UK expands trial of GPS-based train tickets
Passengers in the North are the latest to benefit from simplified train tickets, with the further rollout of digital trials.
In June, the Department for Transport announced the launch of digital ticketing trials from the end of the summer across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
Backed by government funding, the trials will use GPS-based technology to track train journeys, ensuring passengers pay the best fare for the journey they take.
Unlike the previous rollout of pay-as-you-go, which uses contactless payment at barriers, these trials will use GPS-based technology to track people’s location throughout their train journey.
From Monday (29 September), rail passengers travelling on Northern trains between Harrogate and Leeds will find it even easier to take the train over the Arthington Viaduct to visit Kirkstall Abbey, get to and from work in Leeds city centre or play a round at Pannal Golf Club.
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 passengers’ 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.
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.
In a further boost for train users in the North, more trials will launch on the Sheffield – Doncaster and Sheffield – Barnsley routes run by Northern, on 27 October 2025 and 24 November 2025 respectively.
