Simon Calder reveals his tricks to finding cheap train tickets
3 weeks, 6 days ago

Simon Calder reveals his tricks to finding cheap train tickets

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Rail retailers – as opposed to train operators – can add a fee on top of the 5 per cent commission they earn from online sales. Uber is the leading discounter, saying you can “get up to 10 per cent back in Uber credits to spend on trains, rides or eats”. Upon joining, members get an immediate 10 per cent off the price of a standard return ticket on the network, which connects London Euston with the West Midlands, northwest England, North Wales and southern Scotland. On the West Coast main line, for example, London Northwestern offers much cheaper tickets than Avanti West Coast on many journeys – particularly at peak times.

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History of this topic

Want lower rail fares to lure people out of their cars? We need a rail revolution
3 weeks ago

Want lower rail fares to lure people out of their cars? We need a rail revolution

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ms Hockley’s sensible question usually gets a stock answer: the railways cost a fixed amount to run, roughly £25bn a …

Split ticket savings: How exploiting Britain’s barmy train fares could cut the cost of your travel
Trending News
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Split ticket savings: How exploiting Britain’s barmy train fares could cut the cost of your travel

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On 2 March 2025 ticket prices went up by an average of 4.6 per cent in England and Wales; from …

How can Britain’s railways be improved for commuters? Join The Independent Debate
3 weeks, 2 days ago

How can Britain’s railways be improved for commuters? Join The Independent Debate

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rail fares in Britain are among the highest in Europe, and with a 4.6 per cent …

Simon Calder reveals how to find the cheapest train tickets
1 month ago

Simon Calder reveals how to find the cheapest train tickets

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Rail retailers – as opposed to train operators – can add a fee on top of the 5 per cent …

‘You won’t find cheaper tickets anywhere else’: Why Trainline’s promise doesn’t stack up
1 month, 1 week ago

‘You won’t find cheaper tickets anywhere else’: Why Trainline’s promise doesn’t stack up

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy “You won’t find cheaper tickets anywhere else”: that is the bizarre pledge from rail retailer Trainline, …

Rail sale: Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £4 or less before midnight tonight
2 months ago

Rail sale: Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £4 or less before midnight tonight

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy “More discounted tickets than ever before”: that is the government’s promise as the 2025 Rail Sale …

Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £4 or less in the Rail Sale
2 months, 1 week ago

Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £4 or less in the Rail Sale

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy “More discounted tickets than ever before”: that is the government’s promise as the 2025 Rail Sale …

Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £3 in the Great British Rail Sale
Trending News
2 months, 1 week ago

Simon Calder reveals how to get train tickets for £3 in the Great British Rail Sale

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The government is hoping the Great British Rail Sale will stimulate demand for rail travel. open image in gallery Avanti …

Rail sale: When you can access cheap train tickets and the operators taking part
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Rail sale: When you can access cheap train tickets and the operators taking part

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Train ticket offers Examples of price reductions on typical Advance fares include: Examples of price reductions on typical Advance fares …

The secret hacks you need to know to save up to 54% on first-class train tickets
2 months, 3 weeks ago

The secret hacks you need to know to save up to 54% on first-class train tickets

Daily Mail  

Some diligent planning ahead – combined with a few savvy crosschecks – can make all the difference when it comes to bagging a cheap first-class ticket. We tried all the tricks to get first-class tickets at reduced prices – here’s what we found… Is there really a simple way of getting a cheap first-class ticket? For London King’s Cross to …

How to deter prospective rail passengers: Pretend fares are much higher than they are
3 months, 2 weeks ago

How to deter prospective rail passengers: Pretend fares are much higher than they are

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy “The three most expensive rail operators in Europe are the ones operating totally or partially in …

Review into rail fare-dodging enforcement after ‘egregious’ prosecutions
4 months, 1 week ago

Review into rail fare-dodging enforcement after ‘egregious’ prosecutions

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In her first appearance before the Transport Select Committee, Louise Haigh said: “We have seen egregious examples of fare prosecutions …

Train fares and railcard price increase: What you need to know
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Train fares and railcard price increase: What you need to know

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The cost of regulated train fares in England will increase by up to 4.6% next year …

Government hikes train fares by 4.6% and increases cost of railcards in blow to commuters as part of Rachel Reeves' £40bn tax bomb Budget
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Government hikes train fares by 4.6% and increases cost of railcards in blow to commuters as part of Rachel Reeves' £40bn tax bomb Budget

Daily Mail  

Rail fares in England will be hiked by an inflation-busting 4.6 per cent next year. The rise will send the cost of many commuter season tickets soaring by hundreds of pounds In the run-up to the election, now Transport Secretary Louise Haigh insisted the party had ‘no plans’ to hike fares while claiming that its re-nationalisation plans would not cost …

Train tickets to rise by "modest" 6% after cabinet puts up €40m
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Train tickets to rise by "modest" 6% after cabinet puts up €40m

