With tomorrow, Wednesday, 14 February, being Valentine’s Day, train operator Northern has squashed the suggestion that it is playing cupid, by making clear that its ‘Duo’ special value tickets have no ‘romantic connotations’ associated with them.

Northern‘s Duo tickets provide a 25% discount on the standard fare and are available for any two people travelling together. Northern confirms that ‘platonic pairings’ travelling on its services should make use of the savings scheme.

The only requirement to purchase a Duo ticket is that two people should be travelling together.

There is no requirement to produce a Railcard, and they are available on hundreds of services every day.

Duo tickets can be purchased online via the Northern app and website, as well as ticket vending machines and over the counter at stations.

Further information and full terms and conditions about using the tickets can be found by clicking here to visit the Northern website.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “We’re not playing cupid, this is about unlocking a saving that already exists. Everyone is entitled to the 25% discount regardless of the reason they have for travelling together.

“What is important though is that people travelling on a Duo ticket must stick together. It’s never going to make the catchiest Taylor Swift song lyric – but if you ‘break-up’ you invalidate your train ticket – so think on.”