Survey finds fare of £1,002 for trip from Newquay in Cornwall to Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands

This article is more than 10 years old

This article is more than 10 years old

The rise in the cost of train tickets has led to the first £1,000 rail fare, it was revealed today.

The fare – of £1,002 – is for a turn-up-and-go, first-class return from Newquay in Cornwall to Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands.

Unearthed in a survey of fares by rail expert Barry Doe, the Cornwall to Scotland return trip would cover about 1,700 miles. Tickets can be bought from the CrossCountry train company.

Doe's research also showed that some standard-class, turn-up-and go return fares have risen 100% in price since the mid-1990s.

A London to Manchester return, for example, has gone up from £33 in 1995 to £66.10 now, while a London to Newcastle upon Tyne return has risen 84% to £105.

Cat Hobbs, public transport campaigner for the Campaign for Better Transport, said today: "The Newquay £1,000 fare shows just how pricey and complicated the fare structure is.

"We think fares in this country are far too expensive. They are the most expensive in Europe. We think the government should step in and review how they regulate fares."

Under an annual inflation rate price formula, regulated fares (which include season tickets) will actually go down in January as retail price index inflation is negative.

But Hobbs said today that the government should not take any credit for this dip in fares as it was merely a result of the recession. She went on: "Our fear is that the train companies will put up unregulated fares (which include many off-peak tickets) to compensate for the dip in regulated fare income.

"The government should not let the train companies take all the flak for this. It's up to the government to change the system."

A spokesman for CrossCountry said: "No one has actually bought this £1,000 fare but it does exist. Someone wanting a first-class return would be likely to book a saver return in advance and pay £561."

The trip from Cornwall to the Highlands would last over 20 hours, but despite the cost passengers would not find themselves travelling in the lap of luxury – the first and last parts of the journey do not even have first-class carriages.

Doe told the Evening Standard: "For the price I would expect to be given a meal as soon as I got on board. What do you get with CrossCountry? For the first 183 miles to Bristol you might get a trolley service offering a cup of tea.

"From Bristol you might get some paltry snacks. You ought to be getting linen tablecloths and wall-to-wall service."

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker MP said: "This is a very unwelcome landmark and will do nothing to encourage people to travel by train.

"When you can fly half way across Europe for £30, the idea that you can end up paying £1,000 for a train journey in Britain is absolutely scandalous.

"Not only are passengers being encouraged off the trains and into their cars, but some considering this journey may decide they'd rather fly to Australia and back for half the price."