LNER has launched a two-year scheme to “simplify fares” and make rail travel more attractive to passengers.
The new pilot aims to remove complicated ticket types, cutting the existing 11 options to six – three in first class and three in standard class – and applies to journeys between London King’s Cross and Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh.
New to the fare structure is the semi-flexible ’70min Flex’ ticket, enabling customers to travel on other LNER services up to 70 minutes before or after their booked journey. This is in addition to the fixed Advance and fully-flexible Anytime fares.
Communications director at LNER, Stuart Thomas, tweeted the following flowchart:
Tickets are on sale for travel from 5 February, and LNER is also removing its Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak fares from the same date.
The scheme builds on last year’s roll-out of single leg ticketing across most of the LNER network, which allows customers to mix and match their fares. Prior to this update, there were a total of 23 ticket options.
David Horne, managing director at LNER, said:
“LNER remains at the forefront of rail reform. Simplifying fares is vital in making rail travel more attractive. Customers tell us they find fares confusing.
“This exciting new pilot is the next step in our plans to overhaul complicated and outdated ticketing options and we look forward to hearing feedback from our customers. We believe that making fares simpler, smarter, and fairer, while introducing value for money and modern flexibility, will encourage more people to choose to travel by rail, the most sustainable travel choice.”
The rail operator also cited a survey by industry body, the Rail Delivery Group, which found that 35 per cent of people who can travel by train are put off because they find it difficult to find the right fare.
Business Traveller recently reviewed LNER’s first class service on a trip from London to Edinburgh:
