Mon, 01 Sep 2025

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 Scotland scraps peak rail fares - will the rest of the UK follow?

Working patterns have changed since Covid so could peak train pricing be phased out altogether?
The current peak/off-peak system is designed to discourage traveling during busy times by charging more for tickets. However, since the pandemic, rail usage has not returned to pre-Covid levels, making peak travel times less busy than usual. ScotRail's chief operating officer, David Ross, said that with ample capacity on trains, they can afford to scrap peak charges. Unlike ScotRail, English railways are run by a mix of publicly-owned firms and private contractors which the government has pledged to nationalise as their contracts end. Ticket prices for English railways are set by the Department for Transport (DfT). The DfT has not stated whether they will consider removing off-peak charges across England but have said they want to reform ticket pricing as they nationalise the system. London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is experimenting with removing off-peak charges in parts of its network. Rail experts are divided over ScotRail's move, with some warning that it could lead to higher prices overall or more overcrowded trains if passenger numbers increase but capacity remains the same. ScotRail has reduced prices for many routes, such as an anytime day return ticket from Glasgow to Edinburgh which has dropped from £32.60 to £16.80. David Ross believes this will boost passenger journeys and ultimately pay off in revenue gains. However, some experts suggest that if passenger numbers remain the same, ticket prices may need to increase to make up for lost revenue. Additionally, removing peak charges could exacerbate overcrowding on already packed routes. Campaign group Railfuture's Bruce Williamson said that any removal of peak charges would require investment in increasing rail capacity.
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