Train fares could rise even higher than we thought - here's how much
Regulated ticket prices are usually set based on July's Retail Prices Index (RPI), one of the UK's main inflation measures.
This year's hike of 4.6% was one percentage point above the RPI figure for July 2024.
But this morning, it was announced that last month's RPI was 4.8% – meaning if the same approach is taken, prices would rise by 5.8%.
The cost of a season ticket from Woking in Surrey, south-west of London, to the centre of the capital would increase by £247 to £4,507 as a result.
Last week, campaigners blasted a potential 5.5% rise in fares, based on a prediction of July's RPI, as 'outrageous' – but the true inflation figure has proved to be 0.3% higher.
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Bruce Williamson, spokesman for campaign group Railfuture, told the PA news agency: 'What would be the justification for jacking up fares above inflation? There isn't any.
'It's ripping off the customer, driving people off the trains and onto our congested road network, which is in no-one's interest.'
The Department for Transport said an update on changes to regulated fares would be coming later this year.
A spokesperson said: 'The government is putting passengers at the heart of its plans for public ownership and Great British Railways (GBR), delivering the services they deserve and driving growth.
'No decisions have been made on next year's rail fares but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers.'
The news comes as rail punctuality in the UK fell to its lowest level in five years. More Trending
Statistics from the Office of Rail and Road show trains pulled into station within a minute of their scheduled arrival just two-thirds of the time in the year to July 19.
That's the worst performance since the year leading up to May 30 2020.
Rail travel may be about to get even more expensive, but there are often cheaper options out there if you know where to look – and are willing to be flexible.
Here are a few of the simplest ways to cut the costs: Check if you qualify for a railcard. Among the groups who get discounts are people aged 16-25 or 26-30; seniors; disabled people; and those serving in the armed forces.
Split ticketing. This is often offered automatically by many rail operators and ticket sellers on websites and apps.
Be flexible with your times. If you are able or willing to travel at a less convenient or popular time, off-peak tickets are often considerably cheaper.
Book in advance. The best time to start looking for a ticket is typically 12 weeks ahead of the journey time, and you may even be able to find affordable first-class tickets.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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UK rail fares may rise, leaving commuters facing £100s more
Commuters could face higher costs as Britain's trains struggle with delays and disruptions 🚆 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Regulated train fares could rise by 5.8% in 2026, adding hundreds to annual costs An annual Woking to London season ticket may jump by £247 to £4,507 Flexi tickets such as Liverpool to Manchester could rise by £120, hitting £2,195 a year The rise comes as train punctuality hits its worst level since 2020 Passenger groups warn it is unfair to charge more while services decline Rail passengers could be hit with fare increases of almost 6% next year, adding hundreds of pounds to the cost of annual season tickets, even as train punctuality slides to its worst levels in more than five years. The potential hike stems from July's inflation figures, with the Office for National Statistics confirming that the Retail Price Index (RPI) rose to 4.8%. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Historically, the Government has used the previous July's RPI figure to help set the cap on regulated fares the following year. This year, ministers added an extra percentage point, making the 2024 rise 4.6% against 3.6% inflation. If the same formula is applied for 2026, passengers would see fares increase by 5.8%. (Photo:) | Getty Images How much more will my train ticket cost? For commuters, the numbers are stark. An annual season ticket from Woking to London could jump by £247, pushing the cost up to £4,507. Travellers using flexible passes also face big rises. A flexi season ticket between Liverpool and Manchester for two days a week would cost £120 more, taking the yearly total to £2,195.10. 10 examples of potential rail fare rises in England: Annual season tickets Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Route Previous price Price after 5.8% rise Increase Bournemouth to Southampton £3,676 £3,889 £213 Gloucester to Birmingham £5,384 £5,696 £312 Whitehaven to Carlisle £2,508 £2,653 £145 Woking to London £4,260 £4,507 £247 York to Leeds £3,028 £3,204 £176 Flexi tickets for travel two days per week over a year Route Previous price Price after 5.8% rise Increase Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads £1,056 £1,117.20 £61.20 Cambridge to London £4,620 £4,888 £268 Ipswich to Peterborough £4,947.60 £5,234.60 £287 Liverpool to Manchester £2,074.80 £2,195.10 £120.30 Welwyn Garden City to London £2,029.20 £2,146.90 £117.70 With around 45% of train fares regulated by governments in Westminster, Scotland and Wales, the increase would affect millions of passengers. 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ScotRail passengers may again see lower rise than for cross-Border operators Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rail passengers could face fare increases of nearly 6 per cent next year - but ScotRail's ticket prices are likely to again rise less sharply. A potential rise of 5.8 per cent for cross-Border and other English train operators was signalled by the publication on Wednesday of July's retail prices index (RPI) measure of inflation, on which rail fare increases have traditionally been based. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad ScotRail fares increased by 3.8 per cent in April | PA RPI increased by more than expected to 4.8 per cent from 4.4 per cent in June, with rail fares normally hiked by 1 per cent more than the July rate. However, Transport Scotland said any ScotRail fares increase would be based instead on the consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation, which excludes items like mortgage payments, and was 3.8 per cent in July, up from 3.6 per cent the previous month. This year, ScotRail fares were increased by 3.8 per cent in April while those of English operators went up by 4.6 per cent in March. That followed an 8.7 per cent ScotRail hike in April last year and 4.8 per cent in July 2023. A spokesperson for Transport Scotland said: 'Any potential fares increase for 2026 is under consideration and, as per previous commitments, will be based on CPI, not RPI.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the Scottish Government agency sought to highlight the permanent scrapping of ScotRail peak fares in 12 days' time on September 1, which are in some cases twice the off-peak fare. Like the Scottish Government, the UK Government has not confirmed how it will determine the cap on fare rises next year, and whether it will retain the RPI +1 per cent formula. The UK Department for Transport said there would be an update on changes to fares later this year. Its spokesperson said: 'Transport Secretary [Heidi Alexander] has made clear her number one priority is getting the railways back to a place where people can rely on them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'No decisions have been made on next year's rail fares but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers.' The latest inflation figures came as train punctuality across Britain was at its worst for more than five years. Figures from the Office of Rail and Road regulator showed trains reached 66.7 per cent of their scheduled stops within 1 minute of schedule in the year to July 19. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latest ScotRail figures showed 89.7 per cent of its trains arrived within five minutes of schedule over that period - one percentage point below target. Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA rail union, said: 'It's vital that the government protects the travelling public from any unnecessary rise in rail fares as a result of this inflation spike.
