Rail firms hide cheap tickets that could save passengers tens of millions of pounds
Issue of how tickets are being sold is being looked at by the new rail minister Paul Maynard
MILLIONS of passengers are being overcharged as rail companies do not show passengers the cheapest tickets for two-thirds of cross-country routes, it has emerged.
On 33 out of a sample of 50 journeys, it is possible to obtain a cheaper fare than the one advertised on nationalrail.co.uk - which describes itself as the "definitive source of customer information" - an investigation has found.
Savings can be made by splitting tickets, where a passenger buys several tickets for destinations along their route rather than one for the entire trip.
The investigation found long-distance journeys can cost more than double the cumulative price of shorter trips along the same route.
One of the most startling examples uncovered was an Anytime Single from Penzance to Birmingham, changing at Plymouth.
The published fare is £149.30, but it is possible to pay £85 less for the same trains by split-ticketing.
The investigation also found some operators are not correctly labelling train station ticket machines to ensure passengers know only a limited range of tickets are available from them.
At least half of the 63 machines in London analysed by were either not labelled or "featured scant information" about the range of tickets they sell.
New rail minister Paul Maynard said he is "already looking at" the issue of how train tickets are sold, and insisted that "passengers should always be able to get the best deal".
He went on: "The industry must work harder to make this a reality.
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"Train operators have made some improvements and passengers are benefiting from better on-screen information at some stations, but there has got to be improvement right across the network.
"I will be raising this with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) that represents all train operating companies as a priority. Passengers deserve better."
Five tips to save cash on the tracks
TOP tips from MARTIN LEWIS of MoneySavingExpert.com:
1 — If you want to make sure you are getting the really cheap fares book between ten and 12 weeks in advance.
2 — If you can’t book early, book early late.
Many people assume that if you are travelling in a few days’ time you can’t get an advance ticket. But some rail companies still sell them an hour before the train journey if there are any available. Make sure you check.
3 — Buying two singles can be cheaper than getting a return. It doesn’t make sense but it does work, so be sure to check this option out.
4 — Get a rail card. There are more than people think. You have the 16-25 and the best time to buy a three year one is the day before you are 24 which means you get it until you’re 27.
There’s also the senior railcard, the “family and friends” and the “two together” for two named people aboard together.
5 — Split your tickets. Bizarrely it can be cheaper to buy the constituent parts of a rail journey than the entire trip. To find out, use the Tickety Split tool at moneysavingexpert.com.
And Louise Ellman, chairwoman of the Commons transport select committee, told The Times: "It's clear that passengers are being left confused and - at worst - are paying a lot more than they need to for their tickets."
Joanna Whittington, of the rail watchdog, said: “People feel let down by [vending machines]. I think they can provide a good service for some people, some of the time.
“The question is whether we think more could and should be done.
“There is the potential that we will need to take action if the speed of change together with the detriment — once we are able to quantify it — suggests that that’s necessary.
“Of course, we wouldn’t hesitate.”
An RDG spokesman said rail firms have updated 95% of the 2,500 ticket machines around the country with either stickers or better on-screen information.
He acknowledged it can "occasionally" be cheaper to buy more than one ticket for a journey, adding that train companies are "looking at ways to make buying tickets simpler".
He went on: "We want customers to get the right ticket for their journeys at the best price.
“We recognise that different types of tickets and fares can be confusing and we want to make things as straightforward as possible for customers.
“We know that we have more to do.
"Train companies offer a range of good value fares, one of the reasons why passenger numbers have doubled in the last 20 years.
“We're working hard to make buying train travel simpler and to give passengers better information."