Rail fare rises throughout Essex and the rest of the country have come into effect today, with season ticket prices rising by up to 2.5 per cent.
The average fare of a rail ticket will also rise by 2.2 per cent, with trade unions complaining that the increases are still too high compared to wage increases.
The government says that the hike in costs is crucial to funding rail modernisation.
But the TUC has said that the UK's fares are some of the highest in Europe.
Speaking to the BBC, the union's general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "This year's fare hike will hit passengers particularly hard because wages are rising so slowly.
"Rail fares are now consuming a huge proportion of people's wages, leaving precious little for other bread and butter expenses."
RMT general secretary Mick Cash added that it was a "rip off".
But Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin defended the rise.
He said: "We are investing in the biggest rail modernisation since the Victorian era and fares have a crucial role to play in funding these improvements.
"This is because building better infrastructure helps create jobs, building a stronger economy for us all.
"We are protecting passengers even further by stopping operating companies from increasing individual fares by up to 2 per cent more."
Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group representing rail operators and Network Rail, said: "At 2.2 per cent, the average increase in fares in 2015 is the lowest for five years."
What does every £1 spent on fares go into?
97p – tracks, trains and staff along with other works
3p – profits earned by train companies
