Cheap train tickets

Cheap train tickets
Find hidden fares & split tickets

Traveling by train can be costly, so it’s important to find ways to reduce expenses. This guide offers 18 strategies to help you save money, such as securing the lowest fares by booking weeks or even just hours in advance, knowing when flexible season tickets are advantageous, mastering the art of splitting tickets, avoiding booking fees, and more.

1 – Book weeks ahead for the cheapest fares

For optimal ticket purchasing, aim to begin your search approximately 12 weeks before your intended travel date. This is because Network Rail typically finalizes the timetable around this period, and rail companies generally make advance tickets available shortly thereafter. If your departure date is closer, it’s wise to book as soon as possible, as waiting longer usually results in higher prices.

However, keep in mind that some companies might release advance tickets even earlier than 12 weeks in advance, though schedules may be subject to minor adjustments. For instance, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) often offers advance tickets up to 24 weeks ahead for journeys from stations north of York to London.

Advance tickets are non-refundable (unless your journey’s delayed or cancelled). So if you book and then can’t travel – for instance, if you’re ill – you won’t get your money back. See full info on the National Rail website.

Get a free alert when tickets go on sale

If you have specific travel dates and destinations in mind, there’s a clever trick to secure cheap tickets early. Enter your travel information into the Trainline ticket alert system, and you’ll receive an email notification when advance tickets become available. These early tickets are typically the most affordable. To save on additional fees, consider booking through a train-booking website that doesn’t impose them.

Additionally, National Rail provides a list of advance booking dates, indicating the maximum future date for purchasing advance tickets with each train company.

2 – Flexible season tickets – can you save?

Flexible season tickets in England have the potential to cut train travel costs by £100s/year, but the benefits vary.

These newer ticket options are designed to assist part-time commuters, offering potential savings. However, our analysis indicates that while some travelers could see significant savings, others might find these tickets less advantageous or even more expensive compared to traditional options.

How do flexible season tickets work?

These tickets enable you to travel as a day return on any eight days within a 28-day span using a paperless ticket via a smartcard or phone, without needing to choose your travel dates in advance. If you split your journey—taking an outbound trip on one day and a return trip on another—you’ll use two of your eight days. For those with irregular work schedules, once your eight days are used up, you can simply purchase another flexible ticket and continue as needed.

These tickets are exclusively for standard class and can be used for both peak and off-peak travel, including weekends. Typically, you can use any train operator between your starting and ending stations. However, they do not cover additional services like the London Underground or Newcastle Metro.

Season Ticket Calculator to check if flexi tickets are REALLY cheaper

Check out our Season Ticket Calculator to determine whether flexible season tickets offer better value compared to daily, annual, or other types of season tickets for your trip. The calculator is based on the assumption that you take five weeks off each year. If your situation varies, you should adjust the costs of flexible and annual tickets according to your actual travel patterns.

We also analyzed 35 different routes, using the same assumption of five weeks off annually, to provide a general guideline on the most cost-effective ticket option. Keep in mind that this is a general overview, and you can use the calculator to evaluate the best option for your individual journey.

Here’s what our guideline analysis has revealed…

• If you only travel ONE day a week, purchasing a daily ticket is generally the more cost-effective option, especially if you can secure a discounted advance ticket.
• For those traveling TWO days a week, a flexible season ticket is cheaper than a daily ticket on 34 out of 35 routes and offers savings compared to an annual season ticket every time. The extent of the savings can vary. For instance, commuting from Milton Keynes to London twice a week could result in an annual saving of £500 compared to daily tickets, or £2,200 compared to an annual pass. Conversely, traveling from Southampton Central to Winchester could save you £65 annually against daily tickets or £620 compared to an annual season ticket.

Cost comparison travelling two days a week (cheapest option in bold)

For these calculations, we’ve assumed you get five weeks off a year.

• Travelling three times a week, the flexible season ticket proved advantageous on 20 out of 35 routes. However, an annual ticket was more cost-effective on 13 routes, while a daily ticket was cheaper on two routes. For instance, using a flexible ticket for travel between Worcester and Bristol would result in a savings of £1,190 compared to an annual ticket and £430 compared to a daily ticket. Conversely, if you were to travel three times a week between Brighton and East or West Croydon, a flexible ticket would end up costing £1,025 more than an annual season ticket or £360 more than the least expensive daily ticket.

Cost comparison travelling three days a week (cheapest option in bold)

For these calculations, we’ve assumed you get five weeks off a year.

