Fife passengers are being ripped off by rail firms, leading councillors have claimed.
Leading local figures say talks must be held with operators over what is described as a “wide variation” in the cost of travel across Scotland.
The local authority’s depute leader, Lesley Laird, who also acts as the region’s spokeswoman for the economy, said Fifers were being hard done by.
“We have been looking at the cost of travel for Fife commuters and from our initial review it does not look like Fifers are getting a ‘fare deal’ from the rail provider.
“Based on the information we have, it appears that Fifers are paying over the odds for their daily rail commute and we now need to understand why that appears to be the case.”
The closure of the Forth Road Bridge brought an increased focus on rail travel in Fife.
As drivers flocked to the region’s platforms instead of enduring the delays on the roads, Fife Council launched a review in to how ticket fares are determined.
Councillor Pat Callaghan, the council’s executive spokesman for transportation, said: “Fares on a cost per rail mile show some wide variation.
“If you take a journey from Cupar to Edinburgh of 44.5 miles, it costs £23.10 for a day return, while a journey from Bridge of Allan of 40 miles to Edinburgh costs £14.80.
“Markinch to Edinburgh is £19.60 for a 33-mile journey, but Stirling to Edinburgh is further away at 36 miles, but cheaper to travel at £14.80.”
A ScotRail spokeswoman said rail fares across the country are determined by a number of factors.
“Fares are calculated using a number of criteria, including frequency of services, market demand and managing capacity on peak services.
“There is no direct relationship between fares and mileage; this was broken before rail privatisation.
“Offering great value fares is a key franchise commitment. In January we launched a new £5 advance fare our biggest ever discounted ticket.
“The move is part of the roll-out of an ‘airline-style’ ticketing system based on pricing seats more closely to demand.
“The discounts are available on routes where reservations are permitted on a first come, first served basis meaning greater savings for customers who book in advance.”