Smartcards
East Midlands Trains has introduced plastic Smartcards alongside paper tickets for your convenience, ease and speed.
The Smartcard carries electronically the same information as a paper ticket and can store various ticket types, including season tickets. Using a Smartcard is fast and much more convenient. It allows you to simply ‘touch in’ and ‘touch out’ at ticket gates and is more durable than a paper ticket.
The Smartcard is free and can be ordered using our online Smartcard order form, or by calling 0845 810 10 10.
It will then be posted to you.
For season ticket holders, you can switch to Smartcard when you renew your season ticket. Most season tickets can be stored on Smartcards.
Your user guide - how to use your Smartcard
Buying tickets for your Smartcard
Tickets for Smartcards can be bought from our call centre on 0845 810 10 10, at a ticket vending machine at the station, and online here.
Touching in – to start your journey
You simply touch in at the gate (which display ITSO/tickets on the digital displays) by holding your card against the reader as you go through to the platforms or, where there are no gates, at a platform validator.
If you need to check the validity of the ticket on a Smartcard prior to travel, call 0845 810 10 10, or touch the card against one of our ticket vending machines at the station.
On-board ticket check
Once on board the train, Smartcard tickets will be inspected using a Smartcard reader.
Season ticket holders should carry their paper photocard along with the Smartcard; the two will need matching names when inspected.
Touching out – to end your journey
You must touch out with your Smartcard to validate the end of your journey. This can be done via the station gates or via a platform validator as you leave the station.
Smartcard Stations
Alfreton, Barrow Upon Soar, Belper, Beeston, Bulwell,Chesterfield, Derby, Duffield , East Midlands Parkway,Hucknall, Kettering, Kirkby in Ashfield, Leicester, London St Pancras International, Long Eaton, Loughborough, Mansfield, Mansfield Woodhouse, Market Harborough, Nottingham, Sheffield, Sileby, Sutton Parkway, Syston & Wellingborough
Click here to download the Smartcard route map
Frequently asked questions - everything you need to know
The smartcard is not transferable, so it should not be given to any other person for their use. For families and businesses, additional cards can be registered to one accountholder but issued to each user.
Season tickets cannot be transferred to smartcard; this can only be done when you renew.
Monthly Season, Monthly Plus Season, Annual Season and Weekly Season tickets are available to purchase via phone on 0845 810 1010, or via our ticket vending machines at the station.
Smartcard ticketing for season tickets is being gradually introduced across the East Midlands Trains network and not all stations are initially enabled.
You need to place your card on one of the validation devices at your nominated collection station this will load your ticket.
Your smartcard can be ‘hot-listed’ (blocked) to stop it being used. A replacement can then be arranged. Please call 0845 810 1010.
No, you must go to your nominated collection station to load your ticket.
Online purchase of child season tickets is only available on routes where smartcard ticketing is supported. The route you are searching on may not support smartcard ticketing.
If you have specified a start date that is close to the date on which you are trying to purchase the ticket, the only ticketing method that can deliver your ticket in time is Smartcard (that allows same-day collection).
Because you are purchasing a ticket with a start date close to the date of purchase, Smartcard is the only valid delivery option, but this requires you to already possess a Ssmartcard. You will need to purchase your ticket this time from your local station.
If you want to order a Ssmartcard for future purchases, you will need to book your season ticket more than 7 days in advance, or request a Smartcard from the call centre on 0845 810 1010.
If this is the first time that you have used your Smartcard online, you will need to register your Smartcard for online purchase. This can be done on the delivery options page, by following the link to register a card, or from the My Account page.
This could be because you have mistyped the card number, or that the type of card you are trying to register is not valid for this site. For further information, call 0845 810 1010.
Back to top