The Flexible season ticket generally excels in terms of savings, though the difference can be marginal. For instance, passengers journeying from Hindley to Manchester might save just £57 annually compared to the cost of a traditional annual season ticket.

If you’re certain you’ll only be traveling eight days per year, the Flexible ticket could be ideal. However, if there’s any chance your travel plans might change and you could end up needing to travel more frequently, the annual season ticket, which covers twice as many travel days, might offer better value over time. It’s worth considering your potential future needs when deciding which option to choose.

• If you travel four days a week or more, opting for a standard Annual season ticket is likely the most cost-effective choice.

For those who travel during off-peak hours, a Flexible season ticket is ideal if you commute during peak weekday times. With the growing trend of flexible work arrangements, if your schedule doesn’t adhere to the traditional ‘9 to 5’ and you frequently travel later in the day, you’ll generally find that daily tickets combined with the strategies outlined in this guide will offer the best savings.

Flexible season tickets can be purchased online or through train company apps, and in some cases, at ticket offices, though availability at ticket offices varies by operator.

However, they are not available through ScotRail, Transport for Wales, Heathrow Express, London Overground, Merseyrail, TfL Rail, or ‘open access operators’ like Grand Central and Hull Trains.

If you have a 16-17 Saver or a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card, you can receive a 50% discount on a Flexible season ticket. Unfortunately, other railcards or group discounts are not applicable for this ticket type.

3 – Find out when cheap tickets are likely to jump in price (and when they’re likely to sell out)

Trainline has a free Price Prediction tool in its Android and iOS apps, to show you when cheap tickets are likely to rise in price or sell out.

This tool offers forecasts for particular routes, dates, and times by analyzing data from billions of trips. It’s perfect for finding a bargain fare in advance, even if your plans aren’t set in stone.

For instance, we tested it with a trip from London Liverpool Street to Norwich. It indicated that tickets are currently priced at £18, but they might be sold out at that rate by the next day and could rise to £81 by the travel date.

Watch out for Trainline’s booking fees. Although Trainline’s Price Prediction feature can be useful, we advise against purchasing tickets through Trainline due to potential booking fees of up to £2.49 (note that if you’re booking on the app on the day of travel, there’s no fee). See sites that don’t charge.

4 – Split your tickets, not your journey, to save big

Here’s a valuable tip for travelers: rather than purchasing a single ticket for your entire trip, consider buying tickets for each leg of your journey separately. This can often result in significant savings, even if you’re traveling on the same train.

For instance, if you’re headed from London to Durham with a stop in York, it might be cheaper to buy a ticket from London to York and another from York to Durham. You could even be seated in the same spot throughout the trip—just with two separate tickets instead of one.

It’s perfectly legit according to the National Rail Conditions of Travel – the only rule is that the train MUST call at all the stations you buy tickets for.

Try these tools to find split tickets

While split ticketing can offer significant savings, the challenge has always been determining its effectiveness. We’ve been advocating for this for years and were pioneers in launching a split-ticketing tool in 2012. However, we believe that other specialized sites have since surpassed ours, so we now provide links to these improved resources.

There are several tools available for this purpose, including one from Trainline, the UK’s leading train-booking platform, giving you multiple options. We conducted a price comparison for 15 journeys using 10 different tools and found that no single tool consistently offered the lowest price. Therefore, to find the best split ticket options, it’s advisable to check as many sites as you can.

All of the tools listed below allow you to search for split tickets for one-way trips, fixed returns, and group bookings. They are free to use, though most will charge a fee for booking through their site, which we considered in our comparison (details on this are provided below):

• TrainPal offers the most affordable overall option and has a free app, though reviews are varied. It doesn’t impose booking fees through the app. You can view fare splits on the desktop site, mobile site, and app. While the app itself is free, the website charges 12% of your savings, capped at £1.99. It found the cheapest or joint-cheapest fare on seven out of the 15 routes we investigated, and performs fairly quickly. However, recent Trustpilot reviews are mixed. It displays fare splits for all non-season tickets.
• Quick and straightforward, but not always the least expensive options – Split My Fare and TrainTickets.com. Split My Fare takes a 15% fee on the savings, while TrainTickets.com charges 10%. Both platforms offer fare splits on their desktop and mobile websites, but neither provides an app. In our review of 15 journeys, Split My Fare identified the lowest or joint-lowest fare on three occasions, whereas TrainTickets.com did so on two. Both services are efficient and user-friendly, typically retrieving fares in just seconds and presenting results and savings in a clear manner. They both display fare splits for all non-season tickets. Additionally, TrainTickets.com can evaluate unlimited splits per journey, potentially offering over 10 tickets for a single trip.
• If you’re looking for a thorough approach, consider using Split Your Ticket and TrainSplit*. Both services charge 15% of the savings you achieve. You can view fare splits on both their desktop and mobile sites, and TrainSplit also offers a mobile app. As they are both operated by the train-booking site Raileasy, their results are quite similar. Out of the 15 routes we examined, each service identified between two and four of the most affordable or equally affordable ticket options.

