Final roll-out of £10m Merseyrail Tap & Go begins with passengers now able to pay for their journeys using bank cards, smartphones and watches. Tony McDonough reports
Merseyrail passengers can now pay their fares contactless using their bank cards, smartphones and watches.
After a trial period in the last few weeks, the £10m Tap & Go system is now fully rolled out across the network. Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “This is a long overdue step forward in bringing our transport network up to the standard people rightly expect in 2026.”
Since August 2025, passengers have been able to tap and go using MetroCards issued by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. People have had to buy a card for £1 and then register their debit card online, allowing people to tap in and out at stations.
Being able to use cards, smartphones and watches at barriers and on station platforms now brings Merseyrail into line with networks such as London Underground.
Tap & Go automatically checks when and how often you have travelled to work out whether a single, return or Day Saver fare is the cheapest. The charge normally goes through the day after your journey.
Passengers using the MetroCard have to register and anyone who forgets to tap out at the end of their journey is sent an email asking them to log onto the website and fill in the details of their journey. However, there is no need to register to use cards, phones or watches.
Mr Rotheram said: “Contactless payments are the norm in other major cities like London or Paris, so it’s only right that people in Liverpool city region have a system that’s simpler, more flexible and better suited to modern life.
“With contactless payments, we’re making it easier than ever for people to move around our region, without worrying about rush-hour queues or calculating the best possible fare.
READ MORE: How £1.6bn city region transport cash will be spent
READ MORE: ‘Unusual’ deal values Mersey law firm Fletchers at £240m
“Crucially, this is about giving people a choice: our ticket offices will remain open for the many passengers who rely on them every day.”
The Combined Authority has confirmed that Merseyrail fares will be frozen in line with the national policy on rail fares until March 2027.