Saving Money On Train Travel
Are some rail networks cheaper than others?
Some rail networks are cheaper others. Even on the same route you can save money by buying two singles for one train journey. Decide which train you want to take, using nationalrail.co.uk. Find out which company or companies operate that rail route, then go to their website and find a timetable to see where the train stops. Using the thetrainline.com see if it will save you money on train tickets to buy two singles splitting the journey enroute - but you can still stay on the train. Don't buy your ticket from thetrainline.com. They charge £2 extra per train ticket for credit card bookings. You can save that £2 on train travel simply by going direct to the rail company that operates the route you've chosen and buying your ticket there.
What is the cheapest time of day to travel by train?
When looking to save money on train travel, the cheapest time of day to travel on the trains is often 9:30am on weekdays and/or weekends. For long distance journeys, you can forget Friday evenings and Sunday nights, unless you fancy standing all the way on a very long train journey.
Are there cheaper forms of train ticket?
There are cheaper forms of train ticket. And the cheapest is called a coach ticket. That's always a cheaper option then to go by train and the special offers, however, we'll talk about train tickets. If you want to go by rail, book in advance on the day before travel and you can pay half the price of the fare that you would pay on the same day of travel. So, that's about ten pounds from London to York. These advance fares are only valid on the train you've booked, no refunds, no ability to change your travel plans once booked and returns cost just twice the single fare. They're also very limited in their availability so book earlier and look for off peak trains. They must normally be booked by six P.M. the day before travel but, in reality, it's often worth being a bit cheeky and asking up to midnight the day before because they're sometimes available. If buying a ticket on the day always make time to go to the ticket office. Ticket machines don't give you the cheap options and often the booking clerk can be very, very helpful. Check national rails on-line promotion index and if you're taking certain version or southwest train routes look at megatrain.com to see if you can pick up a ticket for just one pound. Tickets which are bought in advance, sometimes called apex tickets can be much cheaper than tickets bought on the travel day, as we've said. Day return tickets are cheaper than tickets which allow you to return on a different day.
Can I travel more cheaply by train as a student?
If you're a student, rail cards can save you money if you're under 26, however look for young person's rail card on railcard.co.uk. But rail cards are not always cheapest and they don't work on all routes, so it's worth asking at the booking office if, say, you're traveling with your family in case there's a better deal or some kind of regular travel card may well be cheaper. Studentdiscounts.co.uk will give you an extra 1% off your fare, even using a young person's rail card by booking through them. If you're going by train abroad, Interail offers a cheap pass for the under 26's and I think we all remember with great affection our inter-rail days, if you're over 26.
Can I travel more cheaply on the trains as an OAP, or as part of a family?
You can travel more cheaply on the train as a pensioner. If you're over 60, you can get a senior railcard on a train. If you're a family, you can get a family railcard. If you're disabled, you can get a disabled person's railcard with up to 34 percent off normal fares. You can now buy railcards online at railcard.co.uk. Check individual lines for special off-peak deals and extra deals like discounts off theatre and venue tickets when you travel by train. I got some wonderful two-for-ones last Christmas. You can also collect new store card points, like Tesco points or Nectar points, against travel costs in some cases.
