Research and analysis

Evaluation of the flexible season rail ticket

Impact evaluation of the flexible season rail ticket introduced in 2021.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 29 June 2023

Documents

DfT flexible season ticket evaluation – final report

PDF, 2.43 MB, 121 pages

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Details

Independent impact evaluation of the flexible season rail ticket, which was introduced in June 2021 on all major commuter routes in England.

This report was commissioned to understand if the introduction of the flexible season ticket:

• supports new and emerging travel patterns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
• encourages additional demand as travel patterns settle post-pandemic
• has retained customers that otherwise would have been lost due to the pandemic
• is well-perceived and used by different demographics, with a particular focus on accessibility and affordability
• can be made more relevant to less frequent commuters

The uptake trajectory of the ticket and what encourages it, including other products used in conjunction with it, were also evaluated.

The study outputs will be used to inform future rail fares, ticketing and retail policies, as well as inform the Department for Transport’s future approaches to evaluation in these areas.

Published 29 June 2023