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Pay-as-you-go on GWR trains

What is pay-as-you-go?

The pay-as-you-go (PAYG) GWR touch smartcard lets you effortlessly tap in and out at selected stations.

Never worry about paper tickets again, with all your tickets and payments rolled into one.

Pay-as-you-go customers also get access to new Anytime Day Single fares, which offer fantastic value, so you don’t pay more than you need to.

Plus, you’ll get the guaranteed best price on same-day travel, so there’s no need to hunt down the best deal – we’ll do it all for you.

Get your pay-as-you-go smartcard

Tap in. Tap out. It's as easy as that.

Clock

Save time – simply tap in and tap out

Pound

Guaranteed best fares on same-day travel*

Railcard

Get your Railcard discount automatically

Parent and child

Smartcards and pay-as-you-go are now available for children

Compass

Travel flexibly – no need to buy before you travel

Online Security

Secure and automated billing

Train

Travel on any train in a pay-as-you-go scheme – not just GWR

Clock with countdown

Get notifications when you can get Delay Repay compensation

Where can I use pay-as-you-go?

We currently offer pay-as-you-go in the Bristol area and West Cornwall.

Clifton Suspension Bridge Bristol

Bristol area pay-as-you-go

Travel effortlessly through Bristol and the surrounding areas, including Swindon, Weston-super-Mare, Bath Spa and Gloucester.

What stations are included in the pay-as-you-go scheme?

Use our checker below to find out if you can use pay-as-you-go for your journey.

Pay-as-you-go scheme fare checker

Order your pay-as-you-go smartcard

How to get pay-as-you-go if you don't have a GWR account

  1. Register for a GWR account
  2. Confirm your account
  3. Login to your GWR account or select 'GWR pay-as-you-go' when you're logged in
  4. Enter your details and submit your form
  5. You will receive your pay-as-you-go smartcard within five working days

How to get pay-as-you-go if you already have a GWR account

  1. Login to your GWR account or select 'GWR pay-as-you-go' when you're logged in
  2. Choose if you want to order a new smartcard or add pay-as-you-go to an existing smartcard from the dropdown menu
  3. Enter your details and submit your form
  4. You will receive your pay-as-you-go smartcard within five working days
    1. If you added pay-as-you-go to an existing smartcard, you will normally be able to use pay-as-you-go within two hours

How to get pay-as-you-go if you already use a Flexi Season ticket on your GWR smartcard

If you use a Flexi Season ticket on a GWR smartcard, we recommend ordering a new smartcard for pay-as-you-go journeys.

Frequently asked questions about pay-as-you-go

General information about the pay-as-you-go scheme

Tapping in and out and journey information with pay-as-you-go

Pricing, fares and payment details for pay-as-you-go

Delay Repay and pay-as-you-go

Pay-as-you-go scheme for children

Pay-as-you-go terms and conditions

*Get the best value on same-day fares for the day of travel, plus Weekly Season ticket price capping applied to end-to-end journeys between two stations over a Monday to Sunday 7-day week. Excludes Advance Single tickets. For more details, see our FAQs on pricing, fares and payment details.