Brean Horne
Ceri Roberts
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- 1. Book in advance to get cheap train tickets
- 2. Check for inexpensive train tickets
- 3. Use a Railcard to get a discount on train tickets
- 4. Look out for other train ticket discounts
- 5. Travel during off-peak times to save money
- 6. Consider buying a season ticket
- 7. Use split ticketing for cheaper train journeys
- 8. Check if an alternative route is cheaper
- 9. Compare single and return for cheap train tickets
- 10. Use cashback to save on train tickets
- 11. Get a refund for train delays and cancellations
- 12. Get cheap train tickets if you travel in a group
- 13. Avoid paying extra fees
- 14. Bring your own food and drink
- 15. Consider cheaper ways to travel
Travelling by train is increasingly expensive, but you can cut some of the cost. There are many ways to get cheap train tickets, from timing when you book to avoiding sneaky fees. Here we explain 15 tips and tricks to save money.
1. Book in advance to get cheap train tickets
If you’re able to plan ahead, you could save money with an Advance ticket. Half a million tickets for less than £10 are released each week, and some of them can also be combined with Railcard discounts.
They are only available for single journeys and must be used on the date and train specified, but you can buy several tickets to cover your entire return journey. Advance tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis and are available up to 12 weeks ahead of travel. Depending on availability, you may be able to buy them up to 10 minutes before the train departs.
Services such as Trainline allow you to set up alerts for when advance train tickets go on sale, so you can get first dibs on budget-friendly fares.
One thing to bear in mind is that advance train tickets are non-refundable unless your train is delayed or cancelled and you choose not to travel. However, if you need to change the time or day of travel you can do this right up until the time your train is due to depart. You may be charged £10 to change your ticket, plus any difference in price between your ticket and the new ticket.
» MORE: How to manage the rising cost of living
2. Check for inexpensive train tickets
Some rail companies offer discounted advance train tickets up to and including the day of travel. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so they often sell out quickly – but it’s worth checking online to see if there are cheap train tickets available.
Avoiding peak times and travelling early or late in the day can also be cheaper, so if you can be flexible on times it’s worth checking if this could cut the cost of your journey.
It’s still always advisable to book as early as possible. So where you can, try to buy your train tickets well in advance of the trip to ensure you get the cheapest rate.
3. Use a Railcard to get a discount on train tickets
Investing in a Railcard could help you get cheap train tickets: depending on when you travel, you can get up to a third off of most train tickets.
There are nine different Railcards available depending on your personal circumstances and how you like to travel. You can buy an annual Railcard for £30 a year (£20 for a Disabled Persons Railcard) or, for certain types of card, a three-year Railcard for £70 (£54 for a Disabled Persons Railcard), which works out cheaper per year.
In addition, some operators also offer Regional Railcards that give discounts within the local area, such as the Pembrokeshire Railcard in Wales and the Highland Railcard in Scotland.
Each Railcard has its own eligibility criteria and restrictions for use, so it’s important to check those before buying to make sure your train tickets are valid. The table below shows the types of Railcard available and the discounts they offer.
The below Railcards are for travelling by train in Scotland, England and Wales. You can find out about some of the travel cards available in Northern Ireland on the Translink website.
| Railcard | Discount | Eligibility | 1-year cost | 3-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-25 Railcard | 1/3 off rail fares | If you are between 16 and 25 years old or in full-time education | £30 | £70 |
| 26-30 Railcard | 1/3 off rail fares. | If you are aged between 26 and 30 | £30 | NA |
| Family & Friends Railcard | 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids’ fares. | Four adults can travel with up to four children aged 5-15 | £30 | £70 |
| Two Together Railcard | 1/3 off adult fares for two named people travelling together | Two people travelling together aged 16 and over. Note: you have to travel with the person named on the card to get the discount | £30 | NA |
| Senior Railcard | 1/3 off adult rail fares | If you are 60 and over | £30 | £70 |
| Disabled Persons Railcard | 1/3 off rail fares for you and your friend | You might qualify if you get disability-related benefit; have a visual impairment; have a hearing impairment; have epilepsy | £20 | £54 |
| Network Railcard | 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off fares in London and the South East of England | If you are 16 and over. Maximum group size is up to four adults (aged 16+) and up to four children (aged 5-15). | £30 | NA |
| 16-17 Saver | 50% off adult rail fares | If you are 16 or 17. The 16-17 Saver Railcard is valid for one year or up until your 18th birthday, whichever comes first | £30 | N/A |
| Veterans Railcard | 1/3 off rail fares for you and a named companion and 60% off kids fares | If you have served for at least one day in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or have been a Merchant Mariner and seen duty on legally defined military operations | £30 | £70 |
Source: Railcard, correct as of 1 April 2022.
How much could a Railcard save me?
As mentioned above, a Railcard could save you a third on your ticket price.
National Rail also has an online savings calculator to help you work out the discount and decide if a Railcard is worth the investment.
However, if you are going on a long journey, for example from Norwich to Edinburgh, it could be possible to save more than the cost of your Railcard on your first trip.
4. Look out for other train ticket discounts
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a discount on rail fares. Currently, rail companies offer discounts to the following groups:
- Students: Some train lines give discounts to students with an NUS or TOTUM card.
- Children: When accompanying a fare-paying passenger, children under five years old can travel free, unless otherwise specified. Those aged five to 15 get a 50% discount on most tickets.
- Unemployed: If you claim Universal Credit or jobseeker’s allowance you may be eligible for a JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card, which gives you 50% off rail fares.
