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w056863
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« on: February 22, 2021, 09:36:51 am » |
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Hello All,
I have heard a rumour that contactless roll out is going to be rolled out to Windsor/Marlow/Henley branches in March. I see this as being a great step forward removing islands of paper in the contactless sea of Paddington to Reading. Does anybody know anything more? Is this definite? Is it still going to be March?
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grahame
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« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2021, 02:44:29 pm » |
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Hello All,
I have heard a rumour that contactless roll out is going to be rolled out to Windsor/Marlow/Henley branches in March. I see this as being a great step forward removing islands of paper in the contactless sea of Paddington to Reading. Does anybody know anything more? Is this definite? Is it still going to be March?
Excellent question, and welcome to the forum. I'm afraid I'm just saying "welcome" - don't have an answer for you, but lots of members visit the forum over a day or two and chances are that someone will know, and will follow up. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Vice Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, and on the board of TravelWatch SouthWest.
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grahame
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« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2021, 03:24:55 pm » |
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Hello All,
I have heard a rumour that contactless roll out is going to be rolled out to Windsor/Marlow/Henley branches in March. I see this as being a great step forward removing islands of paper in the contactless sea of Paddington to Reading. Does anybody know anything more? Is this definite? Is it still going to be March?
Bump ... anyone have an answer for our new member?I had a look at the web site of the Maidenhead and Marlow Passenger Association to see if thy have anything that might provide an answer. https://www.mmpa.org.uk/index.html . Clear sign of recent updates to the site including upcoming changes to train times in March for engineering, but no whisper I could see on ticketing changes. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Vice Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, and on the board of TravelWatch SouthWest.
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eightf48544
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« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2021, 11:27:12 am » |
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Was discussed at MMPA Committee Zoom last night.
Have heard the rumour, but have heard nothing official from GWR▸ . The March date seems unlikely. As far as we know no work has yet started on installng the touch pads, certainly not on the Marlow Branch.
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Ralph Ayres
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« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2021, 11:51:27 am » |
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I can't see any mention of the existing contactless pay as you go on the Reading-Paddington main line on GWR▸ 's own website. Am I just not looking hard enough, or is it really not there?
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eightf48544
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« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2021, 12:13:58 pm » |
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I think that's because it's TFL▸ . It's very confuisng there are several threaads on this topic.
One I found is in All across the Great Western territory > Fare's Fair > What counts as PM off peak?
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stuving
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« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2021, 01:43:40 pm » |
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It's a confusing word, "contactless", isn't it? It's mostly used (outside transport) for payment using bank (debit and credit) cards, and TFL▸ use it for that alternative to Oyster▸ cards. But originally "contactless" applied to the near-field communications link used for those and also for mobile phones and ITSO cards (GWR▸ 's and others'). So I guess if GWR use the word they probably do mean the "touch" pads* on ticket gates, since their systems don't work with bank cards.
* the ones you don't need to touch with the ticket carrier!
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w056863
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« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2021, 12:13:59 pm » |
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London to Reading works on the TfL» contactless system, which is bank cards, and Oyster▸ within the London zonal system. You just touch in and then touch out, and then all your travelling (including on tubes & buses) for the day is debited to the card - there are also daily and weekly caps. Telling people who are not so familiar with public transport that they can use their bank card, and no need to queue up at the ticket office simplifies things enormously, and encourages them to use in preference to their cars. No need to decide if a weekly season is needed in advance is a great benefit if you are not certain which days you might be travelling.
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w056863
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« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2021, 10:29:10 am » |
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Interestingly the contactless fares have now appeared on BR▸ Fares, but not for travel to London... Here is an example Windsor & Eton Central to Slough: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=WNC&dest=SLOAnytime Day Single Paper £3.10. Contactless Peak Single £2.00 Off Peak Day Single Paper £3.00. Contactless Off Peak Single £1.50 Anytime Day Return Paper £4.00 Off Peak Day Return Paper £3.10 There are no Return Fares with Contactless, but it makes sense when you do the maths, however if you travel one way in peak, and the other off peak, it is most advantageous to use contactless (notwithstanding the differences between the timing of peak and off peak for paper and contactless) |
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stuving
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« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2021, 11:12:15 am » |
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Interestingly the contactless fares have now appeared on BR▸ Fares, but not for travel to London... Here is an example Windsor & Eton Central to Slough: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=WNC&dest=SLOAnytime Day Single Paper £3.10. Contactless Peak Single £2.00 Off Peak Day Single Paper £3.00. Contactless Off Peak Single £1.50 Anytime Day Return Paper £4.00 Off Peak Day Return Paper £3.10 There are no Return Fares with Contactless, but it makes sense when you do the maths, however if you travel one way in peak, and the other off peak, it is most advantageous to use contactless (notwithstanding the differences between the timing of peak and off peak for paper and contactless) Not just not for travel to London - they are shown with validity "not for travel" on BRFares. And GWR▸ 's web site still has an FAQ▸ saying: Can I use contactless pay as you go on the Henley, Marlow and Windsor & Eton branch lines?
Contactless pay as you go isn’t available on these GWR branch lines. You will need to touch in or touch out at the gateline of the mainline station and have a separate ticket for the branch line, or alternatively have a ticket for your whole journey. So are they trying something out before announcing it then making it work? Perhaps letting you buy a GWR single to add onto your TfL» trip into London? But usually these things appear well in advance in published and internal documents (and sites like London Reconnections), especially so if TfL is involved. |
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2021, 05:50:03 pm » |
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London to Reading works on the TfL» contactless system, which is bank cards, and Oyster▸ within the London zonal system. You just touch in and then touch out, and then all your travelling (including on tubes & buses) for the day is debited to the card - there are also daily and weekly caps. Telling people who are not so familiar with public transport that they can use their bank card, and no need to queue up at the ticket office simplifies things enormously, and encourages them to use in preference to their cars. No need to decide if a weekly season is needed in advance is a great benefit if you are not certain which days you might be travelling.
Works really well on Reading-Paddington now that TfL are running the show, and it's timely given the huge changes in commuting which are afoot. |
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w056863
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« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2021, 03:06:06 pm » |
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I read elsewhere that Contactless on the Thames Valley branches is supposed to be working before 31st October 2021. The cabling is being fitted to enable the readers, so perhaps 31st October will be an appropriate launch date.
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w056863
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« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2021, 11:17:07 am » |
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Cabling is underway, and therefore I suspect that contactless may be switched on for the January fares change.
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Surrey 455
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« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2021, 09:23:52 pm » |
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Looking at National Rail Enquiries website for Henley, Marlow, and Windsor & Eton Central station, the ticket buying & collections tab states that none of these stations have smartcard validators. If that is correct then perhaps the cabling work is to install validators just for the GWR▸ touch smartcard. I would be surprised if they also took contactless bank cards as well.
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