Regarding Trainline’s split-ticketing feature, our spot-check revealed that it was more expensive compared to competitors. In fact, for the 15 journeys we reviewed, it was never the most economical option when booking fees were considered.

You can dodge the fees split-ticket tools charge – but should you?

The ticket-splitting tools mentioned above typically impose a fee when you purchase train tickets through them, usually by taking a portion of the savings you achieve.

You can avoid these fees by using a split-ticketing tool to identify ticket splits for your journey, and then purchasing tickets from a train booking site that doesn’t charge booking fees or directly from the train companies themselves, most of which do not impose such fees.

However, keep in mind that operating these tools incurs costs and train ticket margins are quite narrow. If only a few users opt to buy tickets through these tools, they may not always be available to help you save money. Additionally, finding split tickets on your own can be somewhat cumbersome.

Split-ticketing quick questions

How can I find split tickets for myself?

Checking for split tickets usually takes between five to ten minutes, but it’s a worthwhile effort, especially for longer trips. While various tools can assist in this process, here’s a traditional step-by-step method if you prefer a hands-on approach:

1. Determine the cheapest standard fare: Start by finding the standard price for your journey. This is essential as it will serve as your benchmark for potential savings.
2. Identify train stops: Utilize the National Rail website to locate your train. Click on ‘view details’ and then ‘+show calling points’ to see where the train will stop along its route.
3. Explore ticket options: Choose a major station along your route and look for individual tickets for each segment of the journey to and from that station. If this approach doesn’t reduce your fare, try selecting a different station.

When your train has numerous stops, there will be many ticket combinations to consider, so balancing time and cost becomes crucial in finding the best deal.

Can you save by splitting a ticket more than once?

Yes, buying three, four, or even more split tickets for a single trip can significantly reduce expenses. These tools are designed to find various split options, with our tests revealing as many as nine splits in some cases.

Can you split return tickets?

Yes, it’s true, but locating these options can be challenging since they generally need a consistent route in both directions to be cost-effective. Otherwise, you might end up with an open return ticket, which often isn’t the most economical choice.

What if my journey is delayed?

There could be an issue if you experience a delay before you need to change trains during your trip.

For instance, if you’re traveling from London to Durham with a transfer in York, any delays causing you to miss your scheduled train from York to Durham might result in additional charges.

On the bright side, you might be eligible for compensation for the delay—check out our Train Delays guide for further information.

What if I need to switch trains and my first train’s delayed?

In the unlikely scenario where you book split tickets and your stop for the split aligns with the station where you change trains, a delay on your first train could render your second ticket invalid for the next segment of your trip.

Additionally, off-peak and super off-peak tickets restrict travel to certain times of the day. Therefore, if you split your tickets at a station where you need to change trains, and a delay causes you to travel during peak hours, you might need to purchase a new ticket to continue your journey during those times.

5 – Book early, late

It’s widely known that purchasing train tickets ahead of time often leads to lower prices. However, many people aren’t aware that you can frequently buy them even close to your departure. The key guideline is:

Always verify if advance tickets are still up for grabs before you travel.

If tickets haven’t sold out, seven train operators currently allow you to purchase advance tickets on the actual day of travel. Many others permit purchases the day before, so don’t assume it’s too late. Be sure to allocate enough time to collect your tickets, as it may take up to two hours.

Here’s a summary of the deadlines for advance tickets set by various train companies. This table is updated regularly, but policies can occasionally change, so always double-check before purchasing.

6 – Spend over £90/year? Consider a railcard

Railcards typically reduce fares by one-third. You can purchase them through the Railcard website and other locations, with most priced at £30 annually. However, some options are available for £70 for a three-year period, which averages out to £23.33 per year. If you spend over £90 a year on train journeys, getting a railcard is financially advantageous.

