How are ticket prices set?

[dangie]

Many apologies if this has been asked or given before.
In the last two days I’ve travelled return from Rugeley Trent Valley to Lichfield Trent Valley and from Rugeley Trent Valley to Stafford. Each journey is just one stop on the line. Both were on London North Western.

RTV - LTV - 7.32 miles - 7 minutes - £5.80 return
RTV - STA - 9.21 miles - 9 minutes - £4.80 return

I’m interested to know how fares are set. Why is a shorter distance, less time journey, more expensive than a longer distance, more time journey?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Not only that, but the more expensive Lichfield fare is valid from 0930, while the cheaper Stafford fare is valid from 0900.
For what it's worth, Rugeley is in the West Midlands fare zone, while Stafford and Lichfield are not.
Since the 1970s, there has not been a direct relationship between rail distances and fares.
There's not a lot of logic behind fares policy (outside PTE areas), beyond charging what the market will bear.
There are other (higher) fares from Rugeley to STA/LTV by the way, involving routes via Birmingham, dating from when the Trent Valley service was sparse.