Cheap train tickets
How to find cheap train tickets
Advance fares are released for a limited number of seats per train and go up as those sell, so the earliest booking is usually the cheapest. Being flexible by an hour either side of your ideal departure often costs less than being flexible by a day.
The cheapest ticket types
Advance is the cheapest but binds you to one train. Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak are cheaper than Anytime and let you travel on any train within their restrictions. Anytime costs the most and asks nothing of you — it is what to buy when your plans might change.
Book early to get cheap train tickets
Advance fares typically go on sale around twelve weeks ahead, once the timetable is confirmed. Setting a reminder for the day they open is the single largest saving available on a long-distance journey.
For cheap trains, get a railcard
A railcard takes a third off most fares for a year, and several of them pay for themselves within a few long journeys. There is one for most situations — by age, for two people travelling together, for a family, for a region, and for disabled passengers.
Compare before you book
Gopili compares the fares of the train operators alongside coach and ride-share prices for the same journey, so you can see what the alternatives cost before you commit to a train ticket.