TORONTO — Travellers will find it much easier to get from Gatwick Airport to London, now that it’s been announced that Oyster pay-as-you-go cards will be extended to the airport and five other railway stations in Surrey in January 2016.

The news, which was announced by Rail Minister Claire Perry, will allow passengers travelling between Gatwick and London to use Oyster and contactless payments for journeys on Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink services.

The five other stations along the route – Horley, Salfords, Earlswood, Redhill and Merstham – will also benefit from the ticket technology.

This means commuters and visitors will enjoy added convenience and flexibility, not to mention more affordable fares in many cases. It will also allow for seamless onward connections to London’s transport network and National Rail services.

“Our plan for passengers is to build a 21st-century railway that provides better journeys for all, and improved ticketing is a vital part of that customer experience,” said Perry.

Currently, a single journey paper peak-time ticket costs £15.40 from London Terminals to Gatwick Airport. With pay-as-you-go, a journey during rush hour will cost £14.00 and £8.00 during off-peak hours.

The new methods of payment come just in time for WestJet’s new service to London Gatwick next spring. It will be offering 28 nonstop flights a week to Gatwick from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and St. John’s.

Air Canada will also be adding new nonstop service between Toronto and London Gatwick starting on May 19, 2016. Tickets are currently available for purchase, with summer seasonal service on Air Canada rouge operating up to seven times weekly.