Tap On, Tap Off

You will shortly be able to use a contactless card or device to pay for your adult single tram ticket. Simply tap your card to the platform validator before you get on the tram, and tap it again when you get off on the platform validator to complete the journey

If using a device, you will need to ensure you trigger the payment mechanism for that device when you 'Tap On' and 'Tap Off' to ensure Apple Pay or Google Pay registers the transaction.

We are currently in the final stages of testing, and are anticipating a launch in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for details!

When the system is live, you’ll be charged an Adult single fare for each journey you make, and the system will calculate your fare based on the number of journeys. If you make 3 or more journeys in the city zone on one day, the cost is capped at the City DAY Cap price, £5. If you’re travelling to the Airport, your travel will be capped at the Network DAY rate. If you use TOTO over a 7 day period (Mon-Sun), the fare will be capped at the Weekly rate of £24.50 – so you’ll always pay the best fare for your use.

This system works alongside Lothian Buses’ existing TapTapCap system, and tram travel is now included in the same capped fare – so you can use the tram and bus as much as you like within a daily or weekly period and be charged the daily or weekly cap.

If you used a physical card, you will be able to access your payment history via a portal, like you currently can for Lothian Buses TapTapCap service. Please note this is not currently available for contactless-enabled devices – you’ll need to check your bank statement for details.

Our Ticketing Service Assistants will still be working on the trams, and they will tap your card again on their handheld devices to do an inspection tap. If you have not tapped on, you will not be considered to have a valid ticket, and will automatically be charged the onboard penalty fare of £10. This does not count towards your daily or weekly cap.

If you have Tapped On and don’t Tap Off when you leave the tram, you’ll be charged a Single Airport fare (£7.90) – so please remember to Tap Off! We know mistakes can happen, please contact our Customer Service team with any queries. Penalty fares, including the fare for a card not being tapped off, will not be included in daily or weekly capping.

No, you do not need to tap off. You can continue to use your pass as normal.

The system is designed for solo adult tickets. For the best family rates, you can still buy tickets at the Ticket Vending Machines on platforms, on the et app or Bus & Tram app, or via Edinburgh Ticket. All currently accepted concession passes will still be accepted. 

We will accept Visa and Mastercard (including Maestro) cards that display the contactless symbol, or that have been added to Apple Pay or Google Pay.

American Express contactless payment cards are not accepted on the Platform Validators, but can still be used on the Ticket Vending Machines on the platform to pre-purchase tickets. 

If you find that your card doesn’t work, please contact your bank or card issuer.  Please be aware that cards issued outside of the UK may incur overseas transaction fees applied by your bank or card issuer.

No – capping can only be applied to the exact card or device used, so please continue to only use that contactless card or device for the rest of that day, or week if you want to benefit from weekly capping. If you swap between different cards and devices, your payments will not be capped, even if you’re swapping between digital and physical versions of the same card.

For example, if you use both a contactless card and a phone to pay for travel in the same day, your payments will not be capped (even if they’re funded by the same bank account).

If you use a different card or device to tap off, the system will register this as 2 x incomplete journeys and each card or device will be charged a penalty Airport Fare of £7.90.

Contact our customer service team here.