Rail fares rise by 4.6% in England and Wales

Regulated rail fares have gone up in England and Wales by 4.6% and the price of most railcards has risen by £5.

The government says fares need to rise so it can invest in the rail system, but Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged passengers were “frustrated” by delays and cancellations.

Although the government plans to renationalise three rail operators this year, this is not expected to bring ticket prices down.

The Campaign for Better Transport said the latest increase “piles further misery on hard-pressed households” and called for lower fares.

The rail fare rise for regulated tickets includes most season tickets covering commuter routes in England, which can cost thousands of pounds.

Some off-peak returns on long-distance journeys, and flexible tickets for travelling in and around cities will also rise.
Train operators set their own prices for unregulated fares, but these tend to increase by a similar amount to regulated fares, including on lines that have already been renationalised.

About 45% of train fares are regulated in England, Wales and Scotland, but the 4.6% rise relates to travel in England and Wales only.

In Scotland, rail fares are set to increase by 3.8% in April.

In Northern Ireland, the nationalised Translink service said no decision had yet been taken by the Department for Infrastructure on whether rail fares will go up in 2025.

The cost of most railcards has also gone up by about £5, from about £30, but disabled railcards remain the same price.