Digital Pay-As-You-Go Rail Tickets: How the Trials Work

What is digital pay-as-you-go rail ticketing?

Digital pay-as-you-go is a way of paying for train travel that replaces buying a ticket in advance with an app on a smartphone. Instead of choosing a ticket type before travelling, a passenger opens the app, and the technology uses the phone's GPS location to track the journey and then works out the best fare, charging it automatically, usually at the end of the day. There is no need to physically check in and out, although at stations with ticket barriers passengers scan a unique barcode shown in the app to pass through. The aim is to remove the guesswork from buying rail tickets, so that passengers do not have to understand a complex range of fares to be sure of paying the right price. It also protects people who might otherwise buy the wrong ticket, because the system selects the correct fare for the journey actually made. The same approach is already used in countries such as Switzerland and Denmark, and in Scotland, and it is designed to replace both paper tickets and the mobile tickets that rely on a QR code. For passengers, the promise is a simpler, more flexible way to travel that also aims to save both time and money.

Where are the trials and who can use them?

The digital pay-as-you-go trials began in 2025 and initially allowed a limited number of passengers to take part. Two routes were run by Northern, between Leeds and Harrogate and between Doncaster and Sheffield, with a third route added in the East Midlands between Leicester and Nottingham via Derby. At the start, participation was capped, with an initial 2,000 passengers across the two northern routes. Following strong demand and positive feedback, that cap has now been lifted, so an unlimited number of passengers can use the technology on the trial routes. Passengers sign up through the train operator's website or app, and new users currently receive £15 of free credit to try the service. The trials have been extended until September 2027, giving people a long window to use them and giving the operators time to gather feedback. Because the schemes are trials on specific routes rather than a national rollout, the exact routes and terms can change, so the operator's own website is the best place to confirm current coverage, how to sign up, and any conditions that apply before relying on the app for a journey.

How does it save money and prevent overpaying?

The central promise of digital pay-as-you-go is that passengers pay the best available fare for the journey they actually make, without having to work out the cheapest option in advance. Rail fares in Britain can be complex, with different ticket types, times and split options that make it easy to overpay, and the system is designed to remove that risk by calculating the fare after the journey. It also helps in situations where someone might innocently buy the wrong ticket, since the technology selects the right fare rather than leaving the passenger to guess. At the same time, it helps operators reduce fare evasion, because it makes sure the correct fare is charged for each journey. The government has framed this as part of a wider effort to make the railway easier to use and to attract more people back onto trains. For a passenger, the practical benefit is confidence that a journey has been priced correctly and flexibly, particularly for those who travel at varying times and would otherwise struggle to pick the most economical ticket from the range on offer across the network's many operators.

How it fits Great British Railways and wider reform

The trials are one part of a much larger programme of fare and ticketing reform being carried out ahead of the creation of Great British Railways, the new public body that will oversee the railway. A central aim of that reform is to simplify a system in which passengers currently face confusing options across 14 different operators. Alongside pay-as-you-go, the government is developing a Great British Railways website and app intended to act as a single place for passengers to buy tickets, check train times and claim Delay Repay compensation, rather than navigating many separate systems. The government has committed £156 million to new ticketing schemes, with the aim that pay-as-you-go will be available at more than 100 additional stations across Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the south-east by 2027. This includes contactless bankcard ticketing at over 100 stations in the south-east, connecting trains with London's airports and its bus, Tube and tram networks, which the government says will make 55 million journeys a year simpler. The approach also gives local authorities a bigger role in designing ticketing that suits their areas rather than a single national model.

How does it compare to contactless tap-in tap-out?

It helps to understand that pay-as-you-go covers more than one technology. The trials in the North and East Midlands use a smartphone app and GPS to track a journey, with a barcode scanned at barriers where they exist. This is different from the contactless bankcard tap-in and tap-out system familiar from London, where a passenger touches a debit or credit card, or a phone, on a reader at the start and end of a journey. Both are described as pay-as-you-go because the fare is worked out from the journey rather than bought in advance, but the way they work is not the same. The contactless bankcard approach is being extended across the south-east, linking National Rail with Transport for London services, while the GPS app approach is being trialled further north. Separately, some operators have run their own smartcard-based pay-as-you-go schemes in recent years. For passengers, the key point is to check which system applies on their route and what they need, whether that is a specific app, a smartcard, or simply a contactless bankcard, before assuming they can tap or travel without a traditional ticket.

What passengers should know before signing up

Before relying on digital pay-as-you-go, there are a few practical points worth bearing in mind. Because the app depends on a phone's location and battery, it is sensible to make sure the phone is charged and the app is set up correctly before travelling, and to keep an alternative way to pay in case of a technical problem. Passengers should check that their route is actually covered by a trial, as the schemes apply only on specific lines rather than across the whole network. On the contactless bankcard system, pay-as-you-go generally applies to standard class travel, so anyone travelling in first class should confirm how they will be charged. As these are trials, the terms, routes and availability can change, so checking the operator's website for the latest position is worthwhile. It is also worth being aware that the app tracks location data to work out fares, which some passengers may wish to understand before signing up. Used within these limits, the technology offers a simpler and more flexible way to pay, with new users currently able to claim £15 of free credit to try it.

For more on travel costs and saving money, see the Money guides, Travel and Bills and household costs sections, or the Before You checklists.

Frequently asked questions

What is pay-as-you-go rail ticketing?

It is a way of paying for train travel where the system works out the best fare for the journey you actually make, rather than you buying a ticket in advance. The digital trials use a smartphone app and GPS to track the journey.

Where can I use digital pay-as-you-go trains?

The digital app trials run on two Northern routes, Leeds to Harrogate and Doncaster to Sheffield, and on Leicester to Nottingham via Derby. Contactless bankcard pay-as-you-go is being extended across the south-east.

Do I need to buy a ticket in advance?

No. With digital pay-as-you-go you do not buy a ticket in advance. You use the app, which tracks your journey and charges the best fare automatically, usually at the end of the day.

How much does pay-as-you-go rail cost?

There is no set fee: you are charged the best fare for each journey you make. New users of the digital trials currently receive £15 of free credit to try the service.

Is pay-as-you-go rail the same as contactless tap-in tap-out?

They are related but not identical. The northern trials use a GPS app, while the south-east uses contactless bankcard tap-in and tap-out like London. Both work out the fare from the journey rather than a ticket bought in advance.