Portsmouth to Southampton train ticket costs the same as flying abroad to popular holiday spot, figures show

Analysis by the Labour Party has shown that is cheaper to travel by plane to countless European destinations than it is to commute the short distance between towns and cities within the UK.

It comes as the government announced a 3.8 per cent rail hike to come into effect this March, following fares rising twice as fast as wages since 2010.

Before the hike hits, travellers between Portsmouth and Southampton would pay between £18 and £23 for two singles – with no off-peak return available.

For the same price last week, you could buy a ticket from a London airport to Porto in Portugal.

The Portuguese city – famous for its port wine – can enjoy summer temperatures as high 24 degrees – but this week it is expected to be just one degree warmer than Southampton, which is expecting a high of 13 degrees this week.

Other train journeys across the UK fared just as costly, with peak time tickets to London from Birmingham, Reading, and Edinburgh hitting commuters with prices that could see you fly to dozens of European beauty spots for the same price.

Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s shadow transport secretary, said that commuters were ‘being taken for a ride’ at their expense.

She said: ‘Commuters the length and breadth of this country are being taken for a ride by this scandalous rail rip-off.

‘To add insult to injury, next month the Conservatives want to clobber passengers with another brutal fare hike.

‘People are paying the price for a cost-of-living crisis made in Downing Street.

‘Labour has fully-costed measures to ease the cost of living burden and reduce energy bills, and offer security, prosperity and respect to the country.’

Last month, community groups across Portsmouth said they were 'extremely concerned' as rising numbers face eating-or-heating choice over cost of living crisis.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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