How to Save Money on Train Tickets

Whether you’re commuting to work or heading off for a daytrip, taking the train is one of the most popular ways to travel. Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, 1,610 million journeys were made by train in the UK, bringing in a passenger revenue of £10.3 billion – a 13% increase on the previous year’s figures.

British commuters spend an average of £2,616 a year travelling by train, and it may come as no surprise that London is the UK’s most expensive city to commute to.
Worryingly, the cost of commuting has risen 3% faster than inflation. As such, you may be wondering how much do train tickets cost, and is there any way to save money on travel?

Little Loans is pleased to share our guide to more cost-effective rail travel, from the best time and place to buy cheap train tickets, to bagging discounted journeys through railcards and season passes.

Five fun train facts to get us on track

1. In 1990, J.K. Rowling came up with the idea for Harry Potter while on a delayed train between Manchester and London’s King’s Cross (possibly the one and only time we’ve been grateful for a delayed train!).

2. In 2021, Avanti West Coast launched a popular marketing campaign, which you may recognise. The star of the campaign is Turbo, a rollerblading tortoise! As of 2024, Turbo can still be seen on various billboards and posters, as well as whizzing across TV adverts.

3. Liverpool Street in London took the crown as Britain’s busiest train station in 2023, knocking London Waterloo off the top spot.

4. Beauly is the UK’s smallest train station with its platform measuring just 15 meters long! Passengers wishing to disembark at Beauly are told to ensure that they’re stood in a certain place when the doors open, as the platform can only fit one carriage.

5. A large number of stray dogs take shelter on Moscow’s metro station network. It’s reported that several of them have learnt how to use the trains to transport themselves around the city!

When’s the best time to get cheap train tickets?

Train tickets are usually released up to 12 weeks ahead of travel, although for some companies, it could be as early as 24 weeks. If you’re looking for a bargain, you could save money by buying your tickets as soon as they become available.
If it’s not possible to buy return tickets in advance, you could consider buying two singles instead.
It’s important to bear in mind that advance tickets are usually only permitted on your selected date and time, so aren’t ideal if you need flexibility.
Advance tickets tend to be in high demand, so it may be an idea to set yourself a calendar reminder of when they’re due to become available so that you don’t miss out. You can also sign up for ticket alerts through Trainline.

Where to find the cheapest train tickets

When looking to buy train tickets online, you’ll want to make sure that you’re getting the best deal.
When you use the National Rail Journey Planner to search for tickets, the site will show you the cheapest fare available.
You should bear in mind that some companies charge booking fees on top of the fare.

How to try to save money on train tickets

• Use the Price Prediction tool
  Trainline’s Price Prediction tool enables you to search for a specific advance journey and get a breakdown of any expected price rises, based on trends and tickets that have already been sold. You’ll be able to gauge if and when the tickets you’re interested in are likely to rise in price. The tool is available through the Trainline app, which is free to download via the App Store and Google Play.
• Split your tickets
  If your journey includes one or more change, it might be worth breaking the trip down into individual tickets and seeing if it makes a difference to the overall cost.
  Imagine that you’re travelling between Chester and Sandbach, with a stop at Crewe in-between. Splitting your journey could save you a huge £5.60 – here’s how.
  
  

  Ticket option	Price breakdown	Total cost
  One single off-peak ticket between Chester and Sandbach.	£16.10	£16.10
  One single off-peak ticket between Chester and Crewe. One single off-peak ticket between Crewe and Sandbach.	£6.60 £3.90	£10.50

  
  We used National Rail’s website to show costs. We randomly selected a mid-afternoon, off-peak journey between the specified destinations, with no railcard added. Prices were correct as of August 23, 2024.
• Travel off-peak
  If you have the flexibility to do so, opting to journey off-peak could be a thrifty money-saver.
  Off-peak times vary between different operators but tend to fall outside of popular commuting hours.
  The really great news? Weekends are off-peak all day.
• Bank holiday bargains
  Off for a day at the seaside or a morning of hiking in the Peaks? If you’re hoping to book a bank holiday break, you may be in luck. You can make the most of off-peak travel all day during bank holidays.
• Season tickets
  Do you often buy train tickets for the same journey? A season ticket offers unlimited travel between two stations, can be bought as either a weekly, monthly, or annual pass, and could help to reduce train travel costs. Although you’ll need to double check this with the company you purchase from, there aren’t usually any restrictions when it comes to season tickets, meaning you can travel between your chosen stations any day, at any time, including peak periods.
  While buying a season ticket means you’ll be parting with a large amount of money upfront, they may work out as better value on a day-to-day basis. You can use the National Rail season ticket calculator to see how much you could save.
• Railcards
  If you regularly travel by train, a railcard could be a smart investment.
  Look, we get it – splurging on a railcard may not be ideal, especially if you’re short on cash, but you should take the time to work out how much money one could save you in the long run. The chances are your railcard will pay for itself within a couple of weeks. Let’s say you commute between Chester and Manchester three days a week during rush hour. Without a railcard, your daily commute costs £22.90, equating to £68.70 a week.*

  
  A 26-30 Railcard would slice the price of your commute to £15.10 a day, saving you £23.40 a week. Over a two-week period, you’ll have saved £46.80, which will have more than paid for your railcard.

