Cross-border train tickets are set to be slashed by as much as half in April and May under a UK Government move. 

The Department for Transport (DfT) said the move, which is being dubbed the Great British Rail Sale, said more than one million tickets would be reduced this spring. 

Seats on some London to Edinburgh services could be brought down from £44 to £22 in the sale.

However, the price cut will not apply to regional services in Scotland with the discount only applying to UK Department for Transport operators.

ScotRail fares are still on average 20 per cent cheaper than in the rest of UK.

The Scottish Government said it was committed to ensuring affordable rail fares for passengers and taxpayers.

The sale, said to be the first of its kind, is aiming to alleviate cost-of-living pressures amid rising bills and soaring inflation.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, said: “For the first time ever, operators across the rail industry are coming together to help passengers facing rising costs of living by offering up to 50% off more than a million tickets on journeys across Britain.

“There’s no better time to visit friends, family or just explore our great country, so book your tickets today.”

 

Discounted tickets will go on sale from Tuesday April 19, with passengers eligible to travel for less on off-peak fares between April 25 and May 27.

Labour’s shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said the discounts this spring will be “small comfort to passengers” after years of “soaring fares”.

“A decade of brutal Tory fare hikes have priced people off our railways,” she said.

“This temporary respite will be small comfort to passengers who had thousands taken out of their pockets from soaring fares since 2010.

“And the decision to end the sale just before half-term will mean many families face the same punishing costs over the holidays.

“Working people are facing the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades, and the Conservatives have chosen to hike up taxes and reject a windfall tax on the soaring profits of oil and gas giants.

“Labour would help working people – with a fully-funded plan to cut up to £600 off of household bills.”

Transport Scotland is taking forward a Fair Fares Review which will look at available discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on public transport.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring rail fares are affordable for passengers and taxpayers across Scotland. We have taken action to keep fares down and ScotRail fares are still, on average, 20% cheaper than those across the rest of the UK.

“For a decade, we’ve kept fares increases down by ensuring they are in line with no more than RPI, or even lower in the case of off-peak fares. We are supporting ScotRail in their development of various promotional fare offers to provide lower-still fares.

“We want more people to choose to travel by train on our publicly controlled and operated railway, so people need to feel confident that they can book a ticket easily and that they have got the best fare. ScotRail Trains Limited will be expected to explore what more can be done to achieve this.