Rail passengers will be able to use smartphone eTickets from Welwyn Hatfield and Potters Bar stations.

Barcode readers have been installed at Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield stations, as well as Potters Bar and Hertford North.

Great Northern and Thameslink parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) this month completes a two-year project which allows passengers to scan eTickets at 60 stations bought via their OnTrack apps or websites and displayed on their smartphones or printed out at home.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: E-tickets open gates with new barcode readersE-tickets open gates with new barcode readers (Image: Govia Thameslink Railway)

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Investment in smart ticketing across the network has made train travel quicker and easier as people can get their ticket straight to their phone without stopping at ticket offices or ticket machines.

“To make the most of smart tickets rail companies now want to work with government to rewrite outdated rail fares regulations to enable new types of ticket that better reflect the way people will work and travel in future.”

Barcode eTicket sales have increased in the UK from 25 per cent of UK rail ticket revenues pre-COVID to 33 per cent now as passengers realise the benefits of non-contact travel.

Train eTickets can help passengers travel with confidence and are ideal for advanced singles, peak and off-peak singles, and peak and off-peak day return tickets.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Opening the ticket gates with a barcode e-ticketOpening the ticket gates with a barcode e-ticket (Image: Govia Thameslink Railway)

Season ticket holders looking for similar COVID-safe benefits are urged to use the free Key smartcard, which is now available over the ticket office counters and not just by ordering it online, a process taking up to five days.

Thameslink and Great Northern customer services director Jenny Saunders said: “These eTickets and the Key smartcard are simple to use and save our customers time queuing for tickets at the station.

"They also minimise contact, helping everyone to socially distance and travel in confidence.”

Barcode readers were already available at Stevenage and St Albans.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services.

GTR stations with barcode readers where passengers can use e-tickets are as follows:

  • 15 major stations: Brighton, Gatwick Airport, East Croydon, London Bridge, London Victoria, London Blackfriars, City Thameslink, St Pancras International, London King's Cross, King's Lynn, Stevenage, Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, and St Albans.
  • 12 stations on the south coast: Chichester, Bognor Regis, Barnham, Littlehampton, Angmering, Worthing, Lancing, Shoreham-by-Sea, Portslade, Eastbourne, Lewes and Falmer.
  • 19 others recent additions: Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Three Bridges, Horsham, Crawley, Dorking, Leatherhead, Ashtead, East Grinstead, Oxted, Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy, Royston, Letchworth, Hitchin, Leagrave and Flitwick.
  • and the latest added this month: Horley, Redhill, Reigate, Merstham, Hertford North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Potters Bar, Harpenden, Radlett, Hove, Polegate, Bexhill and Epsom.