London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is to introduce simpler and more flexible ticketing options for customers across the LNER network as part of a major step in overhauling outdated ticketing.
The new approach will be live from Sunday 14 May 2023, when tickets are due to go on sale, for travel from Sunday 11 June 2023.
LNER introduced a pioneering trial on three routes in 2020, between London King’s Cross and Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The trial saw the removal of return fares, where all fares are priced on a single journey basis, enabling customers far greater flexibility to mix and match their fares and find better deals. Single tickets were priced at around half that of a return, removing instances where return fares are only £1 more than a single fare.
The extension of this approach across the LNER route will make it even simpler for more customers to select the best ticket options for their journey, with the following now available:
- Anytime Single
- Off-Peak/Super Off-Peak Single
- Advance Single
Crucially, LNER is removing the outdated practice where a single ticket can cost almost as much as a return ticket.
David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “The expansion of Single Leg Pricing will mean almost all of our customers will benefit from simpler fares and have the power to mix and match to get the best value fares.
“We believe that making fares simpler, smarter and fairer will encourage more people to choose rail, making a green and sustainable travel choice. Alongside our successful innovations from our legendary customer service to our industry leading digital products, LNER remains at the forefront of transforming rail.”
Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said: “The expansion of single leg pricing on LNER is the latest example of this Government getting on and delivering tangible reforms that will benefit rail passengers, delivering simpler, more flexible tickets that are better value.
“Passengers will get the best value ticket for their journey safe in the knowledge a single ticket will be around half the price of a return.”
Independent online consumer research commissioned by LNER (of LNER customers and non-LNER customers) found that 61 per cent of customers surveyed were in favour of single leg ticketing being extended, and close to 45 per cent of non-customers were more likely to travel for long-distance journeys with LNER in the future as a result of single leg ticketing. More than half, 55 per cent of LNER customers agree that single leg ticketing simplifies the way tickets work.
LNER is committed to transforming ticketing to make travel smarter, simpler and more seamless. Almost 9 in 10 customers currently purchase Advance tickets for journeys with LNER. The pandemic accelerated the move away from outdated paper tickets as people prefer contactless e-tickets which can be amended or refunded more easily. Advance tickets offer the best value fares and include a seat reservation free of charge.
LNER introduced new combinations of journeys where customers can buy Advance tickets from May 2021, allowing customers to make significant savings when travelling for leisure or business.
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