Chiltern Railway extends ticket free trial

UK-based Chiltern Railways is extending its ticket free trial from Oxford Parkway to London with two additional stations in Buckinghamshire until August 2018. Through Silver Rail’s post-pay technology, users will be billed through the smartphone ninja app.

Riders travelling from Haddenham & Thame Parkway and Princes Risborough stations can now take part in the project. The service also offers journeys between London Marylebone, Oxford Parkway, Islip, Bicester North and Bicester Village station.

The app was developed by both companies in collaboration with Arriva UK Trains and is supported by the RSSB through its Future Railway competition. Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) implemented the Bluetooth low energy (BLE) enabled gates.

Commuters touch their smartphones to the BLE gates to pass through gated stations. In addition, the system works at ungated locations and allows users to show their intention to travel by tapping the app’s start button.

Ninja also offers real-time travel updates and train departures as well as a history log of completed journeys and prices. Chiltern Railways is considering launching the technology across its network following the results of the trial.