The cost of travelling on TfW trains will be frozen for the next year, from 1 March.
As Wales’ celebrates St David’s Day, the First Minister for Wales, Eluned Morgan, has announced one of the most generous offers on rail fares since the start of devolution. This will keep more money in passengers’ pockets and encourage more people to take the train.
All fares on TfW services will be frozen for a year, including advance single tickets, return tickets and TfW’s newest and most popular way of travelling, tap in, tap out pay as you go. TfW is the first operator outside London to introduce this system. It has already brought down the cost of travelling for many people in Southeast Wales and TfW is in the process of rolling it out to other parts of the network in the near future.
First Minister for Wales, Eluned Morgan, said:
“I am delighted that all rail fares on TfW are going to stay at their current price for the next year. This gives certainty to passengers at a time when many are struggling with the cost of living.
“More people are choosing to travel by train in Wales, services are growing faster and they are more reliable.
“This is as a result of us spending £1.1bn improving the Core Valleys Lines and developing the South Wales Metro. We have also spent £800m in new trains that can carry 80% more passengers.“Freezing the cost of fares is our latest step in making travelling by train more attractive and cheaper.
“We are already leading the way in the UK rail industry with TfW becoming the first train operator outside of London and the Southeast of England to introduce the tap in tap out simplified ticketing system.
“The new way to pay has already significantly reduced the cost of more than 3 million train journeys across southeast Wales in the past year, and with the rollout across north Wales just around the corner more people are set to benefit from cheaper fares.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, added:
“This is fantastic news for passengers. Alongside new trains, better services and a generational investment in Welsh rail, this fare freeze complements our action to deliver more affordable bus fares and the young person's fare cap.”