Train operators plan ‘hands-free’ ticketing using smartphone signals

Paper railway tickets could be a thing of the past as operators plan to introduce a “hands-free” fares system which will detect passengers’ smartphones as they board trains.

New technology will identify devices in travellers’ pockets or bags using Bluetooth signals, deducting fares when they finish their journey.

Under the plans, beacons will register passengers as they step on to a train and exit a station, debiting their account accordingly.

The programme – which is being tested in December – will mean customers will no longer need to buy a paper ticket or top up pay-as-you-go cards before travel. It could also render “touch-in” ticket barriers redundant.

Chiltern Railways – which is owned by Arriva and operates between London and Birmingham – plans to use the technology for a year, with part-funding from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). If successful, the system could be rolled out to other networks, rail industry sources said.

The project comes amid claims the rail industry has been slow to update the traditional ticketing system, which has barely changed in decades.

It could also resolve the issues surrounding complex ticket pricing on the rail network, after claims passengers were overcharged on up to two-thirds of cross-country services.

The trial will involve 60 passengers at the stations of Oxford Parkway, Islip, Bicester Village, Bicester North and London Marylebone.