British rail firms have the most expensive tickets in Europe
British train companies are the priciest in Europe, new analysis has revealed.
A study from campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E) listed Great Western Railway (GWR) Eurostar and Avanti West Coast as the top three most expensive European train firms by ticket price.
GWR fares are around two and a half times greater than the European Union (EU) average, while Avanti West Coast passengers are forking out one and a half more despite long-running complaints over the quality of its service.
The study, which examined more than 8,000 tickets, looked at average costs for typical weekday train fares when tickets were purchased seven and 28 days in advance. It found travelling by rail “particularly costly” in the UK, with prices driven up by “private monopolies.”
Eurostar fares came in at nearly twice the price of other European operators on routes of comparable length, while the report also noted that its fares could not be “attributed solely to costs associated with the Channel Tunnel.”
The report’s conclusions will be hard to justify, given the punctuality and cancellation issues that have plagued Britain’s beleaguered railways in recent years.
Since Covid-19, the finances of UK train operators have been closely overseen by the government, under highly restrictive contracts.
The new Labour government has passed legislation to fully nationalise Britain’s railway sector in the coming years, in what it claims will be the biggest shake-up in decades. It is also pushing ahead with plans to introduce Great British Railways (GBR), an arms length governmnet body intended to act as a guiding mind for the industry.
Regulated rail fares in the UK are set to be hiked by 4.6 per cent in March next year, it was announced in October.
Unlike the UK’s mainstay rail companies, Eurostar operates under the open access model, where providers take full commercial risk.
A wider analysis of factors including punctuality and willingness to give refunds placed the high-speed operator as the worst-performing rail service on the continent.
But a spokesperson heavily disputed the findings, telling City PM: “Eurostar is suprised by the conclusion of this survey and does not agree with its conclusions.”
The firm claimed it the launch of its new website and app had made it “even easier for our customers to find the lowest fares. Thanks to a calendar of best fares, the ‘low fare finder’ accessible from the home page, exists for all destinations.”
It added that automated refunds for delays are not provided as it wants to offer customers the ability to choose which type of compensation they receive.
It said it did not provide automated refunds for delays because it wanted to let customers choose the type of compensation they received. Eurostar argued that a number of changes to customer experience, which have been added since the report was completed, would have produced a higher score if redone.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We are committed to the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, from delivering better services to simpler ticketing.
“While some of our fare types are among the cheapest in Europe, particularly when booked in advance, we know the labyrinth of fares and prices can be confusing, which is why we want to simplify fares so it’s easier for passengers to find the right ticket for their journey.”
A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group, which represents UK rail operators, said: “In the UK, we have a comprehensive railway connecting both major cities and smaller communities across the country.
“We’re glad to see customer numbers rising and demand for rail travel growing year on year. Our aim is to sustain this growth by attracting more people while delivering a more reliable and sustainable service with a better overall experience for our customers.
“The creation of Great British Railways is an opportunity to bring industry together to deliver these improvements and meet the needs of our customers.”