More than one million journeys have been made using Tap and Go across the Merseyrail network, marking a significant milestone for smart ticketing in the Liverpool City Region.

The system, available at all Merseyrail stations, allows passengers to travel using a MetroCard, contactless bank card, smartphone or smartwatch, with most customers opting to use mobile phones.

Tap and Go automatically calculates the best-value fare for each journey by requiring passengers to tap in and out at station gates or platform validators.

Passengers have praised the convenience of the system, highlighting its ability to reduce queuing and streamline travel. During last month’s three-day Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, more than 35,000 Tap and Go journeys were recorded.

The latest phase of smart ticketing has been supported by a £10 million investment from Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. It forms part of wider plans to introduce a fully integrated regional transport network covering rail, bus and ferry services, alongside future transport options.

Passengers who prefer traditional ticketing can still use MetroCards or purchase paper tickets from staffed ticket offices, ensuring the network remains accessible to all users.

“Reaching one million Tap & Go journeys in such a short space of time just proves that people across our region were more than ready for a simpler, more modern way to travel.

“Tap & Go is all about putting passengers first by making it quicker and easier to get where you need to be, while ensuring you always pay the cheapest possible fare.

“Our network performance levels continue to improve, and together with a freeze on rail fares until 2027 that I announced earlier this year, I hope this encourages even more people to travel using our fantastic train services, which are also some of the most reliable in the country.”

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.