Fares and penalty fares

The price of these fares is regulated by Government:

• Transport Scotland (for ScotRail)
• Welsh Government (for Transport for Wales)
• Department for Transport (for all other franchised train companies)

The price of these is set by train companies on a commercial basis.

To complain about an increase in the price of an unregulated train fare, first contact the relevant train operator. Contact details for train companies can be found on the National Rail Enquiries website.

Train operators employ a commercial strategy in setting fares. If a train operator's commercial strategy runs contrary to the broader public interest, it is for the government to consider as part of its fares policy.

We enforce the Competition Act 1998, which makes it illegal for companies to do certain things, such as use their powerful position in the market to take advantage of consumers or fix prices. We may conduct an investigation if we have reasonable grounds to suspect the law has been broken.

For more information on how competition law applies to fare pricing, please read our guide on Complaints about rail fares and car-park charges – the role of competition law. If after reading this guide, you are concerned that a company may have breached competition law, you can report it to us.

General rules concerning penalty fares are set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

Train companies publish their own penalty fares schemes, which must be approved by the Department for Transport.

If you have been charged a penalty fare and wish to appeal, contact the relevant train operating company and use its appeal system.

You may also consider seeking advice from Transport Focus or London TravelWatch, who may be able to help. However, they cannot take up your complaint until you have contacted the relevant train company and given them a chance to respond, and you should enclose all previous correspondence with the train company/retailer.