25 February 2026
London TravelWatch has long supported the move for contactless payments to be extended, so we are pleased that 20 stations in Essex will be added to the contactless network, including Stansted and Southend Airports, on 8 March.
We had previously expressed concerns that passengers travelling to London Stansted Airport by train were being penalised for using their contactless payment card at the start of the journey, without realising it was invalid when exiting at the airport. The new change will ensure that people can both tap in and out using a contactless card or device at either end of their journey.
However, passengers need to be aware that Oyster cards are not valid at the new stations, and that passengers with railcards might not get the cheapest fares if they use contactless payment methods.
We hope that information given to passengers, particularly in the stations themselves, is clear and easy to understand so they can be assured they are getting the best fares and will not be unnecessarily penalised.
You can find out more on the Greater Anglia website
