel without buying a ticket beforehand. By tapping in and tapping out, they are charged the best value equivalent fare for the journeys they make and can also benefit from daily and weekly fare capping.
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. TfW encourages customers to register for a pay as you go account through the TfW app, where they can view journey and payment history, access travel receipts and receive alerts if they forget to tap out.
The expansion is the second phase of TfW’s contactless tap in and tap out scheme for North East Wales and the borders. TfW is working with other operators in the region, including Merseyrail, on options around pay as you go where the schemes meet.
Platform validators at interchange stations such as Bidston are colour coded by operator: Transport for Wales pink and Merseyrail yellow. Passengers should 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-pay as you go fares only (Anytime Day Single, Anytime Day Return/Saver Return and 7-Day Season ticket). Child access, free concessionary travel and family or group offers are not in scope for the offering.
