Flexible Rail Season Tickets - 2/3 days per week to be introduced by June 2021

[Jurg]

London Northwestern have updated their website with an outline of how flexible season tickets will work, using their app and smart card, and are inviting customers to apply for a smartcard now. No exact fare information yet

Flexi Season train tickets

Pay for the days you need, spend the rest whenever you like. Flexi Season ticket offers 8 days of travel in 28 days – any time between two stations. It’s a flexible solution that’s perfect if you need to travel just a few times a week at peak time Monday to Friday. Buy Flexi Season tickets

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

Flexi Season tickets​

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Available for sale in June 2021, in the meantime order your Smartcard.
Introducing our new Flexible Season
The new Flexi Season ticket offers 8 days of travel in 28 days – any time between two stations.
Pay for the days you need, spend the rest whenever you like.
It’s a flexible solution that’s perfect if you need to travel just a few times a week at peak time Monday to Friday.
Get ready for the Flexi Season ticket by registering for a Smartcard, downloading the app, or both.
Get a Smartcard

What is Flexi Season?​

• It’s flexible - 8 days unlimited travel at any time within 28 days – so you can travel when it’s right for you without the commitment of a traditional season ticket
• It’s mobile – control your travel through an online account, or through the App

How do I get Flexi Season?​

• First you need a LNR smartcard - you can order these for free by signing up to an online account, this will be posted out to you by first class Royal Mail.
• Download our App – you can purchase your ticket here and keep track of your usage
• Only available on our website, it cannot be bought from stations

When is a Flexi Season better value?​

Flexi Season has been designed for people that travel regularly, but don’t want the cost of the traditional weekly, monthly, annual because you don’t travel often enough to fully benefit from the cost savings the season ticket offers.
Here’s a quick view to show you where the Flexi offers you better value:

To/from London Euston	Number of travel days per week
1	2	3	4	5
Long Buckby	Anytime Day Return	Flexi Season	Flexi Season	Weekly Season	Weekly Season
Northampton
Wolverton
Milton Keynes
Bletchley
Leighton Buzzard	Flexi Season
Cheddington
Tring
Berkhamsted
Hemel Hempstead
Apsley
Kings Langley

You will be able to find out the cost of a Flexi Season ticket and which ticket is right for your journey with our new Season ticket calculator, that will be available soon.

Where is Flexi Season available?​

Flexi Season is available on any station to any station on the London Northwestern Railway network. It’s not available on the Transport for London network, so Travelcards and cross-London travel is excluded.
If you cannot find Flexi Season on your route, please contact us for further information, there are a few minor exceptions on less busy routes.

 

[Ianno87]

You'd be surprised then

Book an advance = excuse to go to the pub if you're done a bit early.

 

[DDB]

London Northwestern have updated their website with an outline of how flexible season tickets will work, using their app and smart card, and are inviting customers to apply for a smartcard now. No exact fare information yet

Flexi Season train tickets

Pay for the days you need, spend the rest whenever you like. Flexi Season ticket offers 8 days of travel in 28 days – any time between two stations. It’s a flexible solution that’s perfect if you need to travel just a few times a week at peak time Monday to Friday. Buy Flexi Season tickets

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

Similar for East Midlands Railway, more details to come but they will be withdrawing thier local version in favour of the national scheme.

https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/new-flexi-season-ticket

Coming soon - New Flexi Season ticket
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Commute, your way.
From the 21st June, a new Flexi Season ticket will be available, allowing eight days of travel in 28 days - any time between two stations.

The new, national, Flexi Season ticket is designed to match modern working habits and provide passengers with greater savings on travel.

A flexible ticket that provides customers 8 days of travel in 28 days
Unlimited all-day travel between two named stations
Available for most routes nationally
Save money vs Standard Anytime Day Returns
100% paperless, available on Smartcard
What is the new Flexi Season ticket?
The new Flexi Season ticket will provide customers with 8 days of travel in 28 days - any time between two named stations.

The 8 days of travel doesn’t need to be specified in advance, giving part-time commuters more flexibility to travel when they want and need.

The Flexi Season ticket is priced between an Anytime Day Return and a 7 Day Season ticket, offering savings for commuters travelling during peak times, 2-3 days a week.

Flexi Season tickets will be available on Smartcard. If you don’t have a Smartcard then please allow plenty of time to get one before you travel - they can take up to 5 days to arrive by post. Find out more about Smartcards.

