Rail fares rise by 4.9% in England and Wales – how to save on transport in 2024

Commuters in England and Wales will have noticed the price of their train ticket shot up this week after train fares rose 4.9%. 

And it won't be long until those in Scotland feel the pinch, with fares rising by 8.7% from April. 

However, in a boost to Londoners both tube and bus fares have been frozen until 2025 and a new pilot scheme has launched which will see cheaper travel on Fridays. 

Here, Which? explains the ticket types that will be going up, how to beat the hikes, and how else you can cut the cost of getting around this year.

Which fares rose in England and Wales?

Regulated rail fares usually increase every year by July's RPI figure, which would have seen fares rise by 9% due to soaring inflation, however a lower cap set by the government has been used in recent years.

Regulated fares include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys, and anytime tickets around major cities. These fares went up by 4.9% on 3 March.

Unregulated fares are set by train operating companies at commercial rates, and include first-class and advance purchase fares.

London bus and tube fares on the other hand, have been frozen until 2025.  

• Find out more: how the Spring Budget will impact your money

Which fares are rising in Scotland?

In December, Transport for Scotland confirmed all ScotRail fares would increase by 8.7% from 1 April. This includes season tickets and flexipasses, which were previously frozen. 

The newly government-owned Caledonian Sleeper fares increased on average by 8.7% from 1 January, excluding seated tickets.

Transport for Scotland also confirmed that a pilot scheme removing peak fares would be extended until June this year.

• Find out more: what was in the Scottish Budget?

What about Northern Ireland?

Commuters in Northern Ireland faced a hike in prices fairly recently, as around half of adult single train fares went up in November 2023. Translink said the new fares were based on a cost-per-mile basis.

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How to beat the rail fare hikes

There are several ways to save money on train fares. 

Travel to London on Fridays

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a new pilot cutting fares on Fridays in a bid to encourage more people back onto public transport and into the office on that day. 

Until the end of May, passengers using contactless and Oyster cards for travel in London and the surrounding areas will be charged off-peak fares on a Friday. 

Peak pay-as-you-go fares usually apply on the tube and rail services in London on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am, and between 4-7pm. This means someone commuting from Zone 6 in outer London into Zone 1 would pay £5.60 per journey. But under the new scheme, the fare will be cut to £3.60. 

The scheme applies to services run by the tube, Elizabeth Line, London Overground and mainline train operators. 

It also means 60+ Freedom Pass cards, which cannot be used before 9am on weekdays, will be valid all day on Fridays.  

Avoid purchasing from the machine 

A Which? Travel investigation found passengers who buy their fares from a ticket machine could end up paying more than double. 

We sent mystery shoppers to 15 train stations across England to find the cheapest single fare for a journey that day, the following morning and in three weeks. 

Tickets bought online were cheaper around three quarters of the time. Same-day tickets were 52% more expensive on average when bought from a machine.

A big problem our research revealed was two thirds of ticket machines don't sell advance tickets, and many didn't appear to sell off-peak fares at peak times.

• Find out more: train station machines can charge more than twice the price of online tickets

Get a railcard

If you're eligible for a railcard and make a few off-peak train journeys each year, the amount you save will mean it more than pays for itself.

Most railcards cost £30 a year and get you a third off both standard and first-class tickets. Notable exceptions are the Disabled Persons Railcard, which costs £20 a year for a third off tickets, and the 16-17 Saver, which costs £30 a year but offers 50% off.

Some railcards can't be used for certain journeys during peak times on weekdays. These restrictions don't apply to weekends or bank holidays, though.

If you’re not eligible for any railcard, you may be able to save with a Regional Railcard, which gives you discounts when travelling in a specific area. For example, a Network Railcard costs £30 and gets you a third off rail fares in London and the South East. 

• Find out more: 12 ways to make and save money in 2024 

Buy a season ticket

If you're a regular commuter, an annual season ticket will almost certainly be your cheapest option.

There are also weekly and monthly season tickets, which tend to work out cheaper if you're making multiple repeat journeys over those periods. Season tickets covering more than one month but less than a year are also available. 

You can use National Rail’s season ticket calculator to work out how much it will cost you.

Book advance tickets

A set number of reduced-price advance tickets are allocated to specific trains and sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll need to be quick to find the best choice of deals.

Advance fares are typically available to buy up to 12 weeks before you travel.

Some train companies, including Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and LNER, offer ticket-alert emails, meaning you'll be the first to hear about any new ticket releases. You can also sign up for these releases from Trainline.

Split your ticket

Instead of buying one single 'through' ticket for your journey – same journey, same seat, no changes – you can buy multiple tickets to cover its component parts.

This ticketing hack allows you to pick up the cheapest fares for different parts of your route, capitalising on advance tickets and off-peak fare changes. The only rule is that your train must stop at the stations named on your ticket.

Oddly, unless you know to ask for a particular split ticket, train staff are unlikely to tell you about it. However, once you know what journey to ask for, you can buy these online or at the station.

Your best bet for finding split routes is to use a split-ticketing website such as Trainsplit or Split Ticketing.splitticketing.co.uk

Other ways to save on transport in 2024

Here are some of the other ways you can save money on getting around. 

Take the bus

This year you can benefit from cheap bus fares after a government scheme was extended until December 2024. 

The money-saving scheme caps single fares on participating bus journeys at £2, but return fares will remain at their usual price. In some cases, it may be cheaper to get two single fares rather than a return. 

You don’t need to do anything to get the reduced £2 price, as it will be applied automatically when you take a journey.

The cap covers bus routes with 130 participating operators, including Arriva and Stagecoach. You can check which operators are continuing with the scheme on the government's website.

• Find out more: bus fares capped at £2 

Save on car insurance

If you drive, It’s likely car insurance takes a big chunk out of your monthly or annual budget. But there are some ways you can save, by haggling and shopping around.

Seven in 10 hagglers we surveyed in September managed to secure a discount. Most who had paid annually managed to secure discounts of up to £40 – though one in eight saved over £100.

When haggling, it's best to shop around first. If you've found more reasonable prices elsewhere, you can use this information to explain why you're unhappy with the price your insurer is offering.

• Find out more: how to find cheap car insurance 2024

Compare car insurance deals

Check Which? insurance ratings and compare deals using the service provided by Confused.com

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Shop around for fuel

Larger supermarket chains tend to offer the lowest forecourt prices, but it's best to check which petrol stations are the cheapest locally before you fill up. 

Websites such as PetrolPrices.com can help, and some sat nav apps such as Waze display live prices for stations nearby and on your route.

• Find out more: how to save fuel and other money-saving driving tips 

Cycle to work

Cycling won't be an option for everyone, but if you'd like to try it and you don't own a bike, you could take a look at second-hand deals. 

You can also save money on the cost of a new bike with the Cycle to Work scheme, if your employer is signed up for it.

You start by choosing the bike you want. The bike is bought by your employer, who then leases it to you. Many employers can reclaim the VAT and have the option of passing this saving on to you.

Your salary will be reduced by the net cost of the bike for the hire period, spreading the cost across several months. Once the hire period ends, you can buy the bike from your employer at a 'fair market value' set by HMRC.

• Find out more: best bike insurance 

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