UK Government to Freeze Rail Fares for the First Time in 30 Years
Rail travellers in England are set to get a rare break as the government is set to freeze regulated fares until March 2027 for the first time in three decades. The decision covers season tickets, peak commuter returns and off-peak long-distance returns, with ministers saying the goal is to ease cost-of-living pressures and give workers some financial breathing room.
The most recent increase in March 2025 came in at 4.6%, so officials say holding prices steady will save people hundreds of pounds. Commuters using flexi-season tickets could keep an extra £315 a year when travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 from Woking to London and £57 between Bradford and Leeds. According to the Treasury, the freeze is designed to “directly limit inflation” by keeping a major household expense in check.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier.” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander added: “We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” noting that those on pricier routes would hang on to “more than £300 per year.”
Around 45% of fares in England, Wales and Scotland are regulated, but the freeze applies only to services run by operators based in England. Ministers admitted unregulated fares could still rise, though they usually move in line with regulated ones. Train companies and passenger groups welcomed the policy, saying cost is a major barrier to rail use.
The fare freeze ties into the government’s wider plan to rebuild Great British Railways — a publicly owned body that will take over tracks and trains and modernise ticketing with tap-in tap-out systems, digital tickets and better Wi-Fi. Campaigners say affordability should be central to the reforms, and that keeping fares down will help shift more people from roads to rail.
Political reaction was mixed. Labour figures celebrated what they called long-overdue relief for passengers, while critics argued the measure should have come sooner. Some opposition voices said freezing fares just before a challenging Budget feels like a temporary fix. The Budget is expected to include other cost-related measures, including extra funding for electric vehicle incentives, while the chancellor also considers new tax changes and possible adjustments to income tax thresholds.
