UK Passengers ‘confused and frustrated’ by train tickets

[John Ashworth]

Passengers ‘confused and frustrated’ by train tickets

myfinances.co.uk
Friday, 08 June 2012 10:58
By Kay Carson

Many train passengers in the UK find selecting and buying tickets a confusing and frustrating process, according to a rail watchdog’s survey.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) said that some travellers do not understand ticket jargon such as ‘peak’, ‘off-peak’ and ‘advanced’, while others have difficulty finding and buying the most cost effective fares.

Nearly three quarters of passengers polled were not confident what ‘off-peak’ times were and 45 per cent said the fare system is too complicated.

Two in five people surveyed said they had previously purchased tickets and later found they could have made the journey on cheaper tickets.

And among those travelling on an ‘advance’ ticket, 37 per cent did not realise that if they missed their train, and travelled on a later train, they would normally have to buy a new ticket.

ORR chairman, Anna Walker, said: “If passengers do not have the information they need, they can end up paying more than is necessary or find themselves being penalised for having the wrong ticket.

“Lack of clarity or certainty that they are getting the right ticket can also undermine passengers’ confidence and trust in the railways.”

More than 1,600 rail passengers were polled on trains, online and as part of focus groups about their experiences of choosing and buying rail tickets.

Majority of commuters baffled by time restrictions made on their train travel

Three quarters of rail passengers don’t know what ‘off peak’ times are, a study says.

Metro By Etan Smallman - 8th June, 2012

More than half of those surveyed said finding the best price for a train journey is ‘a bit of a lottery’, while 45 per cent said the fare system is too complicated for them to understand.

The Office of Rail Regulation, which canvassed more than 1,600 travellers, yesterday called on train operators to improve ticket information to win the trust of ‘frustrated’ passengers, confused by the types of restrictions placed on travel.

Anna Walker, chairman of the rail regulator, said: ‘Our revealing research shows that passengers are often confused and frustrated by the lack of information about rail tickets – particularly where and when to get the best value fares and what the best ticket options are.

‘If passengers do not have the information they need, they can end up paying more than is necessary or find themselves being penalised for having the wrong ticket.’

Mrs Walker added that there is much more work to be done, including making sure passengers are able to print off their tickets at home or use their mobile phones, in the same way you can when travelling by air.

The regulatory expert said: ‘If other travel industries can do it and make it work, so should the rail industry.’ The findings come a fortnight after consumer group Passenger Focus reported that travellers are being threatened with huge fines for making inadvertent mistakes with their tickets.

Train passengers have been penalised even when they showed proof of payment and had been told they could travel by rail staff.

However, Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: ‘A lot has been done to make things as straightforward as possible for passengers and we are committed to doing better.’