Go-Ahead introduces UK-first season tickets (with Littlepay) stored directly on payment cards in Google Wallet

The Go-Ahead Group announces it has introduced a new feature enabling bus passengers to load season tickets directly onto their payment card in Google Wallet, removing the need for barcodes, smartcards or paper tickets. The system is currently being piloted on the Brighton & Hove Buses network.

The functionality is designed to allow season ticket holders to tap their device in the same way as pay-as-you-go contactless users.

The project has been developed in collaboration with Google and fare collection technology provider Littlepay. The feature builds on previous integration work between the companies that enabled fare capping and ride history to be displayed directly within Google Wallet.

Go-Ahead: season tickets into contactless payment systems

The new functionality enables passengers to purchase a season ticket and attach it to the payment card stored within Google Wallet. Once purchased, the ticket is validated through the existing contactless ticketing infrastructure when the passenger taps their device on the bus validator.

Under this system, the passenger’s payment credential functions as the identifier for the season ticket product. The validation process uses the same tap-on mechanism already deployed for contactless pay-as-you-go journeys, without requiring separate ticket media such as QR codes or transport-specific smartcards.

According to Go-Ahead, the introduction of this functionality represents the first deployment in the United Kingdom allowing season tickets to be held directly on a payment card within Google Wallet and used through standard contactless validation on buses.

Go-Ahead states that the software will be rolled out across its regional bus operations following the pilot phase.

Kanwar Brar, Go-Ahead’s Chief Digital and Information Officer, said: “This development reflects Go-Ahead’s ongoing commitment to innovation, accessibility, and customer-centric transport solutions, making public transport smarter, simpler, and more inclusive for everyone.”

Jonathan Hill, Head of Transit Partnerships, Google Pay added: “Enabling users to buy monthly tickets adds a further layer of convenience to the ability to track pay as you go spending and progress towards daily and weekly travel caps within Google Wallet. Now users can make quick, easy and secure payments with a Google Pay tap, and keep informed of their spending for both pay as you go and season tickets in Google Wallet.”

Sheryll Ricketts, Head of Solutions, Littlepay said: “It is fitting that the operator launching Littlepay and Google’s latest innovation is part of the Go-Ahead Group. Brighton & Hove Bus passengers once again lead the way as the first to access prepaid Tap On/Tap Off ticketing directly from their Google Wallet. Thanks to the collaboration, shared ambition and commitment from all the teams, we continue to deliver greater convenience to passengers through their digital wallets.”