Midland Mainline brings mobile tickets on board

Midland Mainline is to trial mobile ticketing

Train operator Midland Mainline is to trial mobile phone ticketing for business travellers to make journeys simpler and eliminate paper tickets.

Selected business passengers will book their train travel with online ticket firm TheTrainline and request tickets be sent via secure message to a mobile phone.

The message can be activated up to one and a half hours before travel on Midland Mainline and will be validated by station staff or on-board train managers.

The trial will include business travellers between London, Leicester, Derby, Sheffield and Nottingham and should improve train travel, says Midland Mainline sales and marketing director Rachel Dawson.

‘Mobile ticketing will ultimately help make train travel easier, quicker and less hassle for passengers,’ she said.

TheTrainline commercial director Mark Furlong says customers have indicated a preference for mobile ticketing.

‘Environmental issues and corporate social responsibility feature high on business travellers’ agendas and many of our customers are swapping planes for trains,’ he said. ‘As they do, we should also see schemes such as these prove more popular.’