Ticketing

Passenger going through the ticket gatelines

News

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has recommended that rail fare enforcement is overhauled and made fairer in a new review of the current system.

Office of Rail and Road 4 Jun

Comment

Railway 200: Tickets please!

In the second of our series celebrating 200 years of the modern railway, Andy Wakeford, Fares Lead at the Rail Delivery Group, looks at train ticketing.

Industry views 16 May

ScotRail 170403 passes Hillend (near Dalgety) on October 10 2024 with the 0939 Edinburgh-Perth service. PAUL BIGGS.

News

Scottish Labour vows to end peak fares despite trial not leading to sufficient demand increase

Pledge made to axe peak fares "for good" if it wins the next Scottish election.

Ticketing 10 Mar

CILT’s fares vision includes long-distance travel, over around 75 miles, moving to Anytime, Advance or “70-minute flex” fares, and for journeys outside PAYG and under 75 miles being limited to three fares - Peak Single, Off-Peak Single, and Super Off-Peak Single - with time restrictions to reflect demand. And “the concept of ‘different operators’ will disappear as GBR comes into being”. Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Northern and TransPennine Express trains all wait at Manchester Piccadilly on May 5 2022. ALAMY.

News

New study presents vision for fares reform which would 'bring in new customers'

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport has set out a pathway for an easy-to-understand system.

Ticketing 10 Mar

News

News Analysis: GBR searches for answers to ticketing simplification

THE future under Great British Railways is one which few are privy to yet. But one area where it does appear to be marching forward with a clarity and purpose is ticketing.

Ticketing 6 Feb

Class 378216 train at Clapham Junction station

News

Mayor of London asks TfL to look at alternatives to win back passengers after off-peak fares trial

A trial to offer off-peak fares on a Friday did not lead to an increase in passenger numbers.

Transport for London 4 Feb

Comment

Comment: all-rail subscription pass - possibility or pipe-dream?

Tickets pleas: fares need to improve but would a ‘Fare Britannia’ pass ever work in the UK?

Editor's comment 29 Jan

After the pilot to abolish peak fares ended in October, the price of a peak-time commute between Glasgow and Edinburgh increased by 94%. Passengers at a busy Glasgow Queen Street station on December 20 2024. ALAMY.

Feature

Scotland’s radical peak fares pilot: over and out?

The Scottish government has called time on its pilot scheme to abolish peak rail fares, but the calls for making public transport more accessible grow.

Passengers 27 Jan

Left: Multiple train classes and multiple operators fill the platforms at Manchester Piccadilly, offering a hint as to why lengthening trains can actually reduce services. PAUL BIGLAND

News

Plan for pay-as-you-go ticketing in Manchester in early 2026

Transport for Greater Manchester plans to take control of eight lines and integrate them into existing Bee Network

Transport for Greater Manchester 20 Jan

News

Transport Focus calls for national 'yellow card' warning for those who make ticket mistakes

Passenger watchdog wants train operators across the country to be more lenient with customers who buy the wrong ticket by mistake

Transport Focus 16 Jan

News

Train fares rise five-fold since 1987, official statistics show

The Office of National Statistics has published figures that show how train fares have compared to other modes of transport

Ticketing 9 Dec

Comment

Ticket offices and value in staff redeployment

Cost pressures are bearing down on the rail industry as revenue rises but not at a fast enough rate to cover the £2 billion gap between operating subsidy and income

Passengers 29 Nov

A ticket being checked by a conductor on a train

News

ORR begins ticket enforcement review as it confirms scope and deadline

The Office of Rail and Road's review was announced by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh earlier this month

Ticketing 27 Nov

Comment

Comment: Ticket pricing must evolve, against a £2.4bn annual shortfall

“It can be expected that fares will be higher for travel at peak times which relate to specific events.” - Industry Insider

Industry views 11 Nov

Comment

Opinion: This is how we can make ticketing simple and transparent

Christian Wolmar reckons he has a simple plan to sort out the network's confusing fares structure and ticketing anomalies.

