Passengers can get discounts of up to half price on millions of train tickets from today in the government’s annual rail sale.
The discounted tickets are available for selected advance and off-peak journeys between January 17 and March 31, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.
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Examples of price reductions on typical Advance fares – which are the cheapest tickets and must be used on specific trains – provided by the DfT include:
- From London to Newcastle down from £52.10 to £23.60
- From Nottingham to Manchester down from £18.50 to £9.20
- From Glasgow to Inverness down from £28.10 to £14.10
Sale tickets will be available on a limited basis, until Monday, January 20.
The only operators in Britain not participating in the sale are Hull Trains, Lumo and Merseyrail.
Book your tickets here, but be quick as they sell out quickly.
The DfT said passengers saved around £5.8 million during a similar scheme a year ago, when more than 600,000 tickets were sold.
This was worth £5.1 million in fares revenue and resulted in “an extra 440,000 journeys taken by train”, according to the department.
The DfT added that it “tasked the rail industry to deliver an even bigger sale” for 2025.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “I’m launching the biggest ever rail sale so more passengers can get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across the country.
“Whether you’re planning a getaway or wanting to visit friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions on all sorts of journeys.”
The 200th anniversary Rail Sale is here! 🕺🤩 We’re celebrating 200 years of train travel with up to 50% off over 2 million Advance tickets.
Well what are you waiting for?! Don’t miss out – The 200th anniversary Rail Sale ends 20th January 2025.
Book now 👉… pic.twitter.com/6Yf2DqHwT0
— National Rail (@nationalrailenq) January 14, 2025
The rail sale comes as the industry is marking the 200th anniversary of the world’s first passenger train service, when the Stockton and Darlington Railway in north-east England opened on September 27 1825.
Train fares will rise across England from March 2.
Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of industry body the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Over two centuries, rail has become a vital part of the UK, shaping the economy and lives of millions.
“The year’s rail sale will offer over two million discounted advance fares, which is a great way to save on your travel and celebrate 200 years of railway connections.”
The DfT set a cap of 4.6% for increases in regulated fares, such as season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.
The level of unregulated fare rises is decided by operators, although these are likely to rise by a similar amount as their finances are closely controlled by the DfT.