New comparison, taking weekday fares, booked 7 days and 28 days in advance finds GWR▸ charges 2.5 the average in EU» according to campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E)
I guess the very complicated fare structure (which DfT» seems to allow) is part of the problem
My understanding is that the higher cost of passenger rail fares in the
UK▸ is due to a lower proportion of the cost being paid by the government. Note that in 2019/20 passengers paid 58% of the costs and the government paid just 32% whereas in other parts of Europe its not so much 60 / 30 but 30 / 60 meaning fares only need to be at about half of what they are ... and if that increases passenger numbers (as a drop in fares surely would) then the economics look all the brighter

The doubters will ask why the government pays anything ... and it's largely to do with the economic benefit brought to the area which reaps huge benefits to the places served, but gives no direct income to the train operators.