The Department for Transport (DFT) has announced the aim of consolidating UK rail fares into a single digital platform.
However, the service will not go live once Great British Railways (GBR) – the new body geared to running the UK’s rail network – is established, which the government has said is unlikely before late 2026.
The new website will bring each train operator’s existing online sales together under one roof and aims to work “alongside the thriving private sector retail market”, DFT said. Major private companies including Trainline, Raileurope and Trainpal will continue to sell tickets, with the government pledging to maintain an “open and fair” environment.
Private ticket sellers have faced criticism in the past for “drip pricing”, adding extra charges once customers start booking, prompting concern from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The new service aims to eliminate these ambiguous fees and introduce more transparency for rail passengers.
Although the platform was initially proposed in 2021, it was put on hold later that year, largely due to a government purge around the importance of private sector innovation. Shares in Trainline, a leading online ticketing company with nearly 18 million customers, fell nearly 7 percent on the news. The company’s value also suffered in 2021 when Grant Shapp, then Transport Secretary, first revealed plans for the government-run retailer.
Trainline CEO Jodi Ford welcomed the pledge to a “competitive retail market,” emphasizing the benefits private companies bring to consumers through technological development and user-friendly apps.
The moves follow the New Labor government’s confirmation in the King’s Speech last summer that it would introduce a railways bill. The legislation will create the Great British Railway, which will move both track and train services. DFT says the new framework “will fulfill the government’s commitment to simplify the complex web of fares and tickets”, giving customers greater clarity and convenience whether they are booking tickets online or offline.