Rail passengers will have to dig deeper to pay for their fares after being hit by the biggest fare hike in more than a decade yesterday (March 5).
So-called regulated ticket prices went up by 5.9%, the highest fare rise since 2012, when prices rose by 6%. Although the rises have been capped because of the cost of living crisis, the price of an annual season ticket from Durham to Newcastle has still risen by £85, from £1,452 to £1,537. Regulated fare rises have previously been linked to the Retail Price Index measure of inflation for the previous July, which in 2022 was 12.3%.
Regulated fares include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys, and anytime tickets around major cities. Other fares, including first class and advance tickets, are not regulated by the price cap.
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While the price hikes will put more strain on household budgets, there are some ways that you can save a bit of cash if you use the train regularly. You won't be able to avoid the increases completely, but here are some suggestions to pay less:
Split tickets
If you're taking a lengthy train journey then you could save hundreds of pounds by 'splitting' your tickets. Dividing a rail journey into separate segments can save a fortune on train tickets as on many journeys, buying two or more segments is cheaper than a through ticket. You won't need to change trains and National Rail lets you split your ticket as long as the train calls at the station you buy the tickets for. There are several sites that make things easier, such as splitticketing.com or splitmyfare.
Season ticket
Regular travellers should be able to save by purchasing either a seven day, monthly or annual season ticket, which will allow them to make the journey an unlimited number of times as long as it's valid. If you're making the same journey on three or more days a week, then a seven-day season ticket is likely to save you money, compared to buying a new one every day. A seven-day Newcastle to Durham season ticket will cost you £3.84 per journey, compared to £5.20 standard price. Check if you can save money here.
Get organised
If you're planning a journey, don't wait until nearer the time to buy your tickets. Network Rail releases its timetable 12 weeks in advance, so ticket firms usually make their fares available at this time, and just like plane tickets, the earlier you book the lower the price you'll pay for your seat. Trainline has a ticket alert service and it will tell you when cheap advance tickets go on sale for a particular journey and National Rail's future travel chart shows the furthest advance date that you can buy tickets.
Get a Railcard
If you're a regular traveller, you could save a third off the price of your ticket if you're eligible to buy a railcard. Most railcards cost £30 for the year and you'll usually save a third off the price of your ticket. See if you can get one here.
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