Dutch News  

The price of train tickets will rise by 6% next year after the government agreed to put up €40 million to limit the increase. National rail operator NS said last month it would need to raise ticket prices in 2025 by 12% to cover a €120 million gap in its budget, equivalent to 8.7% above inflation. Junior transport minister Chris …

Train tickets to rise by "modest" 6% after cabinet puts up €40m
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Train tickets to rise by "modest" 6% after cabinet puts up €40m

Dutch News  

The price of train tickets will rise by 6% next year after the government agreed to put up €40 million to limit the increase. National rail operator NS said last month it would need to raise ticket prices in 2025 by 12% to cover a €120 million gap in its budget, equivalent to 8.7% above inflation. Junior transport minister Chris …

Why Labour’s plan to revive British Rail won’t bring down ticket prices
11 months ago

Why Labour’s plan to revive British Rail won’t bring down ticket prices

The Telegraph  

Slashing ticket prices, conversely, would require an increase in subsidy, something Labour is reluctant to fund given the numerous other calls on the public purse and its determination to stick to fiscal rules. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch praised Labour’s commitment to nationalising rail franchises as they expire as “in the best interests of railway workers”. He said the move …

Train passengers hit out at delays and cancellations on first day of ticket price increase
1 year ago

Train passengers hit out at delays and cancellations on first day of ticket price increase

The Independent  

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 have hit out at the “irony” of mass …

Train fares increase again – find out how much your ticket will cost now
1 year ago

Train fares increase again – find out how much your ticket will cost now

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Train fares are …

Train fares: everyone knows they’re wrong, but no government is brave enough to fix them
1 year ago

Train fares: everyone knows they’re wrong, but no government is brave enough to fix them

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The general secretary of the biggest rail union, Mick Lynch, called the rise a “slap in the face” for travellers, …

Train tickets can cost double when bought from station, research finds
1 year, 2 months ago

Train tickets can cost double when bought from station, research finds

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Great Northern, the train operator responsible for the machines at Hitchin, said off-peak tickets for same-day travel could be found …

This is Britain’s cheapest train ticket – costing just 70p (or 45p with a railcard)
1 year, 2 months ago

This is Britain’s cheapest train ticket – costing just 70p (or 45p with a railcard)

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Britain’s cheapest rail ticket can be revealed: just 70p buys a nine-minute, six-mile journey on a …

Rail passengers in England face ‘brutal’ hike as fares to rise by 4.9%
1 year, 3 months ago

Rail passengers in England face ‘brutal’ hike as fares to rise by 4.9%

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak’s government …

Birmingham-London rail fares war sees train tickets slashed to under £10
1 year, 5 months ago

Birmingham-London rail fares war sees train tickets slashed to under £10

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Competition between rail and coach firms for passengers between Birmingham and London has intensified, with Avanti …

Train ticket prices could fall by 56 per cent if rest of UK follows Scotland in scrapping peak-time rail fares
1 year, 6 months ago

Train ticket prices could fall by 56 per cent if rest of UK follows Scotland in scrapping peak-time rail fares

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Train operator ScotRail and the Scottish government are facing a 30 per cent slump in rail commuting due to changes …

ScotRail to bring in off-peak tickets around the clock in six-month trial
1 year, 6 months ago

ScotRail to bring in off-peak tickets around the clock in six-month trial

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Peak fares are to be abolished for the winter by ScotRail, with the operator hoping to …

Why you should buy your train tickets before 5 March
2 years, 1 month ago

Why you should buy your train tickets before 5 March

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rail fares are set to go up on 5 March and current train tikcet prices will …

Why are UK train fares so irrational? The Man In Seat 61 explains
2 years, 1 month ago

Why are UK train fares so irrational? The Man In Seat 61 explains

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The transport secretary, Mark Harper, will reportedly unveil plans this week to replace return fares with “single-leg pricing”, in which …

What is split ticketing and how can it save me money on train tickets?
2 years, 5 months ago

What is split ticketing and how can it save me money on train tickets?

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The practice of exploiting anomalies in Britain’s extremely complex rail fare structure to reduce the cost of train travel. First …

One million £1 train tickets available as Northern launches flash sale
2 years, 6 months ago

One million £1 train tickets available as Northern launches flash sale

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rail operator Northern has launched a flash sale, promising a million £1 tickets for journeys across …

Nationalise the railway and slash fares: Andy Burnham’s plan for transport
2 years, 10 months ago

Nationalise the railway and slash fares: Andy Burnham’s plan for transport

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Burnham sets out the policy that, as a senior Labour politician, he is promoting: “We won’t get the railway …

Train fans could win £10k to become ‘Chief Environment Officers’ and promote UK rail travel
2 years, 11 months ago

Train fans could win £10k to become ‘Chief Environment Officers’ and promote UK rail travel

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Coinciding with Earth Day, the UK’s rail industry has launched a search for three ‘chief environment …

The Great British Rail Sale sounds splendid – but there’s a catch
2 years, 11 months ago

The Great British Rail Sale sounds splendid – but there’s a catch

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But here we are, with the …

Half-price train tickets: How does the sale work and what’s the catch?
2 years, 11 months ago

Half-price train tickets: How does the sale work and what’s the catch?

