TfW to trial tickets being available for purchase at local convenience stores

From 24 January 2022, Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced that it will launch a pilot involving convenience stores in 90 different locations within the South Wales Metro area, allowing customers to purchase selected rail tickets for local journeys.

The pilot’s main objective is to make it easier and more convenient for customers to purchase tickets, and also to give them the option to purchase tickets with cash if their local station is unstaffed or has a card-only self-service machine.

TfW, powered by SilverRail retailing technology, will become the first train operating company in the UK to partner with Payzone to make the purchasing of rail tickets possible through their instore devices.

“This is an exciting pilot that gives customers additional choices about how and where they can purchase their rail tickets. This is the very first time in the UK that rail customers will be able to buy their tickets in their local convenience store, and it also gives customers the added choice of purchasing with cash, especially if their local station does not have a ticket office or only has a self-service machine that accepts cards only,” said David O’Leary, Transport for Wales’ Commercial and Customer Experience Director.

Noel Goulty, Head of Transport and Ticketing at Payzone, added: “This is truly a first for rail ticketing, bringing the retailing of rail tickets to the centre of Welsh communities. This strategic partnership with SilverRail will deliver a fully accredited system on behalf of Transport for Wales, which is exclusive to Payzone and allows passengers to buy rail tickets, whilst popping into their corner shop for some essentials. We are committed to innovating in this space to become the default high street network for cash ticketing.”