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The Big Rail Fare Freeze

Rail fares have been frozen for the first time in 30 years, and passengers are expected to save around £600 million this year, making rail more affordable and helping to ease cost-of-living pressures.

The fares freeze means that regulated train tickets (the ones where pricing is set by government and not train companies) have been frozen across England until March 2027.

This includes Standard class Season Tickets, Anytime tickets and Off-Peak tickets but doesn’t automatically cover journeys that are entirely in Scotland or Wales.

First Class and Standard Premium tickets are not included, along with Transport for Wales, Caledonian Sleeper and TfL services. They are the responsibility of devolved nations or regional authorities.

Hull Trains, Lumo, Grand Central, and Heathrow Express are also not included as they are independent operations without a government contract. They choose their own routes and set their own fares.

If you’re unsure about your route, please contact your train company, who will be able to confirm.

Changes to fares resulting from the fares reform (e.g. the introduction of pay as you go (PAYG)) may result in ticket types, products and/or time restrictions being altered.

Find out more in the government announcement.

A similar scheme exists for ScotRail in Scotland and for Merseyrail.

FAQs

The fares freeze could save customers across the country around £600m in total, so, if you’re a regular commuter, that could mean more money in your pocket to spend on the things you love.

If you’re not a commuter you can still benefit when travelling on an Anytime or Off-Peak ticket.

If you travel more than 2 to 3 times a week then you may find you’d save more with a Season ticket. Check out the National Rail Season Ticket Calculator, which will help you compare prices across various ticket types.

Unregulated fares include First Class, Advance and Saver tickets. These fares are not regulated and may rise. However, they typically follow changes in regulated fares, meaning passengers can still benefit from savings even on Standard unregulated products. In addition, around half a million Advance train tickets for less than £10 are released weekly so there are always bargains to be had.

The freeze only covers Standard regulated tickets. First Class and Standard Premium tickets aren’t included.

Yes, absolutely. All your existing Railcards, discounts and concessions carry on as normal.

Find out more ways you can save money on your train ticket.

Child tickets are regulated, so are also part of the freeze. Children under the age of 5 still also travel for free on most journeys, but check with your train company to make sure.

Of course! Seat reservations work just as they always have and can still be made online, at stations, over the phone or at Rail Appointed Travel Agents.

No, there are no changes to how far in advance you can buy your ticket due to the Fares Freeze. For more information, please visit the National Rail Advance Booking Dates page.

Yes, if your train is delayed for any reason and you have been travelling on a participating National Rail service you can claim Delay Repay or apply for a refund. Visit your train company’s website to find out more.

If your journey is affected by strikes, you may be eligible for a refund, please visit National Rail’s Industrial Action page for more information

Changes to fares resulting from the government's programme to simplify fares (e.g. the introduction of Pay As You Go (PAYG)) may result in ticket types, products and/or time restrictions being altered.

Please visit your train company’s website to find out more.

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Great British Railways is coming

GBR will bring track and train together, putting customers first.

It will operate the majority of passenger services under public ownership and control.