Despite today’s rail fare rise in England and Wales, train tickets can be excellent value. That might sound absurd to long-suffering passengers enduring delays and cancellations. But I have never owned a car and always rely on railways. And I never want to pay a penny more than necessary.
Some background: fares have just gone up by more than the rate of inflation in England and Wales. The rise of so-called “regulated fares” is 4.6 per cent, significantly above the current rate of inflation of 3 per cent. (In Scotland, ticket prices go up 3.8 per cent on 1 April.) These are for “regulated” fares: season tickets, journeys in and out of major cities, and longer-distance off-peak fares. The government has prescribed that the off-peak one-way fare from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston has gone up by £2.50 to £79.80.
