WATCHDOG Passenger Focus has warned that many passengers are risking being deluded into thinking they have bought the cheapest tickets for their journeys when booking online.
PF said its research, which involved 34 interviews, found many examples of good practice, but also misplaced confidence from some passengers who may be paying too much.
The watchdog has recommended that the rail industry does more to help passengers make the right choice for them, in particular taking action to prevent people buying more expensive tickets than necessary and combating the complex fares structure, the confusing terminology and its use of jargon.
PF chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Companies that use websites to sell train tickets must do more to make sure passengers do not overpay. It is too easy to pay over the odds simply through lack of familiarity with the fares system and its bewildering jargon.
“Making sure that passengers are not overcharged when they buy online may help improve passengers’ perception of fares and value for money on Britain’s railways. As more and more tickets are sold online it is vital this is got right.”
Of the websites included in the survey, First Great Western, Virgin and East Coast gained the greatest confidence from users, while National Rail Enquiries and the trainline.com gave its users 'medium' confidence. Other third-party websites, such as Raileasy, MyTrainTicket and Quno did less well.
The Association of Train Operating Companies, which operates the National Rail Enquiries site, responded that it believes most passengers do get the best deal from online booking, but did concede that there is room for improvement.
A spokesman said: “The vast majority of the millions of people who travel by train every day get the right ticket for their journey. There has been a big increase in cheap tickets bought online in recent years, as more and more people have been using the internet to get good value fares.
“But we know that there are always improvements that can be made. That’s why we are continuing to work closely with the industry and Passenger Focus to ensure we make it as easy as possible for passengers to find the right ticket at the right price for their journey.”