Pay as you go is coming to North Wales
Pay as you go is coming to parts of North Wales in 2026. We’re getting everything ready, installing new infrastructure at our stations ready for contactless train travel.
What to expect
- No need for a ticket, just tap in and tap out to pay.
- Always pay the best-value fare.
- Save even more from daily and weekly fare caps.
- Enjoy quicker, more convenient train travel.
Get the latest updates
Don’t miss out. Be the first to know when pay as you go is available in North Wales.
|
|
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer
"Pay as you go has already made train travel easier and more convenient in South East Wales, with more than three million journeys to date. Our ambition to transform transport continues in North Wales with greater investment, new services and new ticketing. Launching our pay as you go offering in North East Wales is an important step forward, and we’re proud to make travelling simpler, easier and better value for money for the communities we serve."
How it works
Tap in with your card or device
Tap out with the same card or device
Pay the best-value fare
Where can I use pay as you go in North Wales?
- Between stations in our North Wales pay as you go zone.
- It cannot be used to travel between North and South Wales.
- Valid on TfW services only.
See all locations
Initially, our North Wales pay as you go service will be available at:
| Bidston | Cefn-y-Bedd | Hawarden Bridge | Neston | Upton |
| Buckley | Gwersyllt | Heswall | Penyffordd | Wrexham Central |
| Caergwrle | Hawarden | Hope | Shotton | Wrexham General |
Later in 2026, we'll be expanding it to:
| Chester | Flint | Gobowen | Prestatyn | Ruabon |
| Chirk | Frodsham | Helsby | Rhyl | Runcorn East |
Initially, our North Wales pay as you go service will be available at:
Bidston
Buckley
Caergwrle
Cefn-y-Bedd
Gwersyllt
Hawarden
Hawarden Bridge
Heswall
Hope
Neston
Penyffordd
Shotton
Upton
Wrexham Central
Wrexham General
Later in 2026, we'll be expanding it to:
Chester
Chirk
Flint
Frodsham
Gobowen
Helsby
Prestatyn
Rhyl
Ruabon
Runcorn East
Get ready for pay as you go - register now
Register now so you’re ready when pay as you go launches in North Wales. It will make your journeys smoother and give you the best pay as you go experience:
- Your full journey and payment history for the past 12 months.
- Alerts if you forget to tap out (helping you avoid extra charges).
- Easily downloadable travel receipts.
- Tailored support if you have any problems.
If you’re not registered, you’ll only be able to see seven consecutive days of journey history.
How to register
Just create an account on our app or website and add your payment card details in the pay as you go section. See our frequently asked questions for more information on how to register.
Frequently asked questions
Can I travel between North Wales and South Wales using pay as you go?
No. Our pay as you go schemes in North Wales and South Wales are separate. You won’t be able to travel between them using pay as you go.
Pay as you go is designed for frequent local journeys on busier parts of our network. It’s well-suited to the high frequency Metro services we’re introducing in North East Wales and South East Wales, where customers can ‘turn-up and go’ without needing to plan ahead. For long-distance journeys, we have a range of great-value alternative tickets.
Which North Wales stations can I use pay as you go at?
Like our rollout of pay as you go in South Wales, we’ll follow a phased approach to rolling it out in North Wales.
Initially, our North Wales pay as you go service will be available at:
- Bidston
- Buckley
- Caergwrle
- Cefn-y-Bedd
- Gwersyllt
- Hawarden
- Hawarden Bridge
- Heswall
- Hope
- Neston
- Penyffordd
- Shotton
- Upton
- Wrexham Central
- Wrexham General
Following these initial stations, we'll be expanding it to:
- Chester
- Chirk
- Flint
- Frodsham
- Gobowen
- Helsby
- Prestatyn
- Rhyl
- Ruabon
- Runcorn East
Why is my station not included in North Wales pay as you go?
The North Wales pay as you go area is based on local authority boundaries. For example, stations west of Rhyl fall outside this defined zone, but may be included in future expansions of pay as you go in North Wales.
This boundary approach is the same one used in South Wales, with pay as you go limited to the South Wales Metro area.
Where can I find more information on fares and capping for North Wales pay as you go?
We’ll provide more information on fares and capping for North Wales pay as you go as we get closer to the launch date.
What rail operators accept pay as you go in North Wales?
For the initial launch of pay as you go in North Wales, the scheme will only be available on TfW services.
