Govia Thameslink trains

Do you travel to London on Thameslink, Southern or Great Northern train lines?

Govia Thameslink Railway is being sued for £73.3m for overcharging 3.2m passengers on train tickets.

The court has rejected a train overcharging claim. The Competition Appeal Tribunal has dismissed a claim that three major train companies overcharged passengers by failing to make cheaper “boundary fares” available to Transport for London (TfL) Travelcard holders.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is being sued for £73.3m for overcharging 3.2m passengers on train tickets. The company runs Great Northern, Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink train lines. Sign up to stay updated if you have a TfL Travelcard and travel by train on these lines.

Train passengers paying double for fares in London

The complaint is about the lack of access for passengers to so-called ‘boundary fares’. This is where passengers with a TfL Travelcard should be offered discounts on train tickets to take them from the boundary of their travelcard to their final destination.

Govia Thameslink Railway is accused of not making boundary fares sufficiently available for Travelcard holders to buy. It is claimed this is leaving more than 3 million customers paying a higher fare than is necessary because their Travelcard already covers them for part of their journey. 

Are you owed money?

You could be eligible for compensation if:

• You owned a TfL Travelcard at any time from 24 November 2015, and 
• You bought a rail fare from a station within the zones of your Travelcard to a destination outside the zones. 

The claim against UK train companies

Justin Gutmann, a consumer rail campaigner, will represent all affected people who travel by train. 

Gutmann accuses Govia Thameslink Railway – which operates Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Southern and Great Northern – of breaching UK competition laws by doubling up on charges Travelcard holders paid when travelling on certain routes.

Gutmann has instructed the law firms Charles Lyndon and Hausfeld & Co LLP to represent him in the consumer collective claim to seek compensation for the estimated 3.2m affected customers. This claim is funded by Woodsford Group Limited.

How to claim compensation

The Competition Appeal Tribunal will decide in March 2023 whether the claim can go to trial. Those people affected will not be charged legal fees if it goes to trial, and do not need to contact lawyers.

You are automatically eligible for compensation if you live in the UK, unless you opt-out. You can still claim if you live outside the UK but you must proactively opt-in to be eligible. Sign up to Consumer Voice to stay updated and to find out when you can claim.