Some of my followers on social media may notice that I regularly post TfL's Ticketing and Revenue Updates (TRU), which are published on the FOI section of the TfL website. There is something in the recent logs that caught my eye, and it is well worth reporting on.Transport for London Freedom of Information release: Ticketing & Revenue Update Issue 160 covers June/July 2026 fare changes, Visitor Information Centres no longer issuing magnetic tickets, cyberattack, technology upgrades and a permanent guide dog scheme. www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/tick...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) July 17, 2026 at 2:07 PM
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Request ID: FOI-0979-2627
Date published: 9 July 2026
Contactless PAYG Maximum Fare Trial
From Sunday 5 July 2026, TfL and participating National Rail operators will begin a trial that changes the way PAYG contactless customers are charged when they fail to complete their journey correctly.
Currently, most customers travelling on National Rail PAYG routes outside London who forget to touch in or touch out receive the standard Zone 1–6 maximum fare.
However, during this trial, which runs until Saturday 31 October 2026, customers travelling on selected National Rail services may instead be charged a maximum fare of up to £30.40 if they fail to touch in and out using the same contactless card or device.
The trial reflects the higher fares that can apply on these National Rail journeys and is designed to encourage customers to complete their journeys correctly.
Although only around 3% of contactless PAYG journeys are recorded as incomplete, the new charging arrangement is intended to reduce these occurrences while ensuring the correct fare is paid.
Once the trial has concluded, TfL will review the results before deciding whether to introduce the higher maximum fare permanently.
Staff should also be aware of an important change to the refund process. Customers with incomplete PAYG contactless journeys involving stations included in the trial will no longer be able to request a refund through their TfL online account.
Instead, they must contact TfL Customer Services by telephone, where their claim will be assessed.
The trial applies only to PAYG contactless journeys made on services operated by participating train operators, including...
• c2c
• Chilternrailways
• Gatwick Express
• Greater Anglia
• Great Northern
• Great Western Railway
• London Northwestern Railway
• Southeastern
• Southern
• South Western Railway
• Thameslink
• West Midlands Railway
... made through the following London National Rail terminals
• Blackfriars
• Cannon Street
• Charing Cross
• City Thameslink
• Euston
• Fenchurch Street
• Kings Cross
• Liverpool Street
• London Bridge
• Marylebone
• Paddington
• St Pancras International
• Tottenham Hale
• Victoria
• Waterloo
• Waterloo East
* London Northwestern Railway (LNWR) is one of the two passenger brands operated by West Midlands Trains, created to distinguish its longer-distance services from the company's local West Midlands Railway network.
This is a massive shift in how ticketing errors are handled, but the maximum fare trial isn't the only structural change TfL is quietly rolling out. TfL is now withdrawing the ability to buy magnetic paper tickets from their Visitor Information Centres.
Visitor Information Centre Changes Complete
In TRU157 (January 2026) we told you that TfL had started to replace the Ticket Office Machines (TOMs) in Visitor Information Centres (VICs) with the xPERT devices, that are more commonly found at Ticket Stops.
We are now able to report that this programme is now complete with Heathrow the last location to be upgraded in early June.
The range of tickets and services provided by the VICs remain the same, with the exception of paper (magnetic) tickets which can no longer be printed.
Let's take a look back at the original article from TRU157 to see how this pilot began:
Request ID: FOI-4180-2526
Date published: 19 February 2026
Visitor Centre Changes
On Monday 19 January 2026, TfL began to pilot an upgrade at Visitor Centres by replacing the Ticket Operating Machines (TOMs) and introducing xPERT devices. This started at Piccadilly, Liverpool Street and Victoria VICs and will be extended to the remaining two centres after a short period of assessment.
With xPERT, customers will have access to a wide range of essential services, including:
• Buying new Oyster cards
• Adding PAYG credit
• Adding 7-Day or Monthly Season tickets
• Setting Young Visitor Discounts
• Applying JCP and Bus & Tram Discount
• Setting Disabled / National Rail / Gold Card Discounts
• Issuing One Day Bus & Tram Oyster cards
There are no changes to the range of third-party products and VICs will still be selling attraction tickets, tours in and out of London, and theatre tickets.
