A single rail and bus ticket has been launched for visitors to a Lake District town.
Avanti West Coast has added Keswick as a destination on rail journey planners so just one ticket covering travel across both modes of transport can be bought to travel there.
It comes as bus company, Stagecoach, has this summer doubled the frequency of services connecting Penrith and Keswick to 30 minutes.
Both operators have worked with Cumbria Tourism on a Go Car Free campaign this year.
The creation of a virtual railway station means people can view the timings of the train and bus departures, as well as book a single fully integrated ticket for their entire journey.
Available for travel on the West Coast Main Line, the ticket can be used on Avanti West Coast’s services to Penrith and Stagecoach’s X4 and X5 bus service to Keswick – preventing the need for multiple tickets and transactions.
Tickets are now on sale for travel until early September with more set to be released in the coming weeks for travel dates up to November 1 – the end of the scheme.
People need to select Keswick Bus as their destination when booking via Avanti West Coast’s website and app or at ticket offices, to receive one ticket for their complete journey.
After arriving at Penrith by train, visitors travelling on the integrated ticket can board the connecting X4 or X5 bus to Keswick, which departs outside Penrith railway station, for only an extra £2 on top of the cost of the train fare.
It follows the launch of Avanti West Coast’s partnership with Cumbrian cycle business, Arragon’s Cycles, offering an electric bike hire service with free delivery and collection at Penrith – giving visitors a seamless transfer between the train and two wheels.
Sarah Copley, executive director of commercial at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re proud to play our part in enabling visitors to reach this beautiful part of the world more easily.
“By bringing together rail and bus travel, entire journeys can now be completed with just one ticket – supporting Cumbria Tourism’s car free campaign.
“Whether you’re visiting the Lakes for the day or a weekend away, the integrated ticket means you have everything you need for your journey before you board, so it’s even easier to make greener travel choices.
“We hope it will inspire more people to ditch the car and take the train and bus before exploring the region’s beautiful scenery on foot or public transport.”
Gill Haigh, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, said: “We are delighted that Avanti West Coast along with Stagecoach have created this integrated ticket.
“Keswick is such a great and popular town to visit, so for visitors to be able to seamlessly book tickets that transfer them from their point of origin right into the heart of the town sits perfectly alongside our Destination Management Plan Vision for Cumbria to become Britain’s most sustainable rural destination.
“Providing easy car free connections not only supports this vision but also facilitates even more relaxing, enjoyable, inclusive and welcoming ways to visit and enjoy great Cumbrian experiences and hospitality.”
Tom Waterhouse, managing director of Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership on this joint ticketing initiative. It is a real step change in helping people to visit this beautiful part of the world in a sustainable way and makes travelling by bus and train easier than it has been before.”
Bookings can be made up to 12 weeks before travel on weekdays, and up to eight weeks for weekends.
