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The cap on how much train fares can be increased by next year has been announced today.
Season tickets will rise by 1.6 percent in January, in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation.
Unregulated fares – including Anytime single tickets – are expected to rise by the same amount.
This means, for example, that the London-Manchester benchmark one-way ticket price of £180 will increase to £183.
This increase will go into effect in the new year, unless the government reforms rail fares amid plummeting train use owing the the coronavirus crisis.
Here’s everything you need to know about the changes.
When are the new prices coming into effect?
The new prices are coming into effect on the first working day of the year in January.
To save money, some commuters renew their season tickets the day before prices change. However, this year there is speculation ministers may delay the 2021 rise, due to low passenger numbers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
How much have train fares increased by?
This year, season ticket fares will increase by 1.6 percent.
Train prices increase each year, as recent governments have tended to fund rail more and more from ticket prices instead of tax money. According to figures from the Office of Rail and Road, average train prices have increased in real terms by 21 percent from January 1995 – around when the network was privatised – to January 2020.
How are fare increases calculated and who decides?
Price increases in around half of fares are regulated by the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments.
Season tickets on most commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets for long-distance journeys, and train tickets in major cities are regulated.
All other train fares are decided by train companies.
Most ticket cost rises are pegged to the July RPI measure of inflation. According to the Rail Delivery Group, 98p of every £1 spent on train fares goes towards running and maintaining services.
Travellers can save money on certain tickets by getting a railcard, booking in advance and travelling off-peak.
How much will it cost me?
bettertransport.org.uk has estimated the rises for the main commuter routes in and out of London below.
| Stations | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Increase |
| Ashford International | £5,379 | £5,544 | £5,700 | £5,791 | £91 |
| Aylesbury | £4,061 | £4,188 | £4,304 | £4,373 | £69 |
| Basingstoke | £4,463 | £4,604 | £4,736 | £4,812 | £76 |
| Bishops Stortford | £4,190 | £4,320 | £4,440 | £4,511 | £71 |
| Bracknell | £4,463 | £4,604 | £4,736 | £4,812 | £76 |
| Braintree | £4,500 | £4,640 | £4,768 | £4,844 | £76 |
| Brentwood | £2,673 | £2,756 | £2,832 | £2,877 | £45 |
| Brighton | £4,699 | £4,844 | £4,980 | £5,060 | £80 |
| Cambridge | £4,952 | £5,108 | £5,252 | £5,336 | £84 |
| Canterbury stations | £5,412 | £5,584 | £5,740 | £5,832 | £92 |
| Chelmsford | £3,970 | £4,092 | £4,208 | £4,275 | £67 |
| Colchester | £5,105 | £5,264 | £5,412 | £5,499 | £87 |
| Crawley | £3,701 | £3,816 | £3,924 | £3,987 | £63 |
| Eastbourne | £4,836 | £4,900 | £5,036 | £5,117 | £81 |
| Farnham | £4,028 | £4,152 | £4,268 | £4,336 | £68 |
| Gillingham (Kent) | £4,127 | £4,252 | £4,372 | £4,442 | £70 |
| Grays (Essex) | £2,379 | £2,448 | £2,516 | £2,556 | £40 |
| Guildford | £3,622 | £3,812 | £3,916 | £3,979 | £63 |
| Harlow Town | £3,622 | £3,732 | £3,836 | £3,897 | £61 |
| Hastings | £5,159 | £5,320 | £5,468 | £5,555 | £87 |
| High Wycombe | £3,560 | £3,668 | £3,772 | £3,832 | £60 |
| Horsham | £4,132 | £4,180 | £4,296 | £4,365 | £69 |
| Luton | £4,177 | £4,308 | £4,428 | £4,499 | £71 |
| Maidstone stations | £4,451 | £4,588 | £4,716 | £4,791 | £75 |
| Milton Keynes | £5,209 | £5,372 | £5,524 | £5,612 | £88 |
| Oxford | £5,097 | £5,256 | £5,404 | £5,490 | £86 |
| Portsmouth stations | £5,230 | £5,392 | £5,544 | £5,633 | £89 |
| Reading | £4,463 | £4,604 | £4,736 | £4,812 | £76 |
| Royston | £4,786 | £4,936 | £5,076 | £5,157 | £81 |
| St Albans City | £3,502 | £3,828 | £5,936 | £6,031 | £95 |
| Sevenoaks | £3,502 | £3,608 | £3,708 | £3,767 | £59 |
| Slough | £2,631 | £2,712 | £2,788 | £2,833 | £45 |
| Southampton Central | £5,702 | £5,880 | £6,044 | £6,141 | £97 |
| Southend Central | £3,531 | £3,640 | £3,740 | £3,800 | £60 |
| Stevenage | £3,742 | £3,856 | £3,964 | £4,027 | £63 |
| Tunbridge Wells | £4,645 | £4,792 | £4,928 | £5,007 | £79 |
| Tonbridge | £4,235 | £4,364 | £4,488 | £4,560 | £72 |
| Witham | £4,430 | £4,568 | £4,696 | £4,771 | £75 |
| Woking | £3,249 | £3,348 | £3,440 | £3,495 | £55 |
| AVERAGE | £4,247 | £4,382 | £4,556 | £4,629 | £73 |
Figures supplied by bettertransport.org.uk. 2020 fares based upon Trainline and 2021 cost is based on a July 2020 RPI figure of 1.6%. Prices are for the cheapest available 12 month season ticket into London terminals on any route permitted (where available).
