In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Britain’s rail network is undergoing a profound shift. Once the cornerstone of commuter life, season tickets—particularly annual and monthly passes—are now rapidly declining in popularity. This trend is being driven by the rise of hybrid work models and sustained increases in ticket prices, reshaping how passengers engage with the UK’s rail services.
Season Tickets No Longer Make Financial Sense
Prior to the pandemic, season tickets accounted for 34% of all rail journeys, offering commuters unlimited travel between two stations for a discounted rate. However, by March 2025, that figure had dropped dramatically to just 13%.
With many employees now working from home two to three days a week, the value proposition of a season ticket has eroded. For instance, a Guildford to London annual pass currently costs £5,852. A commuter traveling only three times a week would now save over £1,000 annually by purchasing peak-time tickets as needed.
Flexible Travel Patterns Replace Routine Commutes
This shift is also reflected in travel timing. Commuters are increasingly adjusting their schedules to avoid peak fares. On a typical autumn weekday, around 60,000 fewer passengers arrive in London between 7am and 10am compared to pre-pandemic levels. Off-peak arrivals, however, have surged across the rest of the day.
As a result, off-peak tickets now account for 46% of all journeys, up from 34% in 2019. This change has created financial strain for train operators, many of whom depend heavily on peak-time revenues.
Rising Fares Fuel Passenger Discontent
Rail fare increases have continued to outpace inflation. In March 2025, average ticket prices rose by 5.1%, compared to the UK inflation rate of 3.4%. The government capped increases for about 45% of tickets—like season and anytime fares—at 4.6% in the Autumn Budget. However, fares for advance, first-class, and certain off-peak tickets, which are set independently by operators, rose by 5.5%, driving overall costs higher.
The fare cap, pegged to the outdated Retail Price Index (RPI), has exacerbated the issue. Because RPI typically exceeds the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fares continue to increase in real terms. FT calculations show that rail fares are now 45% higher in real terms than in 1995.
According to advocacy group Campaign for Better Transport, cost—not convenience or punctuality—is now the biggest deterrent to rail travel. A January 2025 poll confirmed that price remains the primary concern for most passengers.
Government Subsidies and the Shift Toward Nationalisation
Despite rising fares, the UK rail industry is now more dependent on government subsidies than at any point in recent memory. The Labour government has begun a gradual process of nationalising the rail system. As of now, six out of 12 train franchises in England are operated by the Department for Transport, with full nationalisation expected by 2031 under a new agency: Great British Railways.
Subsidy reliance varies: Northern Trains receives over 50% of its revenue from the government, while operators like Avanti West Coast and East Anglia currently require no state support.
To address fare complexity, the Department for Transport recently launched a pilot program in northern England aimed at coordinating pricing between publicly owned train services.
Concerns About Transparency and Ticket Flexibility
Efforts to streamline fares have not been without controversy. State-run operator LNER recently replaced its widely-used “Super Off-Peak Fare” between London and Edinburgh with a more restrictive “Advance 70 Minute Fare”, driven by dynamic pricing models.
Experts like Paul Kelly, founder of BR Fares, argue that the removal of flexible ticket options and the expansion of advance-only fares has led to a “loss of flexibility” and constitutes a “backdoor price increase” for travelers.
