‘Mix and match’ fares on cards for rail passengers
Rail passengers could see an end to single-journey fares costing almost as much as return tickets under plans to be announced by the Government today.
Currently the Government regulates the price of off-peak return fares, meaning train operating companies are able to price other tickets – including off-peak singles – more freely.
But rail minister Norman Baker has announced plans for a pilot scheme that could see all long-distance rail tickets sold on a single-leg basis and allow passengers to “mix and match” each ticket type when planning a return journey. It means single tickets would cost roughly half the return fare, in contrast to the current pricing structure in which there is sometimes little difference between the two.
A spokesman said the Department for Transport said it will enter commercial negotiations with a long-distance operator to identify a suitable route for the pilot.