Rail companies will buckle and cut ticket prices following an investigation that found cheaper prices were being 'hidden' when customers bought tickets online.

An investigation by The Times found that millions of train users were paying over the odds because the National Rail enquiries system was hiding the cheapest fares on two-thirds of cross-country routes. 

Travellers were paying up to £85 more than necessary per journey. 

The network operators are now set to introduce a more transparent 'airline style' booking system to give people a better deal.

Operators and the Department for Transport will meet in the coming weeks for the new system to be approved.

Speaking to The Times, Jacqueline Starr of the Rail Delivery Group said: "The industry can do more to make buying a ticket less complex and confusing for passengers.

"We want to help people to get the best possible information and to be confident that they are buying the right tickets for their journey.

"We have already begun conversations with the Department for Transport about changes that are needed to regulation that are needed to enable this but want to speed up this work in the best interests of our passengers."

The new system will be similar to airline systems that allow customers to mix and match outbound and return journeys to choose the cheapest fares.