The Department for Transport has revealed train passengers around the country will be hit by an average increase of 2.6 per cent from March 2021, higher than the usual rate of inflation plus one per cent.
Normally, prices would increase on the first working day in January, but due to the disruption caused by coronavirus pandemic, the increase has been delayed until March.
This means season ticket holders can still renew in January and pay 2020 prices.
General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, Manuel Cortes, described the increase as ‘extortionate’ saying “given the massive economic fallout from the virus, the last thing we need to see is a kick in the teeth for passengers.”
RMT senior assistant general secretary Mick Lynch added: “After well over a decade of eye-watering fare increases and with an industry in crisis, tinkering with fares is simply not good enough.”
How much is a season ticket from Swindon to London Paddington?
Commuters are able to buy a weekly season ticket at a cost of £263.50 or £283.80 including a London Travelcard for Zones 1-6. If you want a monthly ticket it would be £890.20 or £962 and if you were looking to purchase a standard fare annual ticket it would be £9272 or £10,020 including the travelcard.
If you add the 2.6 per cent increase to these prices, weekly it’s an increase of just £6.85, a monthly ticket would rise £23.15 and an annual ticket would cost an extra £241.07. (without travelcard)
If you travelled to London in the first class carriage your fare would increase £443.46 to £17,499.46!