Each time you travel with a Flexi Season, you will need to activate your day pass within the EMR app. This is to make sure that you have a valid ticket before boarding your train.

When will the new Flexi Season tickets be available to buy?
The new flexible ticket will be on sale on 21 June 2021, for travel from 28 June 2021.

How to purchase a Flexi Season ticket
1. Order your Smartcard
Smartcards are completely free and can take up to 5 days to arrive.


2. Purchase your Flexi Season ticket
The new Flexi Season ticket will be available from 21st June.
You will be able to purchase a Flexi Season ticket online via our website or app.

3. Collect your Flexi Season ticket
Use the EMR app to collect your Flexi Season ticket. Open up your Ticket Wallet on the EMR app, locate your Flexi Season ticket and collect them to your Smartcard with just a tap.

4. Activate your Day Pass
Ready to travel? Activate a day pass within the EMR app. Find your Flexi Season ticket within the ticket wallet to activate your day pass ahead of boarding the train. Once activated, you'll be able to tap in and out with your Smartcard at ticket gates and validators.

If not using the app, Flexi Season tickets can be collected and activated at stations using ticket gates or platform validators.

Is the new Flexi Season ticket the same as a Season ticket?
A Flexi Season ticket is a new, more flexible, kind of season ticket that allows 8 days of travel in 28 days with unlimited travel, from the time you activate your day pass until 04:29 the next morning, between two stations each day that it is used. It’s great for commuters travelling during peak times 2-3 days a week, Monday to Friday, as it offers an alternative to a traditional five-day a week season ticket.

How do Flexi Season and other Season tickets vary?
A Flexi Season allows you to take advantage of a frequent travel discount, giving you 8 separate days of travel in 28 days between two stations, which don’t have to be used consecutively. In comparison, a Season ticket allows you unlimited travel within its validity period - typically for a week, or any period between a month and a year.

Season tickets are available in First Class and Child options, while Flexi Season comes in Standard Class only as it is aimed at commuters travelling during peak times, Monday to Friday, 2-3 days a week.

How is the new Flexi Season ticket different to the existing EMR Flexi Season ticket?
The existing EMR Flexi Season ticket offered on our website and in stations allows customers to purchase bundles of 10 tickets which can be used within one month, or 20 tickets for use within three months for journeys on one route. These tickets are available on selected routes to/from Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.

The new Flexi Season ticket will allow travel on any eight days in a 28 day period on the same route. These tickets will be available on most routes nationally.

The new Flexi Season ticket will replace the existing Flexi Season ticket from the 21st June. Customers with an existing Flexi Season ticket will still be able to travel with their ticket.

How much can I save with a Flexi Season ticket?
You will be able to find out the cost of a Flexi Season ticket and which ticket is right for your journey with our new Season ticket calculator which will be available soon.

Can a Flexi Season ticket be used on multiple operators?
Yes, unless it is for a specified operator or route. If it is this will be stated at time of purchase.

How can I buy a Flexi Season ticket?
The new Flexi Season ticket will be available from 21st June, for travel from the 28th June. You can purchase a Flexi Season ticket via our website or app for all routes nationally. Travelling with a Flexi Season will require a Smartcard. Order your Smartcard here.

Smartcard
If you have a Smartcard, you can buy your Flexi Season ticket online and add it to your Smartcard via the EMR app. Alternatively, when you get to the station by ‘touching in’ on the yellow reader on the gate, platform validator, or in some cases the self-service ticket machine. Make sure you do this before you travel.

If you don’t have a Smartcard then please allow plenty of time to get one before you travel - they can take up to 5 days to arrive by post.

Can I buy an off peak Flexi Season ticket?
No, but Flexi Season tickets can be used for travel during peak and off peak periods. Flexi tickets are aimed at commuters making the same journey 2 –3 times a week during peak times.

Can I buy a First Class Flexi Season ticket?
No. Flexi Season tickets are only available in Standard Class.

Can I buy a child Flexi Season ticket?
No. Flexi Season tickets are only available as adult fares.

What happens if I don’t make all eight journeys in 28 days?
If you don’t make all of your journeys within 28 days, your passes will no longer be valid to use. You can request a refund for the remaining passes before the expiry date from the retailer you purchased your ticket from. The refund will be calculated from the difference between the price you paid for the Flexi Season and the cost of an Anytime return ticket for each day you have used. An administration fee of no more than £10 will apply.


