'POSTCODE LOTTERY' FOR RAIL REFUNDS

Passengers on First TransPennine and on London Overground services get a full refund for a 30-minute hold-up, Which? found.

But it discovered that those travelling on Merseyrail would get a refund of just 20% for a three-hour delay.

Which? also said that ticketing policies were also "a postcode lottery" in that most train companies only allowed "anytime" fares to be bought on board with no discount for railcards.

But customers on the First Hull (London to Hull), Grand Central (London to Sunderland), and Wrexham & Shropshire (London to Wrexham) companies can use railcards and buy off-peak tickets on board, which can make a huge difference to the fare.

Which? also checked prices on five inter-city routes over a 12-week period and found that buying in advance could slash the cost of a journey by up to 80%, although passengers have to travel on a specific train.

The cheapest prices were generally available from 10 weeks ahead of departure. Good savings were still available on off-peak services until at least two weeks ahead of departure, and on peak services until the day before departure.

Nikki Ratcliff, head of services research at Which? magazine, said: "The price of walk-up tickets on peak-time train services can be eye-watering.

"The good news is that buying your ticket in advance can result in big savings, but you may have to book a long way ahead to get the best price, you won't be able to change your travel plans or get a refund, and there's no guarantee that a cheaper ticket won't become available at a later date.

"Depending on the train company you travel with, you could get surprisingly little back even if there's a long delay to your journey or you need to cancel your booking. So check with your train operator before you book."