Rail fares could skyrocket by 4.2% - with Burnham yet to confirm freeze

Published: 00:33, 20 August 2026 | Updated: 00:34, 20 August 2026 Rail passengers face a potentially punishing fares increase of more than 4 per cent from March next year. It means that an annual season ticket from Brighton to London – before travel on the London Underground is included – would rise by £219 to £5,423. A flexi ticket for travel two days a week over a year from Leeds to Manchester would increase by £151.35 to £3,754.95, too. Sir Keir Starmer's government froze regulated fares this year, but Andy Burnham has yet to confirm if he will also impose a freeze. If he does not, any rise in 2027 would be based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation up to last month.  The Office for National Statistics announced yesterday that RPI rose 3.2 per cent in the 12 months to July 2026.  Last year's 4.6 per cent cap was one percentage point above RPI in July 2024. If that formula is used to set next year's rise, the cost of train travel will jump by 4.2 per cent. About 45 per cent of fares on Britain's railways are regulated by Westminster, and the Scottish and Welsh governments. Regulated fares include season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes and flexible tickets for travel around major cities. Unregulated fares are set by the train operators, but the increases in these are expected to be similar. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'We are working to make transport affordable for everyone. 'The rail fares freeze is giving millions of people breathing space on their travel costs and is expected to save passengers on some of the busiest routes more than £300 a year. 'No decision has been made on fares after the freeze ends and we are looking at all options carefully.'