East Midlands Railway (EMR), operated by Transport UK, is stepping up efforts to expand participation in its Digital Pay As You Go (DPAYG) trial after the initiative surpassed a significant milestone of 20,000 customer journeys.
The pioneering scheme, currently operating across the Leicester, Derby and Nottingham corridor, uses GPS-based technology within the EMR app to automatically track journeys and calculate the correct fare. Customers simply travel as normal, with no requirement to buy a ticket in advance.
Designed to remove complexity from rail ticketing, Digital Pay As You Go aims to make train travel more intuitive, particularly for frequent and flexible travellers. By removing the need to select the ‘right’ ticket before boarding, the trial reflects growing demand for simpler, account-based ticketing across the UK rail network.
Since its launch, uptake has steadily increased, with more than 20,000 journeys completed across the trial area. EMR says the data gathered is already providing valuable insight into customer behaviour and the potential role digital ticketing could play in the future of rail travel.
The trial is part of a wider industry programme supported by the Department for Transport, which is exploring smarter, more flexible ticketing solutions that better reflect how people travel today.
Simon Pready, Commercial Director at East Midlands Railway, said:
"Reaching 20,000 journeys is a fantastic milestone and shows that customers are willing to embrace new ways of travelling by rail."
"Digital Pay As You Go is designed to make train travel simpler. Customers can travel without worrying about buying the right ticket in advance, safe in the knowledge they'll automatically be charged the right fare for their journey.
"Every journey made as part of the trial helps us better understand how this technology can improve the customer experience. We would encourage anyone who regularly travels between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham to sign up and take part."
EMR is now encouraging more customers who regularly travel across the trial route to participate, as it continues to assess how Digital Pay As You Go could support wider ticketing reform across the network.
Image credit: East Midlands Railway
