Third party retailers have responded positively to the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) December 2023 report on fee transparency, which showed that some retailers were not transparent enough about the additional fees they charged on their apps and websites during the ticket buying process.
ORR said that seven retailers had engaged with it constructively and positively after it wrote to them with concerns about their use of ‘drip pricing’. This is when consumers are shown an initial price for a product or service, only for additional fees to be revealed later in the purchase process.
The regulator added that consumers can be disproportionately influenced by the first and most prominent price they see and drawn into paying more than they intended or needed to. UK consumer protection law requires retailers to provide people with the information they need to make informed purchase decisions.
ORR wrote to MyTrainTicket, Omio, Raileasy, RailEurope, Trainhugger, Trainline and Trainpal about drip-pricing in their purchasing processes. In their responses, several retailers stated that they have already made interim improvements and are planning more substantial changes in the short term. Two retailers have not yet implemented changes but will do so later in the year. ORR stated that it will monitor progress towards proposed changes and will hold the companies to account.
Stephanie Tobyn, director of strategy, policy and reform, said: “This work is focused on improving transparency, fairness and clarity for consumers when buying tickets online. Every retailer we engaged with acknowledges the vital role of complete transparency regarding fees right from the outset of the ticket purchasing process.
“It is imperative that retailers now act promptly to implement all proposed changes for the benefit of consumers.”
ORR has collated a details of the third party retailers it wrote to, the key changes they have implemented, and the changes they plan to make to address the regulator’s concerns about information on fees and drip pricing:
MyTrainTicket
Key changes implemented: Information about fees made more prominent throughout the purchase process.
Future planned changes: MyTrainTicket is exploring options for including the booking fee in the total price at the earliest opportunity and is engaging constructively with ORR.
Omio
Key changes implemented: N/A.
Future planned changes: New content providing information about fees to be added to website in April.
New system that will include the booking fee in the upfront price to be implemented by end 2024. Interim steps will make information about fees more readily available to customers during the purchase process.
Raileasy
Key changes implemented: FAQs on fees corrected.
Future planned changes: New system that will include the booking fee in the upfront price to be implemented in March 2024.
Rail Europe
Key changes implemented: Booking fee now appears in the upfront price.
Help pages have new content on refund fees.
Planned future changes: N/A.
Train Hugger
Key changes implemented: N/A.
Planned future changes: New system that will include the booking fee in the upfront price to be implemented in April 2024.
Trainline
Key changes implemented: Fees FAQs updated with improved information.
Website purchase – booking fee now included in upfront price, with clear price breakdown.
App purchases – as an interim measure, information about fees now made more prominent throughout the purchase process.
Planned future changes: App purchases – booking fee to be included in upfront price by September 2024.
Trainpal
Key changes implemented: Fees FAQs updated with improved information.
Planned future changes: New system that will include the booking fee in the upfront price to be implemented in March 2024.
