MoneySavingExpert.com Feature by Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert Train Ticket Prices
Train ticket prices are to logic what reindeer are to scrabble.
In other words, they’ve
nothing in common. If you want to save money on the train, take the logic book and throw it out of the window. While travelling by train can be cheap, efficient and easy, the pricing system is a mess. So to really hone down the cheapest priced tickets you need to understand and combine first the simple tips, then the bizarre…
Book 12 weeks early for cheaper fares Most people know if you book early you’ll get cheaper advance train tickets. Yet it’s important to understand these are generally sold in tranches, in other words there’s a set number of each type, so the aim is to buy them before they go.
The key time to look is around 12 weeks before you want to travel, as that’s when the timetable is set so most operators launch their advance tickets then or within a couple of weeks giving you maximum choice. So if you know you’ve got something pencilled in you need to travel to, diarise so you can be ready to pounce.
Grab a (discounted) railcard There are more national railcards available than there used to be. These normally cost £30 (though often there are codes to discount this check on
www.mse.me/traindeals) and reduce all fares by a third. Therefore if you’re likely to spend over £90 even on a one-off trip it’s worth it.
The main cards are… Family & Friends Railcard. Two people can be named on this, and then a named person and
60
up to three other adults can travel and get 30% off the fare, providing you’re travelling with between one and four kids, who get 60% off. Two Together Railcard. This one’s relatively new. It gives two named people on the card providing they’re travelling together a third off.
If you often travel with different people,
you could be named on more than one card to cover the combinations. Senior Railcard. This gets over 60’s a third off. 16-25 Railcard. Also a third off, though it’s often cheapest to buy the 3 years card (and worth remembering to do it before your 24th birthday to give you maximum time).
Get advance discounts late Never assume that you’re too close to travel to book an advance or discounted fare. Walk on fares are often far costlier than those even booked a day or so in advance. Always check via the rail companies own site. Check via sites like
www.redspottedhanky.com, www.
takethetrain.co.uk,
www.eastcoast.co.uk and
www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Singles can beat returns Lots of top deals are only available on one-way fares and cheaper fares are often available for two single tickets, but not the return. Do a quick search for both options and work out the difference in price before you finalise your booking.
Split tickets, not the journey Now it’s time to really throw the logic book out of the window to make some really big savings. Instead of buying tickets for the
To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e.
the.wire@btinternet.com
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