The freebies being offered to entice commuters back to trains - including bacon rolls

A Merseyrail train in the station. Image: ShutterstockA Merseyrail train in the station. Image: Shutterstock
A Merseyrail train in the station. Image: Shutterstock

Free bacon rolls are being offered to commuters to entice them back onto trains and boost passenger numbers.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) announced free breakfast and hot drinks from Greggs are among some of the perks offered in a new rewards scheme for people who travel to work by train.

Other offers to commuters will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

What benefits are being offered to commuters?

1,000 free Greggs breakfast rolls will be available through the scheme, alongside other benefits such as free audiobooks, access to a mindfulness app, and coffees from London-based cafe chain Pure.

The Greggs Breakfast Roll Deal that includes a free roll with a regular hot drink, 500ml water or 250ml orange juice will be valid until 26 April 2022.

The unique valid code must be shown to a member of staff to redeem.

You can also enjoy a free 3-month Tastecard membership, which usually costs £79.99 a year.

Other perks to support commuters returning to the office include the introduction of flexible season tickets.

Another being introduced is an easing of the rules for amending tickets.

How can I claim these benefits?

Passengers will have to sign up to the National Rail Commuter Rewards page which will allow you to select the rewards you want.

To claim the rewards you must enter the details of your commute.

It is not required to provide evidence of travel history.

What’s been said?

Jacqueline Starr, RDG chief executive, said: “Taking the train is more than just a journey, it benefits the environment, economy and local businesses.

“To encourage and support commuters as they return, the rail industry has launched a new commuter rewards website offering free hot drinks, mindfulness, course upgrades, music streaming, audiobooks and more to help enhance customers’ on-train and at-destination experiences.”

Pure boss Spencer Craig said: “Like most businesses that rely on the commuter market, we saw our customer base drop by over 50% due to the work-from-home restrictions coming in to force, and rail commuters no longer coming into the city.

“We’re delighted to be working with the rail industry on their commuter rewards platform and look forward to welcoming customers back and providing them with delicious, nutritious meals and drinks on the go.”

What are current passenger numbers like?

Since the guidance for people in England to work from home was removed last week the demand for peak time trains has increased by 5%, the RDG said.

However, on Monday 24 January passenger numbers were still only at 53% of pre-pandemic levels, according to provisional Department for Transport figures.

A version of this article originally appeared on NationalWorld.com

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