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. As the government and rail industry seek to boost demand after the slump caused by the pandemic, more than one …

‘Rail sale’ offers more than a million half-price tickets in April and May
2 years, 11 months ago

‘Rail sale’ offers more than a million half-price tickets in April and May

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy London to Edinburgh for £22 one-way, or under £15 with a railcard: that is one of …

Great British rail sale: London to Edinburgh for £22 as train ticket prices slashed
2 years, 11 months ago

Great British rail sale: London to Edinburgh for £22 as train ticket prices slashed

The Telegraph  

First step to cut cost Transport campaigners welcomed the move but warned that it should be a first step to cutting the cost of rail travel. It can show the Treasury that the way to increase income is to cut fares, not to keep ratcheting them up and driving people off the railway.” While rail travel is heavily subsidised by …

Train fares are a shambles – without fair pricing the railways are set for a painful decline
3 years ago

Train fares are a shambles – without fair pricing the railways are set for a painful decline

The Independent  

Yesterday, a one-way rush-hour ticket from Bristol to London would have cost £115. “Rail fare rise capped below current inflation rate” reads the headline of the DfT press release that heralded the 3.8 per cent increase in fares across England and Wales. Fortunately, as all regulars on Brunel’s magnificent line between London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads will know, the …

Commuters hit by biggest rise in rail fares in almost a decade
3 years ago

Commuters hit by biggest rise in rail fares in almost a decade

The Telegraph  

Commuters will be hit with the biggest increase in rail fares for nearly a decade despite a steep fall in the number of train services being run. National rail fares will rise by 3.8pc, the steepest increase since January 2013, in a fresh blow to families facing spiralling energy bills, soaring inflation and steepling mortgage costs. The increase will do …

Train passengers braced for largest spike in fares since 2013
3 years ago

Train passengers braced for largest spike in fares since 2013

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “It is important that fares are set at a …

How much more expensive will my train ticket be next year?
3 years, 3 months ago

How much more expensive will my train ticket be next year?

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks …

Five years on, rail passengers are still waiting for ticket improvements
3 years, 3 months ago

Five years on, rail passengers are still waiting for ticket improvements

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Rail passengers must be able to trust that they are getting the best possible deal every time they travel.” The …

London-Edinburgh for under £10: budget train link will give railcard discounts
3 years, 6 months ago

London-Edinburgh for under £10: budget train link will give railcard discounts

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The new cut-price rail link between London, Newcastle and Edinburgh will deliver even better value than …

Rail passengers face potential 4.8% rise in fares
3 years, 7 months ago

Rail passengers face potential 4.8% rise in fares

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. That would lead to hikes in the cost of …

Rail fares need an overhaul to help ‘level up’ the North
4 years, 5 months ago

Rail fares need an overhaul to help ‘level up’ the North

The Telegraph  

Boris Johnson risks falling short of his pledge to “level up” all regions of the UK due to a “complicated and restrictive” rail fare structure, industry leaders and politicians have warned, particularly following the impact of Covid-19. The Rail Delivery Group said the current system made it “difficult to offer the more flexible fares and ticketing options that passengers will …

Rail fares to rise by 1.6% from January
4 years, 7 months ago

Rail fares to rise by 1.6% from January

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Many train tickets will cost 1.6 per cent more from 2 January – unless the government …

Wales has found an answer to England's soaring train fares
5 years, 2 months ago

Wales has found an answer to England's soaring train fares

Wired  

Getty Images / WIRED Every January rail fares in the UK get more expensive. But this year Wales has done what the rest of the UK rail has found impossible: instead of hiking prices, it slashed the cost of train tickets by up to ten per cent. Wales has notoriously poor rail infrastructure – you can’t get from north to …

UK commuters face further rail fare rise
5 years, 2 months ago

UK commuters face further rail fare rise

Al Jazeera  

Rail passengers in the United Kingdom face “another decade of misery”, with some long-distance commuters seeing the annual cost of getting to work increase by more than 100 pounds. “How on earth is the government going to meet its climate commitments by pricing people off environmentally friendly trains and on to our polluted and congested roads?” Network Rail data shows …

General election: Labour to cut rail fares by up to 75%
5 years, 3 months ago

General election: Labour to cut rail fares by up to 75%

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. An across-the-board 33 per cent cut in regulated fares would take effect from January 2020, replacing the planned 2.7 per …

Railcard raffle: time to reform train fares
5 years, 6 months ago

Railcard raffle: time to reform train fares

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Virgin Trains, in a defiant parting gesture as it is stripped of its West Coast franchise, is developing an app …

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