There are a host of legal train fare ticket tricks that can enable you to railroad (sorry) down the price. For example, after ten minutes checking hidden options, I cut a London to Penzance ticket from the £234 the train company lists as cheapest, to less than £40.
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Simple train ticket cost cutting tips
Before we get to all the hardcore tips to really slash the price, there are a few simple things to consider to cut costs:
Buy early, specifically 12 weeks early
Everyone knows book early and you can get cheaper fares, yet often these disappear quicker than empty seats on a commuter trip. Therefore to ensure a bargain, the key moment is buying 12 weeks in advance. This is because, contractually Network Rail must have the timetable set 12 weeks in advance; therefore this is commonly – though not definitely – when tickets are released.
You can book early quite late
Early booking is still cheaper even when it's not so early. Advance tickets can be available as late as 6pm the night before, so it's worth checking.
Get free first class in the dining car
Some longer journeys still have first class dining cars as well as the standard buffet. These are often open to all diners, whatever class their ticket is. So go in and order a meal; while it's a bit more expensive, you can effectively travel in first class luxury for a second class price and some grub.
It's worth knowing, they do have the right to kick you back to where you belong (ie second class!) once you've finished eating, but it rarely happens.
If you spend over £60 a year, get a railcard
Railcards typically cost £20 and cut a third off the bill. Therefore if you spend over £60 a year (even if it's just one trip) on applicable journeys, get one. Though, the cost of cards is due to rise to £24 on 2 Jan 2008, so it's worth buying now if you're going to need it. They're available at stations or the Railcard website. There are three main cards:
The Young Person's card is for under 25s or full-time students of any age. One trick with this is ensure you renew just before your 26th birthday to get another year (the same applies for those older and leaving Uni). The Family Railcard can be used by an adult with at least one under 15 in tow, and the Senior Railcard for the over 60s, though that isn't valid on some peak services.
For those that qualify there's also the Disability Railcard costing £18.
Don't assume every journey is eligible for use with a railcard though, always check it out first. Bizarrely if your railcard isn't valid, don't try and use it as there are some reports they actually add to the price.
Check out local rail cards, season tickets and Rover & Ranger tickets
Local rail cards, season tickets and Rover and Ranger tickets, such as the Network Railcard in the South East, are also available offering holders unlimited travel within specific areas for specific periods of time. There's a full list of these on the National Rail website.
Travel the same route frequently? A season ticket may save you money
The National Rail website has a nifty little tool to help you work out the cost of a season ticket. Just go to its season ticket calculator, enter your route and the length of season ticket you want and it'll tell you how much it'll cost. If there's more than one route available it'll show all i.e., look for a season ticket from Bristol to London and it gives two choices, one without restrictions costing £8,276 the other limiting you to trains travelling through Warminster and Salisbury costing £5,708.
Check for hidden promotional specials
The National Rail website has a special promotions index page listing all the special discounted offers. Also do note that on certain Virgin and South West Trains routes, including Manchester to Edinburgh and London to Southampton, it's possible to get Megatrain fares for £1 if you book early enough.
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