Additionally, many railcards (refer to the various types available) offer a one-third discount on off-peak travel within London.

Not every trip will be eligible for a railcard discount, so it’s crucial to verify each time, especially during peak hours, since regulations can differ between operators.

Types of railcard available

16-17 Saver Railcard – £30 for one year

• Travel discount: 50% off adult fares
• Who’s eligible: 16 and 17-year-olds, up until their 18th birthday
• Restrictions: Excludes ScotRail, Caledonian Sleeper, Oyster and travelcards

16-25 Railcard – £30 for one year, £70 for three years

• Travel discount: A third off adult fares
• Who’s eligible: Under-26s or full-time students of any age
• Restrictions: Minimum £12 fare for journeys 4.30am to 10am, Monday to Friday

26-30 Railcard – £30 for one year

• Travel discount: A third off adult fares
• Who’s eligible: Under-31s
• Restrictions: Minimum £12 fare for journeys 4.30am to 10am, Monday to Friday

Family & Friends’ Railcard – £30 for one year, £70 for three

• Travel discount: A third off for adults and 60% off for children on most rail fares
• Who’s eligible: Up to four adults (aged 16+) when travelling with up to four kids (5 to 15)
• Restrictions: Excludes weekday morning peak-time between London and south-east England area stations

Two Together Railcard – £30 for one year

• Travel discount: A third off adult fares for two named people travelling together
• Who’s eligible: Over-16s
• Restrictions: Not valid 4.30am to 9.30am weekdays. Both named people must purchase tickets together and start and finish journey together

Senior Railcard – £30 for one year, £70 for three (cheaper via some councils)

• Travel discount: A third off adult fares
• Who’s eligible: Over-60s
• Restrictions: Not valid weekday morning peak-time between London and south-east England area stations

Disabled Person’s Railcard – £20 for one year, £54 for three

• Travel discount: A third off for you and an adult companion
• Who’s eligible: You will qualify if you receive disability-related benefits and/or have certain disabilities. Your companion doesn’t need to be a carer.
• Restrictions: None

Network Railcard – £30 for one year

• Travel discount: A third off most adult fares and 60% off child fares in the London and south-east England area
• Who’s eligible: Up to four adults (aged 16+) and up to four kids (five to 15) travelling together
• Restrictions: Not valid before 10am weekdays except some services (see foot of the page). £13 minimum fare per adult Monday to Friday, and £1 minimum fare per child aged 5 to 15 at all times.

HM Forces’ Railcard – £21 for one year (apply via your unit HR admin)

• Travel discount: A third off for adults and 60% off for children on most rail fares
• Who’s eligible: All members of regular forces and volunteer reserve, non-regular permanent staff and more – see full info
• Restrictions: Minimum £12 fare 4.30am to 10am, Monday to Friday (except July, August and public holidays). £8 minimum fare off-peak, £1 minimum fare per child (aged five to 15, up to four).

Veterans’ Railcard – £30 for one year, £70 for three years

• Travel discount: A third off for adults and 60% off for children on most rail fares
• Who’s eligible: Those who served one day or more in HM Armed Forces (regular or reserve). And merchant mariners who have seen duty on legally-defined military operations
• Restrictions: Minimum £12 fare 4.30am to 10am weekdays (excluding advance fares & in July, August and bank holidays). £8 minimum fare off-peak, £1 minimum per child (aged 5 to 15, up to four).

Digital railcards – get your railcard instantly (in most cases)

You no longer need to carry a physical railcard around with you – you can get a digital railcard which is stored on your smartphone or tablet.

Buy your railcard from Railcard.co.uk*, Trainline* or TrainPal*, download the relevant app, then follow the Railcard.co.uk instructions, Trainline instructions or TrainPal instructions on how to add your railcard to the app.

Keep in mind that if you’re a mature student purchasing a digital Disabled Person’s Railcard, Veterans Railcard, or 16-25 Railcard, you should anticipate up to five working days for approval, as these applications are manually reviewed.

Currently, digital railcards cannot be added to Apple Wallet or Google Pay because these platforms do not support the holograms used on railcards to prevent fraud.

Should your device run out of battery or be lost while traveling, and you are required to show your digital railcard to verify your discount, you might need to purchase a new ticket for your journey or face a penalty fare.

