Rail fares in England are to be frozen next year for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.The freeze until March 2027 will apply to regulated fares,which includes season tickets and off-peak returns.
the most recent fare rise, in March 2025, was 4.6%. Rail fares traditionally have gone up in January, based on the July rate of the retail price index (RPI) + 1% – although this formula has not always been followed.
The declaration comes days before the chancellor sets out the government’s financial plans in the Budget on Wednesday, with Rachel Reeves indicating that cutting the cost of living will be a key focus.However, at the same time the chancellor is also widely expected to increase taxes to help fill a multibillion-pound gap in her spending plans.
About 45% of rail fares are regulated by the government in England, Wales and Scotland – but the freeze only relates to travel in England.The announcement also only applies to services run by England-based train operating companies.
Regulated fares include season tickets covering most commuter routes, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance journeys and flexible tickets for travel in and around major cities.
Train operators are free to set prices for unregulated fares, but they typically rise by similar amounts.
The government said freezing rail fares was intended to “directly limit inflation” by holding down “a major component of everyday costs”.
Since 2021, the annual increase has come in March instead of January.
A government source acknowledged it was possible unregulated fares would still rise,but insisted they usually followed regulated fares.
Unregulated fares increased by 5.5% in the year to March 2025, 1.1% above regulated fares – with a total increase in rail fares of 5.1% in that period.
Challenged over whether other ticket prices would rise to compensate for the freeze on regulated fares, Transport Secretary Heidi alexander insisted the policy was “fully funded”.
She told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program that regulated fares have tended to inform the price of unregulated fares and they normally “track against each other”.Pressed on whether the policy would mean the government has less to spend on upgrading the transport system,Alexander said investment in the rail network would be protected “as we recognize that investing in the infrastructure of this country is the right long-term decision”.the Rail Delivery Group, a representative body made up of the UK’s rail operators, said the freeze would be “good news for customers”.
“We wont our railways to thrive, that’s why we’re committed to working with governme
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