“Independent rail retailers are even more important in the future… they are perfectly incentivised to get more bums on seats, which is what the railways needs more than ever.” Our Chair, @AJCSmith101, joins the @greensignallers podcast to talk about why independent rail retailers are critical to the future of rail. 🎙️ Listen to the full episode here: youtube.com/watch?v=dKbuuJS3…

➡️ Over two decades, independent retailers have driven the apps, journey planners and real-time information that make booking a ticket just a click away. 🚄 As Great British Railways' retail arm comes into play, the aim should be co-existence, not replacement. Competition is what drives innovation and revenue, and a single-provider model risks stagnation and less choice for passengers. 🔗 Read all about it in our blog: independentrailretailers.co.…

📈 Open rail data could add up to £500m a year to industry revenue, give passengers better journey options and cut costs to taxpayers. Today, every fare search is processed centrally, creating a cost even when no booking is made. Under an Availability Distribution Service (ADS), retailers would carry out searches locally and the reservation system would handle bookings only. That means richer, more accurate fares and availability for passengers, and a lighter processing burden for the system. 📜 Our paper “More Data, More Passengers” makes the case for ADS, with no new legislation needed. 🔗 Read more here: independentrailretailers.co.…

🚆 As the Railways Bill moves through the Lords, passengers won’t judge Great British Railways by its founding law. They’ll judge it when they buy a ticket, change a booking or claim compensation after a delay. 📅 Last month, IRR Chair @AJCSmith101 Smith wrote in @RAIL on why the ORR’s Retail Code of Practice will shape those moments more than most people realise. 🔗 Read the full piece here: railmagazine.com/comment-lan…

💬 IRR Chair @AJCSmith101 spoke at this year’s European Transport Conference on “More, happier passengers: the role of value for money in driving rail passenger satisfaction.” 🚆 Rail journeys are at their highest in over a century, but revenue and satisfaction with value for money haven’t kept pace. Just 59% of passengers are satisfied on value for money. 🔗 Read more here: independentrailretailers.co.…

Last week, Independent Rail Retailers commented on the @railandroad's publication of its draft Retail Code of Practice for consultation. The Code sets out the principles and behaviours that Great British Railways must follow as both an online retailer and the body responsible for managing the online rail retail market. Read our full comment here: independentrailretailers.co.…

Independent Rail Retailers welcomes the Government’s plans to simplify the Delay Repay process, making it easier for passengers to claim compensation directly through the channels they use to buy tickets, including third-party retailers. 🔗 Read our full response here: independentrailretailers.co.…

🚆 Make Delay Repay work for passengers. 👉Independent Rail Retailers have published a new report showing how the current Delay Repay system is outdated and fragmented, making claiming more difficult for customers who choose to buy tickets from third-party retailers. 💡The report calls for urgent reform to allow retailers to submit claims with passenger authorisation, creating a simpler and fairer process. 🔗 Read the full report here: independentrailretailers.co.… #DelayRepay #Railreform #Rail #Transport

📅  We’re pleased to be sponsoring this year’s UK Rail Summit, hosted by @TransportTimes on Friday 17 April 2026. 💡The Summit will examine the evolving shape of the Rail Reform Bill following committee stage and House of Lords scrutiny, and explore how reform can translate into practical delivery. 🔗Find out more: transporttimes.co.uk/confere…

Yesterday, one of our members @OmioGlobal, represented IRR at the Railways Public Bill Committee. Speaking alongside @thetrainline, they highlighted the key changes needed to protect passenger choice and deliver real value for money. 🎥 Watch the full session on Parliament TV: parliamentlive.tv/event/inde…

🚆 The Great British Rail Sale is back! 📅 From 6 to 12 January 2026, passengers can save over 50% on selected Advance and Off-Peak fares across Britain. But you could make your money go further. 💡Through innovative tools like split ticketing, passengers could unlock more savings by booking with a third-party retailer. 🔗Find out how: independentrailretailers.co.…

📅Today, our Chair, @AJCSmith101, gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee. 💭In his session, Anthony stressed that passengers must remain at the heart of rail reform, with a fair, open retail market that protects choice, supports innovation, and ensures passengers can buy tickets with ease and confidence. 🔗 Catch up and watch the full session on Parliament TV: parliamentlive.tv/event/inde…

In the Spotlight: A Conversation with @raileasy's Director 💡 📅 This month, we sat down with Joe Sikking, Director at Raileasy, to ask the big question: is rail travel really that easy? From growing up in the business to helping pioneer split ticketing, Joe has seen the industry evolve from every angle. He shares how Raileasy grew from a small independent retailer into a major rail-tech innovator. 🔗Read all about it here: independentrailretailers.co.…

IRR welcomes the rail fare freeze and the positive impact it will have for passengers 🚆💰. 💬 Our members already help customers save money on their train tickets and support the industry in driving revenue growth by selling tickets through innovation, smarter journey planning, and genuine competition. ❗️With fair access, open data, and a true level playing field, independent retailers can continue delivering the tools, savings, and customer experiences that passengers rely on and deserve, while also helping the industry encourage more people to choose rail travel.

As we head into one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, independent rail retailers continue to lead the way by providing value-for-money tickets for passengers. Rail retailers play a key role, acting as passenger champions by using technology, data, and innovation to offer genuine choice and a seamless travel experience. Read what @SimonCalder had to say in the @Independent: independent.co.uk/travel/new…

Last week, Independent Rail Retailers responded to the introduction of the Railways Bill to Parliament. IRR Chair, Anthony Smith, described it as “opening the door to meaningful reform” with the potential to benefit passengers, taxpayers, and the wider industry. 🔗 Read our full response here: independentrailretailers.co.…

🚉The future of Britain’s railways is often met with both hope and scepticism. Change is coming but will it deliver? Only if choice, competition & innovation stay central to reform. 🔗Read more here: independentrailretailers.co.…