A new digital ticketing trial launched on September 29 for Northern trains between Harrogate and Leeds allows passengers to board without pre-purchased tickets by using a smartphone app that detects their location via GPS and charges the lowest fare at the end of the day.

This initiative follows a successful pilot in the East Midlands connecting Leicester with Nottingham and Derby, and aims to modernize fare systems and simplify travel, with plans to expand to additional routes in the coming weeks.

The app generates a barcode for ticket inspections and station barriers, eliminating the need for traditional tickets, and participants receive £15 of free credit as an incentive.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin emphasized that location-based ticketing could remove barriers to travel, helping passengers access the best fares without prior planning.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy stated that the initiative aims to modernize fares, support economic growth, and make rail travel more accessible and affordable by removing barriers such as pre-planning.

The trial is limited to 4,000 participants who can sign up via the train operator's website, with initial free credit, and the scheme is expected to expand to routes between Sheffield and Doncaster, and Sheffield and Barnsley in the upcoming weeks.

Additional trials are scheduled for October 27 and November 24 on routes between Sheffield and Doncaster, and Sheffield and Barnsley, with a similar scheme already in operation since September 1 on some East Midlands Railway routes.

The GPS-based fare system, already tested in Switzerland, Denmark, and Scotland, replaces traditional paper and QR code tickets, allowing for flexible, real-time fare calculation without pre-booking.

Northern trains have seen a significant shift towards mobile ticketing, with nearly 78% of tickets purchased via mobile in January and a peak of 89% in a single day, reducing reliance on paper tickets.

The initiative aims to reduce costs and increase rail appeal, addressing the £12.5 billion annual taxpayer subsidy to the rail industry.

The system proved to work flawlessly during a test run, accommodating unstaffed stations and ensuring correct charges without pre-planning or booking.

Passengers receive a barcode for station access and onboard inspections, but station entry and exit are not used for tracking; fare calculation relies solely on GPS data.