Contactless smartcards on the railways of Britain

Contactless smart cards are being progressively introduced to replace paper ticketing on the National Rail system of Britain. The first large scale adoption for transit in Britain has been the Transport for London Oystercard. This uses a proprietary encoding developed by Cubic Transportation Systems.^[1] Intially it was only available on the London Underground, but it has been progressively rolled out to National Rail services in and around Greater London.

The ITSO standard has been developed as a national standard to cover all types of public transport. It has been included as a requirement by the Department for Transport for all new rail franchises in the last few years. It is also the format that ENCTS concessionary passes are required to be issued in.

The Oystercard system is not compatible with ITSO at present.^[2] However, there is a project underway to make the Oystercard system compatible with ITSO.^[3]

As of 14 November 2011, the acceptance position is:

TOC	Season tickets	Pay-as-you-Go	Single & Return tickets	Concessionary passes
Arriva Trains Wales	None	None	None	Wolverhampton to Birmingham International (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[4] Bidston to Heswall (Merseyside ENCTS)[5] Stockport to Manchester Oxford Road (TfGM ENCTS)
c2c	London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham (Oyster)[6]	London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Grays (Oyster)[6]	None	London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street to Upminster and Rainham (Freedom Pass)[7]
Chiltern Railways	London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Oyster)[6] Projected: Dorridge to Kidderminster (The Key ITSO)[8]	London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Oyster)[6]	None	London Marylebone to West Ruislip and Amersham (Freedom Pass)[7] Dorridge to Kidderminster (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[4]
CrossCountry	Basingstone to Bournemouth ; Nottingham to Sheffield (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)	None	Basingstone to Bournemouth (Stagecoach Smart ITSO) Projected: Nottingham to Sheffield (Stagecoach Smart ITSO))	Coventry to Wolverhampton (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[4] Sheffield to Doncaster (Travel South Yorkshire ENCTS)
East Coast	London Kings Cross to BZ6 (Oyster) ¶	None	None	None[9]
East Midlands Trains	London St Pancras to BZ6 (Oyster) ¶ London St Pancras to Sheffield (not at Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Attenborough, Spondon, Langley Mill or Dronfield); Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse (not at Newstead) (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)[10]	None	Projected: London St Pancras to Sheffield (not at Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Attenborough, Spondon, Langley Mill or Dronfield); Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse (not at Newstead) (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)[10]	[9] Hazel Grove to Irlam (TfGM ENCTS) Dore to Doncaster (Travel South Yorkshire ENCTS)
First Capital Connect	Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood, Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Oyster)[6]	East Croydon to Elstree & Borehamwood, Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Oyster)[6] Projected: Elstree & Borehamwood to St. Albans City (Oyster) [11]	None	Coulsdon South to Elstree & Borehamwood, Hadley Wood and Crews Hill (Freedom Pass)[7]
First Great Western	Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Oyster)[6] Upwey to Weymouth (Stagecoach Smart ITSO) Worcester Foregate Street to Worcester Shrub Hill (The Key ITSO)	Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Oyster)[6] Projected: West Drayton to Slough (Oyster))[11]	Upwey to Weymouth (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)	Paddington to West Drayton and Greenford (Freedom Pass)[7][9]
First ScotRail	Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High (Scotrail Smartcard ITSO)[12]	None	None	None
First TransPennine Express	None	None	None	Bolton to Stalybridge and Stockport (TfGM ENCTS) Sheffield to Doncaster (Travel South Yorkshire ENCTS)
Gatwick Express	London Victoria to BZ6 (Oyster) ¶	None	None	None[9]
Grand Central Railway	None	None	None	None[9]
Heathrow Express	None	None	None	None[9]
Hull Trains	None	None	None	None[9]
London Midland	London Euston to Watford Junction (Oyster) [6] Worcester to Kidderminster (The Key ITSO) Projected: Kidderminster to Dorridge and Stratford-upon-Avon (The Key ITSO)[8]	London Euston to Watford Junction (Oyster)[6]	None	London Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone (Freedom Pass)[7] Coventry to Wolverhampton; Blake Street to Longbridge; Dorridge and Earlswood to Stourbridge Junction; Birmingham New Street to Bloxwich North (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[4]
London Overground	All stations (Oyster)[6]	All stations (Oyster)[6]	None	All stations (Freedom Pass)[7]
Merseyrail	Projected: All stations (Walrus ITSO) [13]	Projected: All stations (Walrus ITSO) [13]	None	All stations (Merseyside ENCTS)[5]
National Express East Anglia	London Liverpool Street to Turkey Street, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood (Oyster) [6]	London Liverpool Street to Turkey Street, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood (Oyster)[6] Projected: Harold Wood to Shenfield; Turkey Street and Enfield Lock to Cheshunt & Hertford East (Oyster)[11]	None	London Liverpool Street to Turkey Street, Enfield Lock and Harold Wood (Freedom Pass)[7]
Northern Rail	Projected: Newcastle to Sunderland (Popcard ITSO)[14] Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Walrus ITSO)[13]	Projected: Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Walrus ITSO)[13]	None	Liverpool Lime Street to Garswood, Hough Green and Newton-le-Willows; Kirkby to Rainford; Southport to Meols Cop (Merseyside ENCTS)[5] Dore and Kiveton Park to Penistone, Darton, Thurnscoe, Adwick, Thorne North and Thorne South (Travel South Yorkshire ENCTS)
Southern	London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Watford Junction (Oyster)[6] Brighton to Seaford (The Key ITSO)[15] Eastleigh to Southampton Central (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)	London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Watford Junction (Oyster)[6]	Eastleigh to Southampton Central (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)	London Bridge and London Victoria to Ewell East, Coulsdon South and Upper Warlingham; Clapham Junction to Harrow & Wealdstone (Freedom Pass)[7]
Southeastern	City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Slade Green, Barnehurst, Crayford, St. Mary Cray and Knockholt (Oyster)[6]	City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Slade Green, Barnehurst, Crayford, St. Mary Cray and Knockholt (Oyster)[6] Projected: Slade Green, Barnehurst and Crayford to Dartford (Oyster)[11]	None	City Thameslink, London Charing Cross and London Victoria to Dartford, Swanley and Knockholt(Freedom Pass)[7][9]
South West Trains	London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West (Oyster)[6] Staines to Windsor and Wokingham ; Basingstone to Weymouth; Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin (Stagecoach Smart ITSO) [16]	London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West (Oyster)[6] Projected: Hampton to Shepperton (Oyster)[11]	Staines to Windsor and Wokingham ; Basingstone to Weymouth; Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin (Stagecoach Smart ITSO)[16]	London Waterloo to Feltham, Hampton, Surbiton, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Ewell West (Freedom Pass)[7]
Virgin Trains	Euston to Watford Junction (Oyster) ¶	None	None	[9] Coventry to Wolverhampton (Network West Midlands ENCTS)[4]

