If you travel by rail, you’ve most likely noticed the cost of train tickets shooting up in recent years.
Fares increased by an eye-watering 5.9% in March of last year, and we could be due an even bigger hike this spring. While the government has confirmed that the regulated fare increase in March 2024 will not exceed 9% (the inflation figure for July 2023), it is thought that the rate of wage growth from the same month could be used instead – which would mean an enormous 7.8% increase, the largest in a decade.
Here are some ways that you might be able to save on rail fares, along with information on what your rights are if you experience a cancellation or delay.
1. Use a railcard for a third off fares
There are a number of different railcards you can use to reduce the cost of your journey by around a third. For example, if you’re aged 60 or over and travel regularly by train, you may want to consider buying a Senior Railcard, which costs £30 for one year or £70 for three years. You can find out more about Senior Railcards and apply for one here.
If you’re under 60 and regularly travel with a partner a ‘Two Together’ Railcard could be a good option. This costs £30 for one year and offers a third off train tickets when you both travel together. You can find out more here.
Alternatively, if you live in Scotland and you’re aged 50 or over, you may want to sign up for a ‘Club 50’ card costing £15, enabling you to save 20% on Advance and Off-Peak tickets with ScotRail. You’ll also get a 50% discount on hot and cold soft drinks from the catering trolley. Find out more about Club 50 here.
Some regional rail operators offer their own schemes too, so it’s worth checking if yours does. For example, Greater Anglia runs a Club 50 scheme which costs £20 a year and you’ll get 20% savings on Off-Peak and Advance fares online, plus 2 for 1 entry to over 150 of London’s top attractions. You can find out more about this scheme here.
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2. Travel off-peak
This isn’t possible for the majority of commuters, but if you are able to be flexible about when you travel, an easy way to save money on your fare is to travel off-peak. The exact timing of off-peak periods depends on the particular rail company you’re using, but they are usually any time outside 9.30am – 4pm and after 7pm on weekdays.
You may be able to buy ‘super off-peak’ tickets to travel for less during the least busy periods, such as between 10am – 3.30pm and after 7.15pm.
3. Buy advance tickets
It’s usually cheapest to buy tickets around 12 weeks in advance of travel, if you’re able to do so. Make a note in your diary if you’ve plans to travel at a later date to buy an advance ticket. Network Rail sets its timetables 12 weeks in advance, and that’s when rail operators usually release the cheapest tickets.
If you’re buying your ticket at the last minute, you may still be able to get a cheaper ticket on the day. Some rail operators release advance tickets even on the day of travel, so before you get to the station, see if you can buy a ticket cheaper online rather than at the ticket office.
4. Sign up for free ticket alerts
You can sign up to the Trainline ticket alert system to receive an email for advance tickets for a particular journey you plan to take in the coming months. Beware, though, that Trainline charges booking fees when you buy tickets (read more below) so it’s still important to check whether you might be able to buy a cheaper ticket elsewhere.
5. Split your fares if you’re going long distance
You may be able to cut the cost of a long journey by buying several different single tickets rather than one.
For example, let’s say you’re traveling from Taunton to London. According to research by MoneySavingExpert, you can save £62.30 by splitting the journey at Pewsey, and reduce your fare from £105 to £42.70. You can try several split ticketing sites to see if you can reduce the cost of your journey, such as TrainPal, Split My Fare, and TrainTickets.com.
Buying a return fare also isn’t necessarily the cheapest option. You may find that two singles are cheaper for your journey, so check before you pay for your ticket.
6. Watch out for fees
Booking fees can add up if you buy lots of train tickets during the year. For example, you’ll pay a £1.50 booking fee if you buy your ticket through TheTrainline.com. However, you won’t pay any booking fees and may find lower fare prices on sites such as RedSpottedHanky. Many train operators also don’t charge you fees if you book directly on their website, but it’s best to compare the cost of your fare on several sites before paying for your ticket.
7. Get your money back from season tickets
If you’re no longer travelling into the office as regularly as you once were, it may be possible to get a refund for any rail tickets that you don’t need. Perhaps you’re newly able to work from home, for example, or you’ve become self-employed.
To receive a refund for a season ticket, you’ll need to contact the particular train operator. You can find their contact details here. If you bought your ticket online, and no longer need it, you’ll usually be able to request a refund online too. If you bought it at a ticket office, you can usually return it to any ticket office managed by your train operator, or you may be able to send it in if your operator offers a refund form you can download, print off and post with your ticket. Use National Rail’s Station Finder to look for information specific to ticket offices near you.
To qualify for a refund, you must have at least seven days left unused on a monthly or longer season ticket, or at least three days remaining if you’ve bought a pre-paid weekly ticket. If you have an annual season ticket, you might need three months remaining in order to be able to claim a refund, so check the terms.
8. Buy a flexi-season ticket if you commute part-time
With more of us than ever working some of the week at home, rail operators have started offering flexible season tickets that enable you to travel on any eight days within a 28-day period, at any time between two stations. This can be ideal if you only need to travel to work a few times a month in peak times from Monday to Friday. The ticket offers a minimum of a 20% discount on a monthly season ticket. You can find out more here.
9. Claim for delays
Most passengers experience train delays, but many don’t know that you can claim compensation in this scenario. If your train is delayed by 15 minutes or more and the train company is signed up to the ‘Delay Repay’ scheme, you can claim compensation. This applies except when delays are caused by planned engineering works.
You’ll need to apply for compensation online or via post within 28 days of your delayed journey. Online is the quickest and easiest way to apply for compensation. You’ll need proof of travel, which could be either the original ticket, or a receipt. The amount of compensation you’ll receive depends on the length of the delay. For example, you’re entitled to at least 25% of the single fare paid if you’re delayed by 15-29 minutes, rising to 100% of the cost for delays of 60 to 119 minutes. You will also get a full refund if your train journey is cancelled.
The majority of major train operators are signed up to Delay Repay, and you can find out how to apply for compensation via the scheme on the relevant company’s website.
10. Take the coach instead
You can usually save money by taking the coach instead of the train, and you may find that journeys even take around the same amount of time. For example, National Express charges just £3.50 to take a coach from London Victoria to Bristol at 8am (2hr 45 min journey). By contrast, you’d pay around £47 to travel by train from London Paddington with Great Western Railway (1hr 40 min journey) for an off-peak ticket. So consider your travel options, and if there’s a cheaper way to reach your destination.
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