The rise of contactless payment continues, with Android Pay recently launching in the United Kingdom. And straight after its launch – Transport for London began accepting Android Pay for Pay-as-you-go fares.
The upshot is if you have an Android powered phone which can utilise the Android Pay application on London Underground, Buses, Trams, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, Thames Clippers River Bus and the majority of National Rail services in the Greater London area.
Using Android Pay – like Apple Pay and Oyster – providing you touch in and out at the appropriate places, the Transport for London systems will calculate the fares – including fare capping on a daily and weekly basis.
Using Android Pay is akin to Apple Pay – providing your bank and the device you use supports Android Pay (see https://www.android.com/intl/en_uk/pay/ for the UK Version of setting it up).
For those of you who come from aboard and use Android Pay on Transport for London services, note that you may be charged overseas transaction fees – and that not all cards are accepted.
Transport for London is expanding the use of its “Pay as you go” contactless model beyond London – with the ability to use it on Gatwick Express, as well negotiations to bring it to services from Luton Airport and London Stansted Airport, allowing visitors to “Tap and go” when they arrive off a plane.
For the person who lives off their phone, and has everything loaded on it – it’s another way of making travel easier.
Just ensure that you have enough charge when you travel – both getting on and off the train, or when an inspector asks to see your ticket. If your phone battery dies and you haven’t completed your journey – you could be liable for a penalty fare.
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Tried this last weekend with Apple pay and it didn’t work despite Apple pay working in London both before and after it didn’t work on the tube. Tried with multiple cards from multiple banks all were us issued.