Important Notice: 3 June 2024 – Railcard App Update Required

Starting 6 June, you will no longer be able to use your digital Railcard on the National Rail Railcard app unless you update to the newest version. While the app might update automatically, it’s a good idea to manually check. Open the Railcard app, navigate to the settings, and confirm that it shows version 2.0.0 or higher. Please note that this update is specifically for users of the National Rail Railcard app and does not affect Trainline or Trainpal. See Railcard.co.uk for more help.

7 – Got a season ticket for London or south east England? Get a free Gold Card

When purchasing an annual season ticket for a route that either begins or terminates in the Network Railcard Area—covering primarily London and the southeast of England, along with some areas in East Anglia and the Midlands—or if you acquire an annual travelcard from Transport for London (TfL), you will also receive an Annual Gold Card.

The Annual Gold Card provides benefits similar to those of a Network Railcard, including a one-third discount on off-peak travel within London when using an Oyster card. The season ticket you buy should indicate ‘Gold Card’ at the bottom. If you purchase an annual travelcard for your Oyster card, you will receive a separate Gold Card at the ticket office, so be sure to confirm that the discount has been applied to your Oyster card.

Like any standard railcard, you need to present your Gold Card to enjoy discounts on eligible routes.

Additionally, if you hold a Gold Card, you can obtain a 16-25, Disabled Person’s, Family & Friends’, Network, Two Together, or Senior Railcard for just £10, either for yourself or someone you know.

8 – Trick to get 16-25 Railcard until you’re almost 27

You can stretch the validity of your 16-25 Railcard up until you’re nearly 27, and similarly, you can use the 26-30 Railcard until you’re almost 32.

The 16-25 Railcard is priced at £30 for a single year or £70 for three years, whereas the 26-30 Railcard is available for £30 annually. Both cards offer a 33% discount on most rail fares, as well as a similar discount on London travelcards and off-peak Oyster fares. They are valid for use at any time, although for travel before 10 am on weekdays, the minimum fare after applying the discount is £12.

Although the 16-25 Railcard suggests it’s only for those within a specific age range, there’s a handy loophole that allows you to continue using it even after you turn 26. By purchasing a three-year railcard the day before you turn 24, or a one-year railcard just before you turn 26, you can enjoy the discount almost until you reach 27.

If you aren’t ready to renew your current 16-25 Railcard, which can be done up to 30 days before it expires, you can still take advantage of this loophole by buying a new railcard with a different email address.

What about the 26-30 Railcard?

It’s still beneficial to use this strategy because if you have a 16-25 Railcard that lasts almost until you reach 27, you’ll need fewer 26-30 Railcards later on, which are only available for a one-year period. Without this strategy, you’d require four 26-30 Railcards to cover the period from 26 to 30. However, with the trick, you only need three to cover from 27 to 30, saving you £30.

Additionally, the trick applies to the 26-30 Railcard as well. You can purchase the 26-30 Railcard just before your 31st birthday and continue using it until it expires. If you time your renewal correctly, you can use it right up until just before you turn 32.

9 – Regular traveller? Grab a season ticket

Frequent rail travelers and commuters might want to look into annual season tickets—National Rail’s Season Ticket Calculator is a handy resource to determine the cost.

For some routes, there may be several season ticket choices available. Reviewing all options could result in significant savings. For instance, a 12-month season ticket from Guildford to London, including a travelcard for zones 1 to 6, costs £6,768. However, if you limit your travel to just the Clandon and Woking routes, the cost drops to £5,616.

Additionally, explore the possibility of split-ticketing, which might allow you to save money by using two separate season tickets for different parts of your journey.

And don’t forget, if you’ve an annual season ticket inside the Network Railcard Area, you get extra perks through the Gold Card scheme.

To explore ways you could potentially save more, take a look at our guide on More Affordable Train Season Tickets.

10 – Singles can beat returns

Returns are meant to offer better value, but that’s not always the case. Frequently, you can find cheaper options by purchasing two one-way tickets instead of a return ticket. Make sure to compare the prices.

You can usually find these deals online, where both single and return fares are often displayed during your ticket search.

Save £283 on a London to Manchester return

For instance, a search for a round-trip train ticket from London to Manchester showed a standard anytime return fare of an astounding £350. However, upon further investigation, it was found that an advance single ticket for the outbound journey was £41, and the return ticket was £26, totaling £67 for the same trip.

11 – Use the top UK train-booking sites

There are several methods to find affordable train tickets online, and interestingly, various sites might offer different options. To ensure you find the best deal, it’s a good idea to check multiple sites.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is a good place to start as it sells tickets for all routes and doesn’t charge booking fees.

