Book in advance
Train companies sell around a million Advance tickets every week. You can usually buy an Advance ticket up to 12 weeks ahead of travel, and they are still available until the day of travel on many routes – sometimes up to 10 minutes before departure. Advance fares are single tickets that are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket, but you can combine tickets to create your whole journey, including your return. Changes can be made before departure but may be subject to a £10 admin fee and other terms and conditions.
Travel at quieter times
Off-Peak fares are cheaper tickets for travelling at less busy times during weekdays, and all day on weekends. You may have to travel at specified times, or on specified days or routes. On longer distance journeys, if you travel in a peak period 1 way but want to return when it is less busy, look at a combination of Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares to get the best deal.
Use a Railcard
You can save 1/3 on train fares with a Railcard. There are 9 to choose from, so it’s easy to find 1 to suit your needs. Find out more about Railcards.
Buy a Season ticket
If you make the same journey more than oncea week, you can make big savings with a Season ticket.An annual Season ticket offers a full year’s worth of travel for the price of 10 months and 12 days, and 7-Day, Monthly, and FlexiSeason Tickets are also available to most destinations. Use our Season Ticket Calculator to check prices and see how much you could save.
Travel in a group
If you’re a small group travelling together, you can also use GroupSave on a variety of Off-Peak tickets across the rail network. Find out more about discounts for group travel.
Explore with a Ranger or Rover ticket
Most train companies offer a selection of Ranger and Rover tickets. These are great value tickets that offer unlimited travel within a specified area and time period.
And there’s more…
For ways to save money on great experiences and attractions when you travel by train, check out our Days Out Guide.
