Kent commuters heading back to work today after the Christmas break are being urged to join a day of action against the rising cost of train travel.

Passengers are protesting at St Pancras International, a day after regulated fares, which include season tickets, rose by an average of 6%.

Others have been tweeting, texting and calling the Treasury to vent their frustration.

2012 season ticket prices

ramsgate-london – £4,640
ramsgate-london* – £5,556
ashford-london – £4,152
ashford-london* – £5,504
gillingham-london – £3,524
gillingham-london* – £4,412
dartford-london – – £2,124
dartford-london* – £3,996

The Campaign for Better Transport, which has organised today's protest, says British trains are "already the most expensive in Europe".

Last week, it released figures which showed some commuters are paying up to 10 times more for season tickets than their European counterparts.

Sophie Allain, the group's public transport campaigner, said: "Yet another round of above inflation fare rises mean rail passengers face an unhappy New Year when they go back to work today.

"We already have the most expensive fares in Europe. This year's rises are bad enough but government plans to increase fares by 3% above inflation in 2013 and 2014 take us further and further away from the value for money rail system that we need.

"An affordable rail network helps to keep congestion down, reduces pollution and supports the economy."

David Sidebottom, director of Passenger Focus, said: "Lots of passengers are very angry about today's increase, which comes at a time when their salaries aren't increasing by anywhere near the level of inflation. It's a bitter pill for many of them to swallow.

"At the same time, passengers are telling us they want to see newer trains and better stations. Someone's got to pay for those things and the government is shifting the cost from the taxpayer to passengers.

"The government, Network Rail and the train operating companies have to get to grips with the cost of running Britain's railways.

"It's much more expensive than it is in Europe, so why should passengers have to foot that bill?"