Top UK train-booking sites

12 – Only pay peak for the bit that is

Train peak hours typically occur before 10am and between 4pm and 7pm. However, if you begin a long train trip during peak times, you’ll be charged peak-time rates for the entire journey, even if parts of it fall outside peak hours or if you return during off-peak times.

To avoid paying peak prices for your entire trip, consider using split ticketing that accounts for both time and distance. This strategy allows you to only incur peak charges for the segments of your journey that occur during peak periods.

How much can you save?

When we examined the pricing, we discovered that we could reduce the cost of a peak return train ticket from London to Manchester by £45. For a single trip departing at 9:20 am, the standard anytime fare was £175. However, by splitting the ticket at Milton Keynes, we saved £45, as the remaining portion of the journey fell into the off-peak category.

13 – Grab cheap Megatrain fares

Megatrain offers hundreds of single tickets starting at £6 plus a £1 booking fee for journeys from London to destinations such as Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, and Sheffield.

Although it uses the same booking platform as Megabus, the train experience will differ from the budget-friendly image of the tickets. Operated by East Midlands Railway, Megatrain services are identical to those available through other booking channels. For instance, a ticket from London to Chesterfield costs £20.43 with Megatrain, compared to £31 when purchased directly from East Midlands Railway.

While standard advance tickets are available 10 to 12 weeks ahead of travel, Megatrain tickets are released only 45 days prior.

A savvy tip for saving money is to combine Megatrain fares with split ticketing.

14 – Grab ultra-cheap train deals

There are actually more promotional train fares available than many people might think; finding the best deals requires knowing where to search and maintaining flexibility.

These offers are frequently updated and can range from Southeastern’s “Kids for a Quid” to Greater Anglia’s eight-week complimentary first-class upgrades for expectant mothers.

For a current list of fantastic train deals and discounts, check out our regularly updated Cheap Train & Coach Deals, and also check National Rail’s special offers index.

15 – Get cashback on all train tickets

Cashback credit cards give you a rebate on every purchase, helping to reduce transportation costs, particularly with some cards now offering enhanced cashback rates. However, it’s crucial to…

Set up a direct debit to pay off the card balance in full every month to avoid paying interest, which could negate any cashback benefits.

With our top recommendation, the American Express reward card, you can earn up to 5% cashback on all purchases, capped at £100. After the initial bonus period, the cashback rate drops to a tiered system of up to 1%, but you need to spend over £3,000 annually to qualify for any cashback. Ensure you pay off the balance in full each month to avoid a 31% representative APR.

Keep in mind that your credit history will be checked when you apply. For more information and additional options, check Credit Card Rewards.

16 – Know your train refund rights

Different operators have varying policies, but most will offer compensation for delays of 30 minutes or longer, with several providing payouts even for delays as brief as 15 minutes.

Most operators follow a Delay Repay policy, offering compensation amounting to 50% of the fare, regardless of the cause of the delay.

However, some train companies still adhere to an older compensation model, which means they may not provide payment if the delay was caused by factors beyond their control, such as a track fire or a strike.

For additional information, refer to our guides on Train delays and Tube delays.

17 – Find cheap first-class tickets

Traveling in first-class doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive—there are ways to secure a premium ticket at a lower cost.

Booking well in advance can significantly reduce the price difference between standard and first-class tickets, depending on your travel dates. For instance, a standard ticket from London to York was priced at £39 when we checked 11 weeks in advance, while a first-class ticket was only £44.

Keep in mind that the cost to upgrade can differ based on the route. For example, Avanti West Coast charges between £15 and £30 for a weekend upgrade, depending on how long the journey is.

Sometimes, upgrading on the day of travel can be more economical, as 11 companies offer a flat-rate upgrade fee on weekends and bank holidays.

For instance, if an advance first-class ticket with LNER from Leeds to London is £44, but you purchase a standard-class ticket at £18 and pay a £15 upgrade fee on the day, you’ll end up saving £11.

18 – Warning! ‘Travelling short’ is cheap… but banned

Cheap advance fares are frequently limited on high-demand routes, particularly those used for commuting. Consequently, you might find that purchasing a ticket for a longer journey that includes your route can be more cost-effective, leading to significant savings.

This practice, referred to as ‘travelling short,’ is unfortunately prohibited by the terms of advance tickets and can result in a fine if attempted.

On the other hand, most non-advance tickets permit you to disembark early or split your journey. Be sure to review the ticket conditions or consult at a station for more details.