As Olly is currently dealing with fares revision issues and claims to be writing his autobiography "Olly Oyster - I'm so much more than a piece of plastic", he regrets he hasn't been able to reply to your letters and emails in time for publication.
We don't believe this is acceptable, but we'll have a word with him and aim to include his responses in our next TRU in February.
[Note: While these internal updates include lighthearted staff humor like "Olly Oyster's autobiography", the practical shift in policy represents a significant change for everyday passengers.]
My Thoughts
The implementation of a potential £30.40 maximum fare on Contactless PAYG represents a substantial increase. Combined with the new refund process, which requires passengers to contact TfL Customer Services by telephone rather than resolving the issue online, this introduces a significant friction point for customers. Rather than simply acting as an incentive for correct validation, this operational change increases the financial risk of accidental errors. As a result, passengers may choose to return to traditional paper options or use smartphone QR codes to avoid the risk of high charges.
The Inconvenience Premium
The jump to a potential £30.40 maximum fare on Contactless PAYG is a staggering increase. Combined with the new, deliberately restrictive refund process, it feels punitive. By forcing passengers to physically phone TfL Customer Services to fix an incomplete journey rather than using an online account, TfL is introducing a massive friction point. Instead of simply "encouraging" correct touches, it creates a high-stakes trap for accidental errors. This may actively encourage people to switch back to traditional paper tickets or use smartphone QR codes just to avoid the risk of a hefty, inconvenient charge.
Balancing Transparency with Accessible Alternatives
As for the withdrawal of magnetic paper tickets at VICs, I refer to my previous article last month (June) that TfL needs to be more transparent in such changes regarding fares and tickets because it catches commuters and visitors out.
Under the Equality Act 2010, TfL has a public sector duty to consider the impact of its decisions on all passengers, typically through an Equality Impact Assessment. Despite indications in late December 2025 that paper One Day Travelcards would continue to be available throughout 2026, the removal of printing capabilities at key gateways like Heathrow systematically reduces access to these products.
#London Mayoral decisions:
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) July 21, 2023
MD3142 Withdrawal of Day Travelcards on #TfL Network
The Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has finally been published!https://t.co/auazGTcUR6 https://t.co/iMDV8vZ5oK pic.twitter.com/VsboArdcKR
As detailed in my previous article in November 2025, physical ticket options remain an important component of an accessible network. Certain passenger groups—particularly wheelchair users and those relying on specific Railcard discounts—depend on paper One Day Travelcards to avoid technical complications, such as maximum fare errors on PAYG Oyster and contactless systems. Furthermore, these physical alternatives are essential for individuals who have had their bank cards or smartphones lost or stolen and must wait for replacements to arrive. For these reasons, retaining physical, non-digital options is crucial to ensuring all passengers maintain uninterrupted access to the transport network.
While transitioning away from legacy magnetic strip technology is understandable, an effective alternative would be to retain physical paper options by adopting QR codes printed on paper. This approach would align with the standard thermal paper barcode tickets already used across the wider railway network, preserving a physical, non-digital option without relying on outdated infrastructure.
For decision-makers at TfL and the Department for Transport, these developments highlight the necessity of clear communication, public consultation, and passenger surveys before implementing structural amendments. Highlighting information within FOI requests and disclosure logs serves to clarify changes that directly impact the travelling public. Maintaining a robust alternative strategy is essential for passengers who are digitally excluded, require specific accessibility features, or need a predictable fare structure.
If you have been affected by the new Contactless PAYG maximum fare trial or have encountered difficulties with the updated refund process, please consider sharing your experiences. You can submit your comments directly to TfL, contact your London Assembly member, or reach out to your local Member of Parliament (MP) to ensure passenger feedback is fully considered during this trial period.
I would like to extend an invite for you to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) for transport-related updates. You can find me by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I am also present on BlueSky and Mastodon. I look forward to connecting with you on these platforms. Thank you for your support.
