East Midlands Railway (EMR) is extending its Digital Pay As You Go trial for another 12 months following growing use of the mobile ticketing system on routes connecting Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.
More than 27,000 journeys have been completed through the scheme since its launch, with 1,492 passengers participating in the trial so far.
Operated by Transport UK, EMR is testing the technology as part of a wider rail industry programme supported by the UK Department for Transport, aimed at exploring simpler and more flexible ways for passengers to pay for train travel.
GPS technology replaces advance ticket selection
Unlike conventional rail ticketing, passengers using Digital Pay As You Go do not need to choose and purchase a specific ticket before starting their journey.
Instead, the system uses GPS-based technology within the EMR mobile app to track the passenger’s journey. Once the trip is completed, the app determines the appropriate fare automatically.
The approach is intended to remove some of the complexity associated with selecting rail fares, particularly for passengers travelling regularly between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.
EMR said 27,009 Pay As You Go journeys have been recorded since the trial began.
The Digital Pay As You Go service has also achieved an average customer satisfaction rating of 4.4 out of 5.
Trial extended for another year
The 12-month extension will allow EMR to gather additional data on how passengers use the system and assess the potential role of GPS-based ticketing in future rail travel.
There is no limit on the number of passengers who can participate during the extended trial.
“Reaching more than 27,000 journeys is a fantastic milestone and, alongside a customer satisfaction score of 4.4 out of 5, shows that customers are responding positively to a simpler and more flexible way of paying for rail travel,” said Neil Grabham, Interim Managing Director at East Midlands Railway.
Grabham said the technology is designed to reduce the need for passengers to navigate ticket options before travelling, while each journey completed during the trial provides EMR with additional information about how digital ticketing performs in real-world use.
The operator is encouraging passengers who regularly travel between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham to join the extended trial.
Digital Pay As You Go is one of several approaches being explored across the UK rail industry as operators and the Department for Transport examine how mobile technology and automated fare calculation could simplify the passenger experience.
