Rail passengers in Oxfordshire are paying more for their journeys this week.

From January 4 some fares increased by more than twice the rate of inflation.

National Rail Passengers Council chairman Stewart Francis criticised such large increases at a time when reliability and punctuality on many rail routes is poor.

The poor performance means that season ticket holders receive discounts of up to 10 per cent.

Leisure tickets on the Virgin CrossCountry network, which runs trains between the South Coast and North of England via Oxford and Banbury, have gone up by five per cent. Inflation is 2.5 per cent.

Thames Trains' fares rose by an average 4.1 per cent but the standard return fare from Oxford to London has risen by 1.6 per cent -- 50p.

The Cotswold Line Railcard, which gives a one-third discount on off-peak fares at stations between Oxford and Worcester will still cost £5 a year.

Chiltern Railways, which runs services from London Marylebone to Haddenham & Thame Parkway, Bicester North, Banbury and Birmingham, has announced an average increase of 4.1 per cent, although individual prices will vary depending on the station and ticket types.

First Great Western season ticket holders have to pay an extra 4.1 per cent.

Most other FGW fares, such as flexible Open tickets or discount advance purchase tickets have not increased.

The only unregulated fares to increase in line with the regulated fares will be SuperSavers and Cheap Day Returns.

As a result, the average increase across all First Great Western ticket types is two per cent.

Season tickets to London will be going up by an average of between two and four in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas.

Season ticket holders on nearly all lines across the country will get discounts of up to 10 per cent next year, as compensation for poor service this year.

The average price rise is 2.5 per cent -- just under the rate of inflation.

Regulated fares, such as peak-time commuter and season tickets, are rising by an average of 2.4 per cent.

Unregulated fares, such as walk-on long-distance travel, are rising an average of 2.8 per cent.