For some time, rail operator c2c‘s own Smartcard has been limited to use with standard fare tickets, but it can now be used for discounted fare tickets as well.

Until now the c2c Smatcard could only be loaded with daily, weekly, monthly, annual, and flexi-season tickets. c2c has now extended the ticket options so that it can be loaded with the cheapest weekend tickets. Also, customers can load it with a London Travelcard to avoid having to tap in and out at TfL stations .

Further benefits of the c2c Smartcard include Loyalty points, automatic repayment for any delays above 2 minutes, and, because you bought your tickets online, no more wasting time in long ticket queues at the station.

Until now, discounted tickets such as Super Off Peak tickets, including travelcards, which are only valid on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays, have only been available as paper tickets. Weekend passengers can now buy their tickets online and download them at home using the c2c Travel app. Alternatively, customers can collect their tickets at the station or from any c2c ticket machine and simply tap on the ticket gates as they pass through, or collect their tickets.

As well as saving time when they buy their tickets, passengers who use a Smartcard and tap their card at the start and end of their journey will be automatically credited with compensation if their train is delayed.

c2c Commercial Director Clare McCaffrey said: “In the past year we’ve seen how keen people still are to travel by rail at weekends, with weekend demand nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. We’re delighted to offer these weekend discount tickets on a Smartcard for the first time, so now more people than ever can beat the queues and enjoy the benefits of using a c2c Smartcard.”

c2c Smartcards are free of charge and can be ordered online in advance or obtained at c2c stations. More information is available at: https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/tickets-and-fares/c2c-smartcard/.