Full terms and conditions for the Flexi Season ticket will be added in the forthcoming days.

 

[Ianno87]

Is it me, or should they really start being more careful with the wording "The Flexi Season ticket is priced between an Anytime Day Return and a 7 Day Season ticket?

Because it is (presumably) referring to the relative discount, not the absolute price.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I see that BRFares is now showing a test fare of £50 for a season ticket between Luton and London Thameslink, coded "FL1 FOR TEST USE". The validity is stated as being "one journey to be made in 28 days".

This has now been updated with a new data source and it now says "Unlimited travel is permitted on 8 days within Validity: 28 days".

 

[Cdd89]

Will all stations be fitted with validator infrastructure, or is the intention to assume that people will have to validate at one end of their journey? If the latter it could cause problems with people not realising they’d run out of journeys if travelling from a station without this infrastructure.

 

[Watershed]

Will all stations be fitted with validator infrastructure, or is the intention to assume that people will have to validate at one end of their journey? If the latter it could cause problems with people not realising they’d run out of journeys if travelling from a station without this infrastructure.

I understand that it'll only be available on smartcard if there are validators of some description at either end. E-tickets should be available for all flows where the operators are willing to accept them, and will be activated through an app.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I understand that it'll only be available on smartcard if there are validators of some description at either end. E-tickets should be available for all flows where the operators are willing to accept them, and will be activated through an app.

At least it seems they don't involve writing on tickets in biro - see Disputes and Prosecutions for the issues that causes.

The idea of e-tickets where you download one on the day you intend to travel is quite a good one, though no doubt all those wishing to use one between Corrour and Altnabreac will complain

 

[Cdd89]

As long as there will be a way to see how many journeys remain; the HEX’s carnets were (are?) notorious for not doing so! For a smartcard there’s no way this will be possible if starting from a validator-free station, potentially leading to a penalty at the destination. And the stations without validators are the places where people are more likely to start their journey (eg commuting from a minor station into a city station).

In fairness this is already an issue with existing multi day tickets, it’s just most people can remember whether they already used a ticket. Keeping track of a count is something a commuter will eventually make a mistake with if there aren’t systems to avoid mistakes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As long as there will be a way to see how many journeys remain; the HEX’s carnets were (are?) notorious for not doing so! For a smartcard there’s no way this will be possible if starting from a validator-free station, potentially leading to a penalty at the destination. And the stations without validators are the places where people are more likely to start their journey (eg commuting from a minor station into a city station).

I believe it was said above that they won't be available as smartcard products for journeys where there aren't validators at both ends.

Validators are very common, though. All LNR stations now have them for example (though I don't know about Polesworth ), you probably just don't notice.

 

[Cdd89]

believe it was said above that they won't be available as smartcard products for journeys where there aren't validators at both ends.

Ah, I interpreted “either end” to mean “one end”!

Both ends would make more sense in my opinion.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I think everyone is going to be surprised when they see the offering.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think everyone is going to be surprised when they see the offering.

Good or bad?

 

[lightbulb]

Well, if the £50 fare showing between Luton and London is indicative of the actual price, then that's very good value indeed!

 

[Haywain]

Well, if the £50 fare showing between Luton and London is indicative of the actual price, then that's very good value indeed!

You’ll be disappointed!

 

[Bletchleyite]

As LNR have published what will be cheaper for N days of use for each station anyone minded to could work it out to a reasonable level of accuracy

 

[Jurg]

As LNR have published what will be cheaper for N days of use for each station anyone minded to could work it out to a reasonable level of accuracy

I haven't gone too far into working it out, but looking at a couple of the journeys covered in LNR's tables the discount would have to be greater than the 10% discount for their existing carnet offer. I'd guess at 15% as suggested in the original press stories on the carnet, but then again that wouldn't be particularly surprising.

 

[Haywain]

I haven't gone too far into working it out, but looking at a couple of the journeys covered in LNR's tables the discount would have to be greater than the 10% discount for their existing carnet offer. I'd guess at 15% as suggested in the original press stories on the carnet, but then again that wouldn't be particularly surprising.

Why would the discount have to be greater? The old product will almost certainly be withdrawn.

 

[Jurg]

Why would the discount have to be greater? The old product will almost certainly be withdrawn.

