§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have information comparing the price of rail fares in the United Kingdom with those of France, Germany and Italy; and, if so, whether they will publish the same. [HL204]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonNo simple comparisons can be made. Most European countries base fares solely on distance travelled. The UK fares structure is much more commercially based. A wide range of fares are offered, ranging from full-fare full-flexible tickets at rates often higher than many European countries through to highly-discounted advance purchase tickets at rates often less than for comparable journeys abroad. A number of European train services are now beginning to follow UK practice in developing more market-based pricing.