Cheap train tickets? Website TrainSplit does the seemingly impossible and finds users cheaper journeys using secret algorithm

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rail passengers could save themselves thousands after a computer programmer and train-lover combined ideas and created an algorithm to find fares so cheap they are hidden by companies. Founders of TrainSplit.com help passengers travel for less by ‘splitting’ their ticket, claiming that rail companies overcharge passengers on 42 per cent of tickets sold. Computer programmer Nick Brown, 45, rail fan Mike Richardson and business partner George Sikking combined their interests to create the website, which they claim can help passengers save an average 22 per cent on each journey. Mr Richardson said: “The idea is to take insider knowledge and make it available to the general traveller, so they don’t have to work anything out themselves.” Passengers must buy tickets for trains that stop at the stations where one ticket ends and starts, but they do not need to get off.