• Introduction of contactless payments to MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus services is the latest of TfL’s wider developments to make it easier to travel on the river
• Using contactless to pay as you go is the same adult rate fare as using an Oyster card – which is up to 19 per cent cheaper than the cash fare.
From 20 May, customers travelling on MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus services will be able to pay as you go using contactless payment cards, as part of Transport for London (TfL)’s continued investment in the river.
The payment method, which has already helped change the way people pay for bus, Tube, tram and most National Rail services across London, can now be used on all MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus routes, which cover around 28 kilometres of the Thames between Putney and Woolwich Arsenal.
Around 500,000 journeys have been made along the Thames using pay as you go on Oyster cards since it was introduced on MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus services last September. As well as being more convenient for customers, using Oyster also offers cheaper fares than buying a paper ticket from the ticket office and saves time on queuing.
The introduction of contactless payments is just one of a number of developments being taken forward by TfL to help encourage better use of the river and increase passenger journeys along the Thames to 12 million a year by 2020.
Sean Collins, CEO, MBNA Thames Clippers, said: “The delivery of contactless is one of the biggest milestones in MBNA Thames Clippers’ history and will significantly enhance the development of our ticketing system and further improve the passenger pre-boarding experience. I would very much like to thank Transport for London for their support in delivering this.”
For more information about TfL’s work to improve river services in London, please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/river
