Overview

• Trials begin today on East Midlands Railway between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, with passengers checking in and out via a smartphone app.
• The scheme is scheduled to extend from the end of September to Northern routes including Harrogate–Leeds, Sheffield–Doncaster and Sheffield–Barnsley.
• Journeys are tracked using phone GPS, a barcode in the app enables gate access and inspections, and fares are calculated and charged at the end of the day without advance booking.
• Participation is limited to about 1,000 users per route and up to 4,000 in total, with sign‑ups via operators’ websites and more than 500 registrations already reported for the East Midlands trial.
• Ministers frame the pilot as part of wider rail reforms, citing similar trials in Switzerland, Denmark and Scotland, as charities flag digital exclusion and practical concerns such as flat batteries or GPS failures.