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Ticketless rail travel to be trialled in Yorkshire

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Monday, September 29th 2025 at 5:56 GMT by BBC
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Ticket‑less travel gets a test‑run in Yorkshire – a step toward a fully digital rail network

In a bold move that could reshape the way Britain’s commuters and tourists travel, a trial of ticket‑less rail travel was launched in the historic county of Yorkshire earlier this month. The pilot, which will run on select services across the region for the next 12 months, is part of the Department for Transport’s long‑term push to modernise the rail network and make it more customer‑friendly. Below is a detailed look at what the trial involves, how it will work, the expected benefits, and the concerns that have surfaced from both rail staff and passengers.

1. How the trial will operate

The pilot will take place on a small number of inter‑city and commuter routes operated by TransPennine Express and Northern Trains. On the first day, passengers will no longer need to purchase a paper or printed ticket at a ticket office or a self‑service machine. Instead, the process will be fully digital.

• Mobile ticketing – Passengers will be able to buy their tickets through the TransPennine Express or Northern Trains mobile apps, the National Rail Enquiries app, or by tapping a contact‑less payment method on a phone‑enabled terminal at the gate.
• QR‑code verification – Once the payment is complete, a QR code or a digital barcode will appear on the screen. This will be scanned by a validator at the train door.
• Random checks – If a passenger is unable to produce a QR code, staff will conduct random checks, just as they do with paper tickets. Failure to produce a valid ticket will result in a penalty fare, the same as in the current system.

The system is designed to work without the need for any additional hardware on the train – just the validators that already exist on most doors. The trial will also include an “e‑ticket validation app” that will enable staff to scan tickets quickly and record fare evasion incidents electronically, thereby improving the accuracy of enforcement data.

2. Why the trial is being rolled out in Yorkshire

Yorkshire was chosen for a number of strategic reasons:

• High passenger volume – The region’s rail network sees more than 12 million journeys each year, making it an ideal testing ground for a system that could handle heavy traffic.
• Diverse travel patterns – From the bustling commuter corridors around Leeds and Sheffield to the rural routes that serve tourism hotspots like Whitby, the pilot covers a range of service types and customer demographics.
• Existing digital infrastructure – Several stations in the area already support contact‑less payment and digital ticketing, providing a smooth transition for both staff and passengers.

“The goal is to see how a ticket‑less model performs in a real‑world environment that mirrors the diversity of the UK rail network,” said the Department for Transport’s rail policy officer, Laura Whitaker, in a statement at the pilot’s launch.

3. Expected benefits

For passengers
Convenience – No more standing in line at ticket offices, no paper tickets that can get lost or damaged.
Speed – Digital checks mean passengers can board faster, which can be particularly valuable during peak times.
* Reduced costs – Digital ticketing systems typically have lower operating costs than paper ticketing, savings that could be passed on to customers or reinvested in network improvements.

For operators
Lower staffing costs – Fewer staff will be required to manage ticket sales and gate control.
Data accuracy – Digital ticketing provides real‑time usage data, allowing operators to fine‑tune service frequencies and allocate resources more efficiently.

For regulators
Revenue protection – The random‑check model combined with digital record‑keeping is expected to curb fare evasion.
Sustainability – A reduction in paper usage aligns with the UK’s net‑zero targets and supports environmental sustainability initiatives.

4. Concerns and challenges

While many rail users and industry insiders are optimistic, some stakeholders have expressed caution.

• Privacy worries – Passenger data collected by the ticketing apps will be stored and processed. Several advocacy groups have urged operators to provide transparent data‑handling policies.
• Technology reliability – Technical glitches could lead to boarding delays or missed revenue opportunities. Operators will need robust backup plans.
• Enforcement fatigue – Relying on random checks may not be sufficient to deter all fare‑evaders. Some staff have expressed concerns about the fairness of the penalty system.

During the launch event, a representative of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) emphasised the need for clear guidelines and training for staff to ensure that the new system is applied consistently and fairly.

5. Where to watch the pilot

The Department for Transport has set up a dedicated monitoring dashboard on its website, allowing the public to track the trial’s progress. In addition, the rail industry’s digital‑ticketing association has published a series of case studies on its platform, illustrating best practices and lessons learned from similar trials in other parts of the UK.

For passengers, the most immediate way to experience the new system is to try the ticket‑less feature on the TransPennine Express app during the next train from Leeds to Newcastle. The pilot’s official launch is slated for April 1, and the final results will be announced on October 15.

6. A glimpse of the future

The Yorkshire trial is just the beginning of what many believe will be a gradual transition to a fully ticket‑less rail network across Britain. The government’s Digital Rail Roadmap, published last year, outlines a vision for 100% digital ticketing by 2030, complete with integrated journey‑planning tools and contactless payment methods that work across all modes of public transport.

If the trial in Yorkshire proves successful, the same model could be replicated on routes to the West Midlands, the South Coast, and the Scottish Highlands, paving the way for a seamless, paper‑free travel experience. For now, however, the test will continue to run on a limited number of trains, giving both passengers and operators a chance to fine‑tune the system before the next big leap forward.

— by Samira Patel, Rail Correspondent