| Why are train tickets so much more expensive in London than Berlin? Posted by grahame at 06:20, 5th March 2026 |     |
From the London Chronicle
A long article worth reading
...
A London commuter in Zones 1–2 spends roughly 5–7% of their average monthly net income on transport. A Berlin commuter spends approximately 1.1–2.2%.
The core structural gap is the UK’s absence of a simple, low-cost nationwide monthly pass comparable to Germany’s Deutschlandticket.
London fares are high partly because TfL relies more heavily on fare revenue than European counterparts who receive greater public subsidy.
The complexity of UK fare structures creates unpredictability and inflates costs for irregular travellers.
Transport costs compound London’s already high housing and living costs, creating a significant affordability gap relative to most European capitals.
...
A London commuter in Zones 1–2 spends roughly 5–7% of their average monthly net income on transport. A Berlin commuter spends approximately 1.1–2.2%.
The core structural gap is the UK’s absence of a simple, low-cost nationwide monthly pass comparable to Germany’s Deutschlandticket.
London fares are high partly because TfL relies more heavily on fare revenue than European counterparts who receive greater public subsidy.
The complexity of UK fare structures creates unpredictability and inflates costs for irregular travellers.
Transport costs compound London’s already high housing and living costs, creating a significant affordability gap relative to most European capitals.
...
It goes on to remind us that the approach to fares in London is a choice, and that other models such as the one in Berlin could be used if we wished.
