A consumer group has found that ticket machines at railway stations in the UK are charging passengers more than double the price they would pay online for certain journeys. According to research by Which?, same-day rail tickets can be 50% more expensive on average at stations. In addition, the group discovered that the best value fares are either not available or hidden amongst other options on many machines. The closure of rail ticket offices in England had been planned; however, following protests, the move was scrapped.
In November, the government asked train operators to withdraw the closure plans because they failed to meet the high standards expected by passengers. At present, just one in six of the 1,766 train stations under government control has a full-time ticket office. Which? sent mystery shoppers to 15 stations, each operated by a different train operator, and checked the price of 75 journeys from a machine against online retailer Trainline. Some tickets were found to be more than double the price when purchased from a machine, compared to what was available online.
Factors contributing to the higher ticket prices have been identified as the failure of some machines to offer cheaper advance fares or split-ticketing, and obscured off-peak fares. Magazine editor Rory Boland has said that the price differences are “simply astounding” and are causing many to pay more for travel than necessary.
The sheer number of different train fares on offer can also make it difficult for travellers to determine the best one for their needs. Some elderly people may not even have internet access to search for the best deals available online, making them reliant on machines. While LNER has been trialling ways to simplify fares, the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies, has acknowledged that more progress is needed in terms of fare reform
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