Christian Wolmar 4 Nov

LNER on East Coast mainline service to Leeds

News

Unlimited Travel ‘climate card’ scheme backed by campaigners

Research by Greenpeace and transport think tank, Greengauge 21 is advocating for a “climate card” subscription system that could set to as little as £49 a month to access train travel across all services in the U.K.

Ticketing 19 Sept

News

TfW chooses Hitachi to unify public transport booking in Wales

Transport for Wales (TfW) has selected Hitachi to help connect public transport journeys within Wales through a single app, making it easier for customers to plan, book and pay for different modes of travel.

Wales 11 Sept

News

GTR offers in-app season tickets

New apps from Govia Thameslink Railway now allow commuters to buy and store season tickets on their smartphones for Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services.

Ticketing 6 Sept

Train crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct with Ingleborough beyond Yorkshire Dales National Park England. ALAMY

Comment

RAIL opinion: Aim high for leisure travel

Rail should be our first choice, but our faith must be restored.

Editor's comment 28 Aug

Passengers at York on July 25. JACK BOSKETT.

News

FirstGroup calls for a 'Generation Rail' to boost future train travel

First Rail has unveiled ambitious plans to attract a new generation of rail users.

FirstGroup 2 Aug

Ticketing

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

Railway 200: Tickets please!

Scottish Labour vows to end peak fares despite trial not leading to sufficient demand increase

New study presents vision for fares reform which would 'bring in new customers'

News Analysis: GBR searches for answers to ticketing simplification

Mayor of London asks TfL to look at alternatives to win back passengers after off-peak fares trial

Comment: all-rail subscription pass - possibility or pipe-dream?

Scotland’s radical peak fares pilot: over and out?

Plan for pay-as-you-go ticketing in Manchester in early 2026

Transport Focus calls for national 'yellow card' warning for those who make ticket mistakes

Train fares rise five-fold since 1987, official statistics show

Ticket offices and value in staff redeployment

ORR begins ticket enforcement review as it confirms scope and deadline

Comment: Ticket pricing must evolve, against a £2.4bn annual shortfall

Opinion: This is how we can make ticketing simple and transparent

Unlimited Travel ‘climate card’ scheme backed by campaigners

TfW chooses Hitachi to unify public transport booking in Wales

GTR offers in-app season tickets

RAIL opinion: Aim high for leisure travel

FirstGroup calls for a 'Generation Rail' to boost future train travel

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

Ticketing

Urgent reform needed in rail fare enforcement, ORR review finds

Railway 200: Tickets please!

Scottish Labour vows to end peak fares despite trial not leading to sufficient demand increase

New study presents vision for fares reform which would 'bring in new customers'

News Analysis: GBR searches for answers to ticketing simplification

Mayor of London asks TfL to look at alternatives to win back passengers after off-peak fares trial

Comment: all-rail subscription pass - possibility or pipe-dream?

Scotland’s radical peak fares pilot: over and out?

Plan for pay-as-you-go ticketing in Manchester in early 2026

Transport Focus calls for national 'yellow card' warning for those who make ticket mistakes

Train fares rise five-fold since 1987, official statistics show

Ticket offices and value in staff redeployment

ORR begins ticket enforcement review as it confirms scope and deadline

Comment: Ticket pricing must evolve, against a £2.4bn annual shortfall

Opinion: This is how we can make ticketing simple and transparent

Unlimited Travel ‘climate card’ scheme backed by campaigners

TfW chooses Hitachi to unify public transport booking in Wales

GTR offers in-app season tickets

RAIL opinion: Aim high for leisure travel

FirstGroup calls for a 'Generation Rail' to boost future train travel

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

GB Railfreight planning to repurpose at least 12 more Class 66s for heavy trainloads

DB Cargo UK discussing transferring drivers to rival as it deals with Network Rail contract loss

FirstGroup confirms Class 222s for Euston-Stirling Lumo route

Chiltern Railways on verge of agreeing deal to take ex-TransPennine Express Mk 5s

Why the Class 67s have been running on borrowed time for nearly the whole of their lives

Network Rail begins process to replace rail infrastructure monitoring trains