The Association of Train Operating Companies has set out a programme to simplify rail ticketing by placing the wide array of current ticket types into three categories with easy-to-understand names.

The new fare categories will make it simpler for passengers to choose tickets when planning their journey and are designed to enable them to buy the best value ticket more easily.

The programme will start on May 18 with the large variety of advance purchase tickets being condensed into one ticket type, named Advance, with common terms and conditions applied across all operators.

This will be followed on September 7 by a similar simplification of 'walk-up' ticket types. Tickets which allow unrestricted travel such as Open single and returns will be called Anytime tickets while discounted tickets with travel restrictions such as Cheap Day Returns and Savers will be called Off-Peak tickets. On some routes, where there are two off-peak fares, the cheaper fares will be called Super Off-Peak.

The most significant changes will apply to Advance tickets. Standardised conditions will include: a £10 fee for changing a booking, as opposed to a variety of fees presently charged by different operators; a discount for railcard holders, which is not available at present for some advance ticket purchases; selling one-way tickets only rather than a mix of single and return tickets; and doing away with the confusing array of names used by operators including Leisure Advance, Business Advance, Value Advance, SuperAdvance and Apex.

ATOC said the new system would address passenger feedback showing that people don't always find it easy to buy the best value ticket to match their needs because of the confusing range of fares and tickets presently available. Research by watchdog Passenger Focus has shown that less than half of passengers are confident of getting the best value ticket for their journey.

"This is the biggest shake up in the fares and ticketing system for many years and we want passengers to take advantage of it and also encourage more people to take the train," ATOC commercial director David Mapp commented.

"Passengers have told us they want a simpler fares system. We are listening and responding. These changes will enable people to buy train tickets more easily and with greater confidence."

The changes were backed by Passenger Focus. "Simplifying the range of fares is a big step in the right direction. Anything that hacks away at the current fares jungle will help," chief executive Anthony Smith said.

"Fares names such as First Great Western Firstminute Business Standard, among others, will not be missed."

He added: "Passenger Focus research shows that passengers like the new names. The combination of the ability to mix and match outward and return fares, railcard discount on a broader range of fares and the new names should help passengers make better, more informed choices."

Some fares will continue to be offered alongside the new Advance, Anytime and Off-Peak fares. These include season tickets, Travelcards, PTE-specific fares, group discounts, Rover and Ranger fares, Weekend First upgrades, limited duration promotional fares and packaged fares involving additional services such as car parking, catering and buses. However, ATOC said the three new ticket types together with season tickets would still cover 99% of journeys. * At the same time as announcing plans to roll out the simplified ticketing system, ATOC released new research aimed at dispelling myths about rail fares including the perception that UK ticket prices are the most expensive in Europe.

Comparisons with 10 countries showed that in actual terms UK fares are high but, not the highest and are comparable with those in Germany, Austria and Belgium. When the cost of living in different places is taken into account, however, UK fares are more competitive. Only six of the European comparator countries had cheaper fares than the UK.

The research also showed that the price of travelling by rail has increased at a lower rate since privatisation in 1996 than other forms of transport. Rail fares have increased by 6% in real terms, bus fares by 18%, business air travel by 33% and motoring fuel costs by 35%. Transport as a whole rates favourably against other services which have increased on average by 48% since 1996.