The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced an extension of its Digital Pay As You Go Rail Fare pilot scheme, with the technology now set to be made available to all travellers on Northern’s two trial routes.
Up to this point, trials have been successfully conducted across a number of routes, including Leeds to Harrogate, Doncaster to Sheffield, and Leicester to Nottingham via Derby.
An initial 2,000 passengers were given access to the technology upon its launch in 2025, and more than 30,000 journeys have now been said to have benefitted from the system, which allows passengers to download an app that uses GPS to track their journeys in order calculate a fare without physically checking in and out or buying a ticket in advance.
The technology was developed in a bid to help minimise fare evasion, as well as protect those who might purchase the wrong tickets when travelling.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:Buying a train ticket across much of the Yorkshire is far too complicated, with the whole system long overdue an upgrade to bring it into the 21st century. The Digital Pay As You Go trials have been a huge success and by extending them, we’re making bringing that convenience, accessibility and flexible for even more passengers.
This is rail reform in action. We’re delivering straightforward, stress-free train travel across the North supporting passengers, a key step in our mission to boost growth, jobs and homes as we work to set up Great British Railways.
The introduction of the ticketing technology comes as the Government moves to work with authorities in order to design ticketing solutions tailored to specific communities, disregarding its former ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. This includes the roll out of contactless ticketing with bankcards at over 100 stations in the South East, connecting trains with London’s airports, bus, Tube and tram networks.
Thus far, the Government’s 156 million GBP investment in new ticketing schemes will see Pay as You Go made available at more than 100 additional stations across Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the South East, with a new GBR website and app also in development, which will aim to serve as a one-stop-shop with passengers able to buy tickets, check train times and access support in one app.
