The British rail operator Northern has launched a scheme under which families of children moving from primary school to the next level of education can receive free train tickets. The initiative allows students to practice their commute to school with a parent or guardian before the start of the school year.
Northern, the second-largest rail operator in the United Kingdom, has launched the “Settling In” ticket, designed for families whose children are set to move up a grade this fall.
The scheme offers a free one-day ticket for one adult and one child, valid anywhere on the Northern network. The goal is for students to take a trial trip to school, including for orientation day, and get used to using the train.
In the UK system, the initiative is aimed at students in Year 6, the final year of primary school, before moving on to the next level of education.
Test trip before the start of the school year
Northern says the scheme is being launched at a time when family budgets are under pressure. The operator hopes that a free trial trip will eliminate an additional cost for parents during an already expensive time of year.
Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director, said that the transition to the next stage of education is an important time for children, and for many families, every GBP counts.
“These free introductory tickets are our way of ensuring that getting used to traveling by train—building independence and confidence in their ability to travel—doesn’t come at a cost. We want students to arrive on the first day ready for the year ahead,” he said.
Northern, a public operator in northern England
Northern is publicly owned and operates rail services in northern England. The company runs approximately 2,650 trains per day to over 500 stations.
The operator states that the initiative is part of a broader goal to provide more accessible and useful rail services for passengers, in the context of reforms preparing the transition to Great British Railways (GBR), the future integrated public structure of the British rail system.
British Minister for Railways Lord Peter Hendy said that this type of offer is “exactly what we want to see from publicly owned operators” during the transition to Great British Railways.
He added that the reforms aim to make the train an affordable option for young people commuting to school, within a more reliable and passenger-focused rail system.
The scheme is open to all Year 6 students who are set to move to a school within the Northern network. Families are encouraged to take a trial run before the start of the new school year so that students can get used to the route ahead of time.
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