¶ Only valid in combination with a paper single or return ticket

See also

• Oyster card
• Oyster card (pay as you go) on National Rail
• ITSO

References

1. ^ "Case Study - London". Cubic Transportation Systems. http://cts.cubic.com/Customers/UnitedKingdom/CaseStudyLondon/tabid/430/language/en-GB/Default.aspx. Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
2. ^ "ITSO Oyster Interoperability – Closing down the technical work packages". Department for Transport. 14 July 2006. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/scienceresearch/otherresearch/itsooysterinteroperability/. Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
3. ^ "SPENDING REVIEW 2010". TRANSPORT FOR LONDON. 4 November 2010. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Item04-4-Nov-2010-Board-TfLs_spending-review.pdf. Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Network West Midlands - Concessionary Home". Network West Midlands. 2011. http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/seniors/concessionary_home.aspx. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Smart Ticketing - Frequently Asked Questions". Merseytravel. 21 September 2011. http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/publicationarticle.asp?articleid=1752&catid=12. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t} "London's Rail & Tube services". Transport for London. August 2011. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/oyster-rail-services-map.pdf. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "When and where you can use your pass". London Councils. August 2011. http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/London%20Councils/FreedomPassMapAugust11web.pdf. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "The Key". London Midland. 2011. http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/the-key. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "National Rail". London Councils. http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedompass/whenwhere/rail.htm. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b} "Smartcards - East Midlands Trains". East Midlands Trains. 2011. http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/Tickets/pages/smartcards.aspx. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Item 8 - Oyster on National Rail - Progress Update". Transport for London. 8 February 2011. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Item08-Oyster-NR.pdf. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 
12. ^ "SmartCard information - ScotRail". Scotrail. 2011. http://www.scotrail.co.uk/smartcard-info. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
13. ^ ^{a b c d} "Walrus smartcard timeline 2011-2013". Merseytravel. http://www.walruscard.com/timeline.asp. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 
14. ^ "Join the revolution". Nexus. http://www.nexus.org.uk/pop. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 
15. ^ "Brighton - Seaford line gets smartcard technology". Southern. 22 August 2011. http://www.southernrailway.com/southern/news/brighton-seaford-line-gets-smartcard-technology. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
16. ^ ^{a b} "StagecoachSmart - About". Stagecoach. http://stagecoachsmart.com/about.aspx. Retrieved 17 November 2011.