Simplified fares trial could make some journeys more expensive

OFF-PEAK and Super OffPeak fares were due to be withdrawn on selected LNER journeys from February 5, as part of a two-year trial to simplify the range of ticket options available.

The move means that journeys will be priced more closely to demand on trips from King’s Cross to Newcastle,

Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh.

Only three types of ticket will be available on these routes: Advance, Anytime, and a new ‘70min Flex’ that offers passengers the ability to travel on other LNER services up to 70 minutes either side of their originally booked departure.

LNER said Off-Peak and

Super Off-Peak fares only represented 11% of journeys made on its services, while train operators’ body the Rail Delivery Group found 35% of potential rail passengers are put off because they find it difficult to find the right fare.

However, critics argue the move is just a back door way of charging passengers more, because once the Advance and 70min Flex tickets sell out, the only option left will be the most expensive Anytime ticket. ‘Turn up and go’passengers may also be faced with buying the Anytime fare when they might previously have had the two cheaper Off-Peak options.

Because the trial only applies to journeys between the three named stations and London, Off-Peak tickets are still available to other destinations. This means, for example, that buying an OffPeak ticket to the next stop at Haymarket (and making a valid break of journey at Waverley) could be cheaper than one of the available LNER options to Waverley.