Set against that is what seems certain to be a permanent decline in commuting as hybrid working patterns become the norm. However, commuting has not been a big source of revenue for Trainline as five-day-a-week travellers tend to have season tickets.
The shift to hybrid working could even result in more business for the company if workers buy individual tickets when they do go into the office, although Trainline’s systems are ready for new flexible tickets planned by the Government to suit post-Covid commuting.
While a decline in business journeys seems likely now that everyone is used to video meetings, business travel has also so far counted for a relatively small proportion of the firm’s revenues: its Trainline for Business arm, which also includes “white label” services for train operators, accounted for 22pc of sales in the year to February 2020.