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Rail fares to rise by 3.1% in January

The rise, which is lower than the 3.4% average rise for fares in 2018, means another £100 for a Manchester to Liverpool annual season ticket.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of independent watchdog Transport Focus, said the rail industry got £10bn a year from passengers, who wanted a reliable railway offering better value for money: "They shouldn't have to wait any longer for that."

Fewer than half (45%) of passengers are satisfied with the value for money of train tickets, according to Transport Focus. This shows the majority are unsatisfied. 

Alex Hayman of consumer group Which? said the new price rises would only add to passengers' misery after a year of timetable chaos, with rail punctuality falling to its lowest level in 12 years. 

"Value for money needs to be a key part of the upcoming government review and passengers must receive automatic compensation for delays and cancellations," he said. I agree, as there are a lot of problems with the London transport and a lot of people end up being late for important meetings or appointments, which do not get compensated. 

The train transport systems seem to be charging us too much and they aren't even making up for it with good service. This has infuriated a wide range of people. In my opinion, the transport services haven't responded in the right way. 

Raising the prices of the fares doesn't confirm that the service will change, it is just taking more money out of people's pockets. 

How can I save money on rail fares?

• Buy next year's annual season ticket before 2 January to take advantage of 2018 prices. An annual ticket usually costs about the same as 10 monthly tickets
• Transport Focus advises season ticket holders to complain if services are disrupted. Services delayed by an hour attract a 50% refund, but some do the same after delays of just 30 minutes
• Book as early as possible for the cheapest fares. Advance tickets go on sale about three months out
• Buy tickets directly from a rail operator's website, not a third party, to avoid booking fees
• Get a 16-25 railcard if you're under 26 or a full-time student of any age, or the new 26-30 railcard. Both cost £30 for a year and offer a third off tickets for most journeys. Buying an annual London Travelcard offers the same savings on train tickets
• Splitting your journey into multiple tickets can cut the overall cost - but your tickets must cover the whole journey and the train must actually stop at that station