TRAIN tickets went up by as much as 2.5 per cent last Friday as the season of goodwill came to an abrupt end for commuters.
The new year rail fare increase is moderated by the Government which sets the price rise for all regulated fares, which includes season tickets and anytime single and return tickets.
The price hike means an annual season ticket from Redhill to London has jumped by £66, from £2,606 to £2,672.
The same annual ticket from Reigate to London has also jumped by £66 from £2,610 to £2,676, and an annual season ticket from Oxted to London went up by £53 from £2,095 to £2,148.
Across the Southern network, the average price increase was just below the national threshold at 2.1 per cent.
This was because some services, including advance fares and certain Gatwick Express tickets, were not increased this year.
Southern's commercial director Alex Foulds said: "This is great news for those looking for cheap off-peak travel, as we continue to freeze our cheapest Southern online advance fare at just £5 for the eighth consecutive year.
"Gatwick Express passengers will also benefit as we are freezing many non-season ticket fares on the route."
But rail users were less welcoming.
Robin Grant from the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users' Association said: "The fares are bound to go up because that is how the railways are funded. The problem we have at Redhill, Horley, Earlswood, Salfords and Merstham is the fares seem very high in comparison with other stations, like Oxted, which are equally far from London."
He added: "They have got a problem that fares are going up much more than wages so people are spending more of their pay packet getting to work. Eventually it will break for some people."