Great British Rail: GPS-tracked rail coming to Sheffield as Northern outlines major changes under public ownership
Train passengers in Sheffield could soon check in and out of journeys with just their phone as Northern prepares to trial new GPS-based ticketing on routes across South Yorkshire.
The technology is one of a series of upgrades announced after the unveiling of the new Great British Railways public ownership plans - with Sheffield set to be one of the areas most affected.
In 2026, Northern will test a new pay-as-you-go system that uses real-time GPS data to track journeys and automatically charge passengers the cheapest fare at the end of each day.
The plans are set out on the government website, which states: “In public ownership, Northern are trialling new pay as you go technology that uses GPS location to track journeys in real-time and charge for the best-priced ticket for train travel at the end of the day.
“This means customers will not need to buy a ticket, just simply use their phone to check in and out on their journey.”
Two Sheffield routes have been chosen for the trial: Sheffield to Doncaster, and Sheffield to Barnsley.
The Leeds to Harrogate route will also be trialled.
Meanwhile, Sheffield passengers travelling to Leeds are set for a major boost, with Northern planning to add 30,000 extra seats a week on the route, including new express services.
The operator is also moving to tackle one of the biggest causes of disruption on South Yorkshire’s rail network.
Commuters on the Sheffield–Leeds and Hope Valley lines will be familiar with the heavy delays caused each autumn by leaf fall.
Northern says it is upgrading its entire fleet with improved sanding systems to strengthen braking performance.
Older trains will be fitted with variable-rate sanders first, with the full rollout scheduled for completion by Autumn 2028.
Under public ownership, the operator will also:
- Prioritise reducing last-minute cancellations
- Improve day-to-day reliability
- Boost staffing at major stations to support passengers with accessibility needs
- Expand its Assisted Travel programme with a dedicated customer team
- Procure new trains
Looking longer term, Northern hopes to bring more than 130 new trains into service from 2031, replacing older units still running on parts of the Sheffield network.
Contracts for the new fleet are expected to be signed in 2027, subject to approval.
Other lines from Sheffield station which will also be affected by changes include EMR and TransPennine Express.