Commuters will find out later how much rail fares are to go up next year when inflation figures are released.
In England, analysts expect an above-inflation 4.3% rise in January.
Trade unions have organised protests at stations around the country and called for the rail network to be returned to public ownership.
In Scotland, prices are capped at the rate of inflation, while there is no rise planned in Northern Ireland and the Welsh government has yet to decide.
Regulated fares, which include season tickets, are due to go up by inflation - as measured by the retail prices index for July - plus 1%.
Analysts expect an RPI of 3.3%.
'Evidence before ideology'"Start Quote
End Quote Jennifer Burke CommuterYour train journey goes up and sometimes the quality's just getting less and less"
The TUC's Action for Rail campaign will see demonstrations at almost 50 stations - including London King's Cross, Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly - to protest against the increase.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said the government should "put evidence before ideology" and look at renationalising the railways.
"Wage-busting fare rises are not even going on much needed service improvements", she said.
"Instead, passenger and public subsidies are lining the pockets of the shareholders of private rail companies."
The TUC added that if fares rose as expected, it would equate to a 40% hike since 2008.
| Rise in average weekly earnings | Rise in regulated rail fares | |
|---|---|---|
| Source: TUC | ||
| 4% | 2008 | 6% |
| 2% | 2009 | 8% |
| 1% | 2010 | 1% |
| 3% | 2011 | 6% |
| 1% | 2012 | 6% |
| 1% | 2013 | 4% |
| 2% | 2014 (predicted) | 4% |
Campaigners say rail tickets are becoming increasingly unaffordable as price rises outstrip wages.
"There is a depth of anger out there. You don't think of commuters as being necessarily the most likely to take action, but I think it's really starting to eat into people's incomes," Richard Hebditch, from the Campaign for Better Transport, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
'Someone has to pay'But Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said the rises were vital to maintain and upgrade the network.
Where does your fare go?
For every £1 spent on a train ticket:
Track and station maintenance 48p
Staffing 17p
Train companies' running costs 17p
Leasing rolling stock 11p
Train fuel 4p
Profit for the train companies 3p
Source: ATOC
"Someone has to pay for that investment and over many years government policy has been to allow regulated fares like season tickets to go up above the rate of inflation," he told BBC Breakfast.
Transport analyst Dan Harvey said it had been the policy of successive governments to shift the financial burden from taxpayers to farepayers.
Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, said: "Running the railways is a hugely expensive business. The taxpayer overall is still putting in huge amounts of money... and I'm afraid the passenger also has to make his contribution."
He said there had been a "vast growth" in passenger numbers, adding: "What we're doing is driving up the levels of investment so people get more reliable train services and better facilities as well."
But shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: "Inflation-busting increases in rail fares are adding to the cost of living crisis facing households."
One commuter, Jennifer Burke, told the BBC she paid more than £5,500 for a season ticket to travel between her home in Bedford and work in London.
"You're sitting with your salary which hasn't changed for a couple of years now... Your train journey goes up and sometimes the quality's just getting less and less," she said.
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