Cutting-edge rail ticket technology trials launch in the North
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-28)

Passengers can now sign up for Northern Train's digital ticketing trial.

- travellers on Northern Trains between Harrogate and Leeds won’t need to buy a ticket before hopping on the train if they take part in the latest trial of digital ticketing
- participating passengers will get up to £15 free travel while using simpler, more flexible tickets
- cutting-edge tech will make sure people are charged the lowest rates for tickets on the day of travel, putting money back in people’s pockets and making travelling across the North easier, driving growth as part of the Plan for Change
Passengers in the North are the latest to benefit from simplified train tickets, with the further rollout of digital trials.

From today (29 September 2025), 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.

Sign up to Northern Train’s digital ticketing trial (https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/pay-as-you-go).

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.

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 (https://www.gov.uk/missions).

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.

Passengers can still make the most of simpler and more flexible train travel and a guarantee of the best value fare on the day, by simply signing up for the trials via Northern’s website (https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/pay-as-you-go).

Passengers taking part in East Midlands Rail’s trial of the technology have said it made train travel feel ‘simple and trustworthy’ and another added 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’.

It comes as the government is delivering the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation through the creation of Great British Railways, which will help to deliver better and more reliable services for passengers.

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.

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said:

Introducing smart, location-based ticketing will remove barriers to rail travel and make it easier to get the best value fares without the need to plan ahead.

I’d encourage everyone to take part in this trial. The results will help as we progress our ambition for an integrated Weaver Network seamlessly connecting travel options across West Yorkshire.

Innovative approaches like this will help us create a better-connected region and encourage more people to choose sustainable transport as a way to travel.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

Train tickets can be confusing, frustrating and a barrier for people wanting to use the train.

This digital ticketing trial is a step in the right direction toward providing more flexible ticketing options and best value fares, making it easier for people to travel by train.

It’s great to see it being rolled out in our region and I’d encourage anyone who travels on the Harrogate to Leeds line regularly to register and help shape more accessible rail travel here and across the country.

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.

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