5. Travel during off-peak times to save money
Train journeys tend to be more expensive when you travel during peak times, which usually run from 7am-9 am and 5pm-7 pm on weekdays. So travelling during off-peak times where possible can help you get a cheaper train ticket.
Travelling on Fridays and weekends tends to be more expensive, too. So if you have some flexibility, aim for trips on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, when train tickets are usually the cheapest.
6. Consider buying a season ticket
Buying a season ticket could help you save money on rail fares if you commute regularly. A season ticket gives you unlimited travel between two stations (or across Travelcard Zones if you live in London). You can buy weekly, monthly or annual season tickets.
As a rough guide, if you make the same journey by train over three times a week, you may be able to save by purchasing a season ticket. National Rail’s season ticket calculator can help you find the most suitable season ticket and estimate the cost.
There are also Flexi Season tickets available that could be an option if you regularly make the same journey, but not on most days. These tickets can offer 8 days of travel in a 28 day period, which could be useful if you need to commute to the office a couple of days a week, for example.
Season tickets can have a hefty upfront cost, so it’s important to weigh up how much you could save with the cost of the pass. Plus, think about if you are likely to move jobs or house, which might mean you get less use out of your season ticket.
If a season ticket could help you cut the cost of your travel expenses but you don’t have the money to pay upfront, it’s worth checking whether your workplace offers a season ticket loan scheme. This is when a company pays for your season ticket and you pay them back monthly.
You could also consider paying for a season ticket with a 0% interest credit card. This type of credit card allows you to make a purchase and pay it off without any interest for a set period of time. This means that you can spread the cost of your season ticket while getting a saving on your train journey. However, credit card debt can quickly mount up, so make sure you can afford to pay off the card in full before interest charges apply.
» MORE: How do 0% interest credit cards work?
7. Use split ticketing for cheaper train journeys
Sometimes, breaking your train journey into smaller parts can help you get cheap train tickets. This is known as split ticketing.
For example, let’s say you wanted to travel from London to Norwich. It may work out cheaper for you to get a train from Norwich to Manningtree. Then another train from Manningtree to Norwich, rather than getting a direct train.
This can save you money, and in most cases, you won’t even have to change trains provided your train stops at your split ticket station along the way.
Websites such as Split My Fare and TrainSplitting will show how much you can save by splitting your journey.
8. Check if an alternative route is cheaper
If there are multiple railway stations close to your destination, it may be worth comparing routes to find the cheapest one.
A train’s journey time may also affect ticket price. Usually, longer routes work out cheaper, so if you have flexibility on your arrival time check to see if adding extra minutes to your journey could save you money.
9. Compare single and return for cheap train tickets
In some cases, buying two single tickets instead of a return train ticket works out cheaper. So if you have enough time before travelling, always compare journeys to help you secure cheap train tickets. It’s also worth using an online journey planner or fare finder calculator to help you compare the prices of different journeys.
10. Use cashback to save on train tickets
Cashback websites, such as Quidco and TopCashback, offer you rewards each time you purchase through selected retailers, including train operators or services. The cashback you earn could help you pay for your train journeys in the future.
Similarly, if you have a cashback credit card you may be able to use your savings to cut the cost of future train rides. However, to benefit from any savings, you need to make sure you clear your credit card balance in full each month to avoid paying interest. You should only use your credit card to spend the amount you can afford to repay, as you risk getting into expensive debt if you can’t make the payments.
11. Get a refund for train delays and cancellations
You may be entitled to a full refund if your train is delayed or cancelled and you decide not to travel on the journey. The train company will need your unused tickets as proof when you apply for a refund.
If you’re already travelling and experience delays or cancellations, you may be able to claim compensation from the train company instead.
Each company has its own rules on compensation and you’ll need to check the terms and conditions of your ticket for more information.
12. Get cheap train tickets if you travel in a group
Travelling in groups of three to nine adults could help you save a third on off-peak train tickets. The group must travel together at all times during the journey to get the discount. It’s important to note that you won’t be able to use any other discount in addition to this deal – for example, a Railcard discount.
Train companies that currently offer cheap train tickets for adults travelling in groups include:
- c2c
- Caledonian Sleeper
- Chiltern Railways
- Gatwick Express
- Great Northern
- Great Western Railway
- Greater Anglia
- London Northwestern Railway
- London Overground
- South Western Railway
- Southeastern
- Southern
- Stansted Express
- TfL Rail
- Thameslink
- West Midlands Railway
13. Avoid paying extra fees
Even if you manage to find cheap tickets, bear in mind that some websites add booking fees at the checkout, which will reduce your savings. It’s always worth checking multiple sites to see if you can avoid adding extra costs to your train tickets.
Where possible, try to avoid paying delivery fees by using a digital ticket or collecting them in person at your chosen station.
14. Bring your own food and drink
Typically, food and drink sold at train stations and on trains themselves is usually expensive. Packing lunch or snacks can save you a significant sum.
So you can save money on your journey quickly by bringing something from home. Preparing your own food for a train journey can also help you manage your food budget and save on impulse purchases.
» MORE: How to save money on food your food shopping
15. Consider cheaper ways to travel
If you are still finding train tickets expensive, you could consider travelling by coach. National Express offers coachcards with savings of a third on standard and flexible coach fares for over-60s, 16 to 26 year olds and people who are disabled across the UK. MegaBus also offers low-cost travel in England, Wales and Scotland to many destinations, with some fares costing just a few pounds. Image source: Getty Images
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