Northern trains: Ticketless rail travel to be trialled on Leeds-Harrogate and Sheffield-Barnsley routes
Travellers on Northern trains between Harrogate and Leeds won’t need to buy a ticket before hopping onboard, if they take part in the latest trial of digital ticketing.
From today (Monday, September 29), rail passengers travelling on Northern trains between Harrogate and Leeds will be the latest to benefit from simplified train tickets, with the further roll out of digital trials.
The simplified system makes it as easy as hopping on a train and pressing a button on your phone to start your journey, removing the need to pre-book tickets and worrying about paying higher prices through third party apps.
Technology in passenger’s phones will be able to register when they get off the train automatically, and they’ll be charged the lowest possible fare at the end of the day.
Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said: “We’re bringing ticketing into the 21st century. These trials are modernising fares and ticketing, making it simpler and easier for people to choose rail.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we’re delivering straightforward, stress-free train travel across the north, supporting passengers and boosting economic growth, jobs and homes.”
For ticket inspections and to go through ticket barriers, a unique bar code will pop up in the app to be scanned. Passengers who try the apps will also get £15 worth of free travel thanks to Government backing of the trial, with credit automatically added to their account.
Passengers taking part in East Midlands Rail’s trial of the technology have said it made train travel feel “simple and trustworthy”, and another adding that it meant “little to no worrying about being overcharged”, which was a “big shift from how I normally feel about train transport, which can sometimes feel complicated or inconvenient.”
More trials will launch on the Sheffield – Doncaster and Sheffield – Barnsley routes run by Northern, on October 27 and November 24 respectively.
Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director at Northern, said: “We’re proud to be at the forefront of simplifying rail travel for our customers in the North. These trials mark a significant step forward in making train journeys simpler, smarter and more flexible whether for work, leisure or everyday journeys.”
Backed by nearly £1 million of Government funding, the trials are part of plans to modernise our transport system, putting passenger experience at the heart of every journey and encouraging more people to take the train – building on the Government’s mission to deliver growth.
By making it easier to choose rail, the scheme hopes to put money in people’s pockets by helping them get the cheapest fares on the day of travel, make it easier to access work, and as a result boost growth as part of the Plan for Change.
Passengers can make the most of simpler and more flexible train travel and a guarantee of the best value fare on the day, by signing up for the trials via Northern’s website.