  *We used the National Rail website to generate ticket prices, based off the following journeys:
  1. Chester (07:23) – Manchester Piccadilly (08:41)
  2. Manchester Piccadilly (16:44) – Chester (17:50)

  There are many different types of railcards available; we’ve detailed some of the most common ones below.

  Type of railcard	Who’s it for?	What do you get?	How much does it cost?
  16-17 Saver Railcard	Anyone aged either 16 or 17 years old who lives in the UK or overseas.	50% off standard anytime off-peak advance and season tickets.	£30 a year.
  16-25 Railcard	You can apply for a 16-25 Railcard if you fall within the specified age bracket or if you’re a mature student in full-time study.	1/3 off rail travel.	£30 a year or £70 for 3 years.
  26-30 Railcard	Those aged between 26 and 30 years old.	1/3 off rail travel.	£30 a year.
  Senior Railcard	For everyone over the age of 60.	1/3 off rail travel.	£30 a year or £70 for 3 years.
  Disabled Person’s Railcard	You can check your eligibility for a Disabled Person’s Railcard here.	1/3 off rail travel for you and an adult companion.	£20 a year or £54 for 3 years.
  HM Forces Railcard	In order to apply for an HM Forces Railcard you’ll need to meet the eligibility criteria which can be found here.	1/3 off most rail travel.	£21 a year.
  Veterans’ Railcard	The Veterans’ Railcard is available to those who have served in His Majesty’s UK Armed Forces as either Regular or Reserve for at least one day. You’ll need to provide certain documentation – details of which can be found here.	1/3 off most rail travel.	£30 a year or £70 for 3 years.
  Two Together Railcard	Got a regular train travel buddy? This railcard might be the one for you. The Two Together allows both you and one other person to enjoy discounted fares when journeying together.	1/3 off rail travel when you travel together.	£30 a year.
  Family and Friends Railcard	Two adults can be registered cardholders. Although they’re not required to travel together to claim the discount at least one child between the ages of 5 and 15 must make the journey with them. Up to four adults and four children can travel on the same card.	Adults can make the most of 1/3 off rail travel while kids’ tickets are reduced by 60%.	£30 a year or £70 for 3 years.
  Network Railcard	Anyone over the age of 16.	1/3 off rail fares in London and the South East of England.	£30 a year.

  
  

  Prices correct as of August 23, 2024. Please note that some railcards come with certain restrictions. You should refer to your chosen Railcard’s website or your terms and conditions for further information.

• Don't go off the rails!
  Attempting to travel without a valid ticket could land you a fine of up to £100, plus the full single fare of your journey.
  Train fares might be costly, but a fine could well and truly leave you out of pocket. It’s not worth the risk – buy before you board.

Cheaper alternatives to train travel

• Take the bus
  Many bus companies in England are taking part in the £2 bus fare cap scheme, which is currently scheduled to run until December 31, 2024.
  The scheme does exactly what it says on the tin: enables passengers to travel within certain bus route networks for a single ticket fare of just £2.
  You can find a full list of applicable routes and participating companies on the Gov.uk website.
• Walk/jog/cycle
  Did you know that 50% of our daily journeys are less than 2 miles?
  If you live within a reasonable distance to your destination, swapping the train for two wheels or your own two feet could be a real cost-cutter. Obviously, there are going to be situations when this isn’t possible or ideal; for example, you’re hardly going to want to rock up to a fancy restaurant in your running gear with your hair plastered to your forehead! However, have a think about the rail journeys you take and look into whether they’re all totally necessary.
  Not only will these savvy lifestyle choices save you money, but you’ll reap the health benefits, too.
  If your employer is signed up to the Bike2Work scheme, you could purchase a new bike and equipment at a discounted rate. Bike2Work is a salary sacrifice, so you’ll repay the cost of your bike in your monthly wage. Your employer should be able to tell you more. If they’re not signed up, they can register today for free.
• Carshare
  Do one or more of your colleagues travel the same way to work? Why not consider setting up a carsharing scheme? Take it in turns to drive each other to the office, saving on petrol and train fares, all the while doing your bit for the environment.

The final train of thought

When it comes to train travel, there are many ways you could save money.
If you’re able to, altering your schedule to journey off-peak could make a big difference to your wallet. In addition to this, it’s also worth checking your eligibility for one of the many railcards on offer. You could be entitled to a third off train fares - that’s a whole lot of money saved for fish and chips at the seaside during your next rail adventure!

The information contained in this article is meant as a general guide and does not constitute or should be taken as advice.
September 2024