Cheapest Rail in UK BEFORE Scrapping Peak Fares

Public Ownership Keeping Costs Down

New Office of Rail and Road statistics show that, for the year 24/25, the average cost of a train journey per kilometre is cheapest in Scotland when measured against an average journey length of 37.4 kilometres. 

By calculating an average ticket cost per country, Scottish train tickets are almost 25% cheaper than in England - at an average of £5.42 per journey on publicly owned ScotRail, compared to £6.73 on a privately owned English service. 

The SNP has said the real saving for Scottish commuters is likely to be even higher, given the statistics are from before the SNP government scrapped peak rail fares in September 2025. 

The difference is set to become even greater as the SNP delivered plans to freeze rail fares.

"These statistics are very telling in that they show Scotland already had the lowest average rail travel costs in the UK even before the SNP government acted to end peak fares for good.

"It is a clear indication of the value of having critical infrastructure like rail in public hands, with the Scottish Government having nationalised Scotrail.

"Passengers here in Angus and across the country are reaping the benefits and the same situation is seen where water is concerned - with Scottish Water having been kept in public ownership, and Scottish billpayers better off as a result.

"This is what the SNP can achieve on concrete costs of living measures with the limited powers of devolution, but with the full powers of a normal, independent country we could go so much further."

- Angus South SNP candidate Lloyd Melville