UK: LNER’s pilot scheme withdrawing flexible Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak fares is to be expanded to cover journeys between London and more than 20 stations around and between Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh from September 30.
In January, the nationalised operator launched a two-year ‘Simpler Fares’ trial between London King’s Cross and Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh Waverley stations. Passengers can buy Anytime full-price and fully flexible tickets, cheaper train-specific and inflexible Advance tickets, or LNER’s new 70min Flex tickets which are more expensive than an Advance but offer the option to start a journey up to 70 min earlier or later than booked. Dynamic pricing of Advance and 70min Flex tickets aims to smooth demand over the day.
Including more stations in the scheme in partnership with operators Northern, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry, ScotRail and the Tyne & Wear Metro aims to provide ‘further insight and feedback as part of an industry ambition to reform and simplify fares’, LNER said when it posted an announcement on its website on August 20.
Rail Business UK notes that some passengers had realised that it was still possible to obtain flexible Off-Peak tickets by buying tickets to and from stations just outside the initial trial area.
LNER said ‘research shows more than a third of people are put off from travelling by rail because of confusion around fares’, and the change removes ‘complicated and outdated ticket types for long-distance journeys’.
Commenting on X (Twitter), independent rail travel expert Mark Smith, who runs The Man in Seat 61 website, said that the trial could potentially mean ‘a significant fares increase and reduction in flexibility. People whose plans change face losing a lot of money if they choose train travel.’ He added ‘when the first thing you need to know about a new fares structure is how to get around it — that’s generally not a good sign’.
Alex Robertson, Chief Executive at independent watchdog Transport Focus, said ‘the plan to trial demand-based pricing on some LNER routes is a radical change for passengers. Transport Focus strongly supports fares reform and it’s right to trial new ideas to see if they work. We look forward to hearing how the trial progresses and will be monitoring that it does indeed deliver better value for money tickets for passengers.’