Based on the contents of the table as suggested by Bletchleyite, and a quick comparison of the 7DS price and the existing carnet price for a couple of origin stations. The LNR table would be incorrect for Leighton Buzzard, for example, if the discount was equal to or less than the discount for the existing product.

 

[DDB]

Based on the contents of the table as suggested by Bletchleyite, and a quick comparison of the 7DS price and the existing carnet price for a couple of origin stations. The LNR table would be incorrect for Leighton Buzzard, for example, if the discount was equal to or less than the discount for the existing product.

East Midlands railway are withdrawing their existing carnet product when the new scheme comes in. I would expect everyone else to do the same rather than maintain a second very similar but slightly different ticket type. Especially given the new scheme is a national scheme.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I would expect everyone else to do the same rather than maintain a second very similar but slightly different ticket type.

There is one big difference though: single or return carnets are very useful for people making outward and return journeys on different days, e.g. people working night shifts. Removing these and replacing with flexi-seasons would double the cost for these people, as far as I can think.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is one big difference though: single or return carnets are very useful for people making outward and return journeys on different days, e.g. people working night shifts. Removing these and replacing with flexi-seasons would double the cost for these people, as far as I can think.

People working night shifts are likely to be able to take advantage of cheaper against the flow fares, Network Railcards, off peak singles etc so I doubt the carnet would be cheaper anyway.

 

[benk1342]

Why would the discount have to be greater? The old product will almost certainly be withdrawn.

For flows where carnets are currently very good value because an off-peak carnet is valid for the train home in the “evening peak”, it will be a big shame and quite a shock to many commuters if the product is withdrawn and replaced with something more expensive!

 

[matt_world2004]

You can also avoid the uplift for TfL Rail by buying two outboundary travelcards, one for the outward and one for the return. It's a bit bizarre, really.

Why would you need an outboundsry travel card normal travelcards for zone 6 are valid on the tfl rail and the station is included in the zone 6 cap

 

[vinnym70]

Surely the whole re-branding exercise for the railways and the introduction of flex-seasons comes close enough together to use this as an opportunity to encourage people back to the railways?
A -meh- pricing for the flexi-seasons will just find the usual appropriation of vitriol in the press, doubtless, with the added dimension of the re-branding/re-forming of the railways isn't actually going to make a difference for Joe Public.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

Received some GTR emails about this today, or reading the FAQs on the website...

Flexi Season Ticket | Thameslink Railway

www.thameslinkrailway.com

I see that you can't buy a flexi-season if you have a keygo on your key. GTR "in-elegant" solution is to suggest people get a 2nd key card! However to complicate things for some people you have to have a 2nd email address to apply for the 2nd key.

It seems it also has same issue keygo had, you can't use london overground trains on the west london line even when the stations are in the key zone.

So not very flexible at least for me.

 

[Hadders]

It seems it also has same issue keygo had, you can't use london overground trains on the west london line even when the stations are in the key zone.

I know that's what GTR's website says but I don't think it's actually enforceable.

If the smart ticket is issued with an 'Any Permitted' routeing then it can be used on any permitted route using any train operating company. London Overground is a National Rail train operating company (although they often try to claim they aren't!)

 

[matt_world2004]

I know that's what GTR's website says but I don't think it's actually enforceable.

If the smart ticket is issued with an 'Any Permitted' routeing then it can be used on any permitted route using any train operating company. London Overground is a National Rail train operating company (although they often try to claim they aren't!)

I am betting the faq is referring to tube services only and has been lazily written.

 

[mattdickinson]

I am betting the faq is referring to tube services only and has been lazily written.

Keygo has its own terms and conditions, and is explicitly limited to GTR services, and GWR between Gatwick and Dorking Deepdene, and Brighton to Warblington. Similarly, SWR's Tap2Go is only valid on SWR services.

 

[Hadders]

Keygo has its own terms and conditions, and is explicitly limited to GTR services, and GWR between Gatwick and Dorking Deepdene, and Brighton to Warblington. Similarly, SWR's Tap2Go is only valid on SWR services.

But flexible seasons aren't KeyGo. The routeing on them should be the same as existing flows, so if it's routed 'Any Permitted' then it must be accepted by any TOC operating trains on a permitted route.

I do hope that, with the DfT promoting 'simplification' we don't end up with them playing 'silly buggers' over this....