Stagecoach introduce contactless payments for customers in East Scotland

Today marked the completion of the scheme as contactless was launched across Stagecoach East Scotland by Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson.

Welcoming the technology, he said: “Additional smart contactless payment means that more people can choose bus as their sustainable form of transport, knowing that this modern and easy option for buying tickets is now available.

“Contactless payment has quickly become a standard method of payment for many people and this investment by Stagecoach provides a simple and more convenient payment method for customers. By completing this national roll out to transition to contactless payment, I’m pleased to see Stagecoach making it even easier for people to travel across Scotland and beyond, whether purchasing on the bus, through an app or via tickets on their smartcard.”

The Stagecoach programme allows all passengers to pay for their travel with a contactless credit or debit card, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay devices. Figures show that almost two-thirds (63%) of people in the UK now use contactless payments.

Jon Oakey, Acting Managing Director for Stagecoach East Scotland, said: "We have the largest contactless payment scheme outside of London, with hundreds of thousands of payments being made using contactless technology on our buses across the country, so I’m delighted to offer this payment opportunity for our passengers in East Scotland.

“Along with traditional cash payments, our StagecoachSmart card and mobile ticketing through our Stagecoach Bus smartphone app, we are giving customers choice about how they want to buy their travel and making it even easier and more convenient to travel by bus.”

To promote the launch of contactless payments in East Scotland, the company will be out and about in the following locations with giveaways and information throughout December:

• Saturday 8 December – 12-5pm: Kingdom Shopping Centre, Glenrothes
• Sunday 9 December – 11-3pm: Fife Central Retail Park, Kirkcaldy
• Saturday 15 December – 12-5pm: Kingsgate Shopping Centre, Dunfermline
• Sunday 16 December – 10-5pm: St John's Shopping Centre, Perth

Stagecoach would like to remind customers that there are some alterations to bus timetables over the Christmas and New Year period across the region.

These changes can be found within the festive timetable which is available to collect from Stagecoach travel shops or viewed online at stagecoachbus.com.