New Flexi Season rail ticket launches saving part time commuters up to £350

From Monday 21 June, train passengers in England will be able to buy a new kind of ticket as part of an overhaul of rail travel.

The Flexi Season tickets are the first step in major reforms of the railways announced last month in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

This is everything you need to know.

What is the Flexi Season ticket?

The Flexi Season ticket is a new style of rail ticket, which provides customers with eight days of travel in 28 days any time between two named stations.

The eight days of travel does not need to be specified in advance, meaning that part-time commuters will be given more freedom to travel when they need to.

The Flexi Season ticket will offer a minimum of 20 per cent discount on an equivalent Monthly Season ticket.

In the announcement from the Government, it states: “To encourage more passengers to travel by rail, for the rest of this year (until 31 December 2021), train companies will also offer a book with confidence guarantee, allowing people to rebook journeys or receive rail vouchers without an admin fee if their plans change.”

These tickets are available as either a smartcard or barcode ticket, and are only sold at adult prices.

You need to activate your pass on the day of travel by “touching in” on a yellow reader on a gate, a platform validator, a ticket machine or by using the National Rail Smartcard app.

Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount and 16-17 Saver Card holders will be able to get a 50 per cent discount off their Flexi Season ticket, but no other Railcard or group discounts apply.

The new tickets went on sale on Monday 21 June, and will be able to be used from Monday 28 June.