Rail customers face Uber-style surge prices

LNER scraps off-peak fee for flexible tickets in overhaul that will raise fares during busy times

‘The plan to trial demandbased pricing on some LNER routes is a radical change for passengers’

PASSENGERS on Britain’s busiest rail line have been hit with Uber-style surge pricing following a “radical” overhaul of ticket rules.

LNER has scrapped off-peak travel on parts of the East Coast Main Line and introduced a “semi-flexible” fare that will be costlier when trains are busier.

The operator has also withdrawn its super off-peak fare, generally the cheapest ticket, which could be used on several trains at quieter times of day, was refundable, not limited to LNER, and did not need to be bought in advance.

It means that customers will no longer be able to take advantage of the old low-cost tickets to travel in off-peak hours, usually anytime from Monday to Friday between 9.30am to 4pm and after 7pm.

The so-called “70min Flex” fare will replace off-peak and super-off peak tickets and follow dynamic pricing, varying in cost depending on demand, time of day, day of week and how far in advance it is booked.

Now only one hour and 10 minutes of leeway will be allowed either after or before the booked time for a ticket to allow customers to use other trains, should they be running late or need to travel sooner.

The fares structure was launched yesterday for travel from Feb 5 in an effort to “simplify” the ticket structure, LNER said.

Under the system LNER customers will choose between the new fare and the operator’s advance ticket, which is fixed for one service, and its most expensive anytime fare, which is valid any time of day.

Changes to ticketing options on the line will be trialled for two years as part of Great British Railways (GBR), a public sector body being set up to bring in changes to the UK’S rail network.

The move has raised concerns that customers will be left with reduced choice when booking journeys between London King’s Cross, Newcastle, Berwick-upon-tweed and Edinburgh.

Mark Smith, the founder of seat61. com, a train travel website, said that the fare came with “a significant reduction in flexibility” compared with the previous system. He said that those travelling from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh can find “a better deal” if they buy an off-peak ticket to Haymarket, one stop beyond Edinburgh, rather than LNER’S new fare.

He also warned that even if the trial is successful, the system “can’t be rolled out network-wide” as there would need to be two different versions for long and short distances, which “complicates things again”.

LNER, which is owned by the Department for Transport, launched single-leg pricing in 2020 for about half the price of a return in an effort to allow passengers to mix and match different types of tickets to get better value. Britain’s train ticketing system means many return fares are only £1 more than single fares.

Alex Robertson, the chief executive at watchdog Transport Focus, said: “The plan to trial demand-based pricing on some LNER routes is a radical change for passengers.

“Transport Focus supports fares reform and it’s right to trial new ideas to see if they work.

David Horne, the managing director of LNER, said: “LNER remains at the forefront of rail reform.

“Simplifying fares is vital in making rail travel more attractive. Customers tell us they find fares confusing.”