Yorkshire 'turn up and go' trial to get passengers cheapest train tickets extended until 2027

Passengers download an app and this uses GPS to calculate their cheapest journey.

A London-style “get up and go” train ticket trial - which uses GPS to calculate the cost of a passenger’s ticket - is being extended on its Yorkshire routes until 2027.

Since last summer, Northern Rail has been running trials of the innovative technology on the Harrogate to Leeds and Sheffield to Doncaster routes.

Passengers download an app and this uses GPS to calculate their cheapest journey. The idea is to simplify the ticketing system and also minimise fare evasion.

It is one of the trial ticketing systems being tested for use outside of London ahead of the full launch of Great British Railways, when the Government takes full control of the nation’s train companies.

Some 30,000 journeys have been completed between Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield and Doncaster, and the cap on people using the app has been lifted.

Given the positive feedback, the Transport Secretary has now announced this is being extended until September 2027.

Heidi Alexander told The Yorkshire Post: "Passengers across Yorkshire deserve a railway that works for them, not one that leaves them wrestling with confusing ticket options.

“That's exactly why we're extending the Digital Pay As You Go trials, giving more passengers across the region a London-style ‘get up and go’ transport system that makes journeys easier and more convenient.

"This trial is just one example of how we're modernising our railways and putting passengers first as we set up Great British Railways.

“We'll keep cutting away the complexity in our ticketing system so that getting from A to B is as straightforward as it should be.”

Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director, said: “The future of ticketing is happening right here in the North, which is making train travel simpler, frictionless and more convenient for our customers.

“We’re delighted the trial has been extended until September 2027 as thousands of people will be able to use this innovative technology on two of our routes.

“It has already been used to make more than 30,000 journeys on Northern services and we’ve received a lot of positive feedback so far.

“Customers are still welcome to sign up now to try out these digital pay-as-you-go app, and receive £15 worth of free credit to their account.”