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Rail Fare Per Kilometre Calculator

Work out rail fare per kilometre instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Rail Fare Per Kilometre Calculator

Fare per kilometre makes journeys of different lengths comparable and exposes tapered fare structures, where the rate per kilometre falls with distance. Setting the monthly cost of singles against a pass price gives the break-even number of journeys, the only figure that decides whether the pass is worth buying.

Formula

Fare metrics

fare per km = fare / distance; break-even journeys = pass price / single fare

Worked example

With the default values below, Rail Fare Per Kilometre Calculator returns Fare per kilometre of $0.2695. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Total fare paid
34.5
Journey distance
128 km
Journeys per month
42 journeys
Monthly pass price
980

Results

Fare per kilometre
$0.2695
Cost of single tickets per month
$1,449.00
Saving from the pass
$469.00
Journeys at which the pass pays
28.4 journeys

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Fare metrics
  3. 3Fare per kilometre= 0.2695
  4. 4Cost of single tickets per month= 1,449.00
  5. 5Saving from the pass= 469.00
  6. 6Journeys at which the pass pays= 28.4 journeys

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Rail results are planning estimates only. Verify against the infrastructure manager's rule book, approved braking curves and applicable railway safety regulations.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Rail results are planning estimates only. Verify against the infrastructure manager's rule book, approved braking curves and applicable railway safety regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does fare per kilometre fall with distance?

Most fare tables taper, because a large part of the cost is fixed per journey — booking, station and access costs — rather than proportional to distance.

Should the pass comparison use return journeys?

Yes, count each leg. A commuter making two legs a day needs about 40 legs a month, which is where most passes break even.

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