{"id":393368,"date":"2025-09-03T01:51:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T01:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/393368\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T01:51:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T01:51:16","slug":"everyone-needs-to-be-using-transport-for-wales-pay-as-you-go-scheme-for-key-reason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/393368\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone needs to be using Transport for Wales’ Pay as you Go scheme for key reason"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m saving more than \u00a320 a week thanks to the deal<\/p>\n

07:00, 01 Sep 2025Updated 16:42, 02 Sep 2025<\/p>\n

\"GVIt’s a really easy way to travel by train(Image: WalesOnline\/Rob Browne)<\/p>\n

Driving into the centre of any city can be an ordeal. Heavy traffic and costly parking – as well as congestion charges in some cities – can make the daily commute into a nightmare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And Cardiff<\/a>\u2019s no exception. We may not have a clean air zone like our friends over the bridge in Bristol or elsewhere – yet – but trying to commute into the centre of the city first thing in the morning is like a new level of Hell that even Dante couldn\u2019t have dreamed of.<\/p>\n

During the morning rush hour it takes me an hour – often longer – to drive from my home<\/a> near Cwmbran to the office in the centre of Cardiff, a journey which takes half that at quieter times<\/a>. And that\u2019s assuming nothing like an accident or roadworks slow things down further along the way.<\/p>\n

When driving is that much of a pain, it\u2019s a surprise more people don\u2019t think about taking the train. Yes, as Brits we love to moan about the state of our public transport, and it\u2019s true that you often have to battle with delays, overcrowding, and the indignity of being in the vicinity of your common man, but it\u2019s got to be better than sitting on the A48 for half an hour.<\/p>\n

\"GVYou don’t need to faff around with one of these machines(Image: WalesOnline\/Rob Browne)<\/p>\n

And here in Wales we have access to a great deal which everyone should be taking advantage of. A return ticket for my usual journey from Cwmbran Station to Cardiff Central, leaving in time to be at work for 9am, and going back after 5.30pm, is \u00a310.70. While a day\u2019s parking, plus petrol, would easily be more than that, that\u2019s still going to add up.<\/p>\n

But if you use Transport for Wales\u2019s Pay as you Go<\/a> system, it\u2019s almost half the price, at \u00a36. Suddenly travelling to office five days a week is \u00a330 instead of \u00a353.50. Taken over a month that\u2019s a saving of \u00a394. Add the free parking at Cwmbran Station to this – granted, not everywhere has this – and it’s much cheaper overall.<\/p>\n

TfW says Pay as you Go will always charge you the cheapest equivalent \u2018anytime\u2019 fare for journeys, and it also has daily and weekly price caps, meaning you’ll never spend more than a predetermined amount.<\/p>\n

With savings like that it\u2019s hard to understand why everyone isn\u2019t using it. All you have to do tap your bank card at the yellow entrance gate or stand when you get to the station – hence why its also referred to as \u2018tap in and tap out\u2019 – and then again when you get where you\u2019re going. Phones and smartwatches with Apple Pay or Google Pay set up work too, although TfW says you have to use your bank card for the first week of using the system, presumably for boring technical reasons.<\/p>\n

\"WALESThe TfW app can help you monitor your journeys(Image: Ian Craig)<\/p>\n

While at stations like Cardiff Central you can\u2019t get onto or leave the platform without tapping or scanning a ticket, at plenty of others you can just walk on or off without doing so, so it\u2019s important to remember to tap your card or device. If you forget you\u2019ll get charged \u00a310, but you can correct this on the TfW app by entering where you got on or off – although you can only do this three times a month, which is a fair way to stop people taking the mick.<\/p>\n

If the ticket inspector comes round when you\u2019re on the train, just tell them you tapped on and they\u2019ll ask you to scan your card or device on a little scanner they\u2019ve got. This shows them if you have actually tapped on – if you haven\u2019t it charges you a \u00a310 fine.<\/p>\n

When it\u2019s that easy, and that much cheaper, it\u2019s baffling to me that anyone is still buying tickets the old-fashioned way. Yes, there can be overcrowding – although the journeys I take tend to be fine – and trains aren’t always particularly punctual, but generally I’ve found the whole experience to be pretty painless.<\/p>\n

But there is one problem – and it\u2019s a pretty major one. At the moment the service is only available on TfW services in South East Wales, meaning if you want to travel any further afield than Rhymney, Treherbert, or Caldicot, you\u2019re out of luck. \u2018Twas ever thus – Cardiff always seems to be first in line for any kind of new scheme or investment, and anyone living a bit further out is left in the cold.<\/p>\n

TfW has said the system is being introduced on lines in North Wales next year, which is great news. Pay as you Go is a fantastic offer and a great way to travel, and everyone in Wales should be able use it. For more information on Pay as you Go, visit https:\/\/tfw.wales\/ways-to-travel\/rail\/ticket-types\/pay-as-you-go<\/a><\/p>\n

\"FileYou can save a lot of money by travelling by train(Image: Hadyn Iball\/North Wales Live)All the stations you can use Pay as you Go at<\/p>\n