Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, has announced that contactless ticketing will be introduced onto the Merseyrail network.
There have long been calls for Merseyrail to introduce tap-and-go, which has been used by Transport for London (TfL) since 2012, and on all Merseyside buses since 2019.
Arriving in two phases, the first phase in Autumn will allow passengers to link their MetroCard to their bank account.
The second phase in 2025 will allow passengers to use their bank card, phone or watch without the need for a MetroCard.
Tap-and-go is part of a £10 million grant from the government, bringing Merseyrail one step closer to a London-style transport system.
Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram said: “The reality is our current ticketing system is no longer equipped to meet the demands of a growing 21st century city region.”
Merseyrail currently operates using a paper ticket system, which can cause long queues at stations, especially during rush hour.
“Increasing public demand has now accelerated our plans.” Mr Rotheram said.
Tap-and-go will give passengers the best price for their journey and eliminate the need to buy tickets in advance.
“I want to build a system in our area that makes ticketing, easier, quicker and cheaper, but most importantly, works in favour of passengers, not profit.” Mr Rotheram added.
It is expected the new system will encourage more people onto public transport, supporting the city region’s ambition to be net zero carbon by 2040.
