(Pocket-lint) - PayPass, MasterCard's contactless payment system, is accepted on London Buses as, from today, you can pay for your fare with NFC transactions as well as Oyster cards.

You can now use any contactless payment-enabled credit, debit or charge card on the London bus network. Just look for the contactless payment symbol. Although many might think that it's not needed, seeing as Oyster cards are already established and easy to swipe as you board, research suggests that 30 per cent of bus journeys in the capital are made with cash or a paper ticket.

Read: How to use contactless credit and debit cards to pay on London buses

In addition, contactless payment will alleviate the panic induced by not having enough credit on your Oyster. And payment through PayPass will cost the same as having paid on Oyster - including the discounted rates. That, from 2013, is £1.40 for a single ride. Cash payments will cost £2.40 from 2013.

"Today many commuters lose valuable time as they queue up to buy tickets or top up their Oyster balance," says Marion King, head of MasterCard's operations UK & Ireland. "Now that Transport for London accepts MasterCard PayPass you can skip this step altogether.

"There is no need to worry if you forget your Oyster card at home, as you can pay for your travel using your PayPass card - or from next year a PayPass-enabled mobile phone. This is another milestone towards a world beyond cash as people have even more opportunities to use contactless payments."

Pic: (cc) IanL

Writing by Rik Henderson.