Home General Chat
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

The cheapest fares on train

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Which days are the cheapest to travel by train? and what times? Like when are the off peak times for trains?
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Usually weekends are cheapest. 'Off-peak' depends upon the company. Most it's usually after 9.30am and not between say 4pm-6pm, but you'll need to check the specific company for their rules. Booking a ticket in advance, especially 2 weeks or more, can save you a lot of money.
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Off peak is between 9.30am onwards. However, the railcard minimum fare applies until 10am. In London and Birmingham and most 'Intercity' operators there is a ban on off peak tickets normally between 4-7pm. Dependant on operator.

    Prebook tickets are normally the cheapest way to go. Book as far in advance as you can and you should be able to save. The most cheap prebook tickets can be found between 10-4 and later in the evening. Sundays are the worst, a combination of engineering work and high traveller numbers.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you're travelling a long way, advance purchase tickets tied to one intercity operator are cheapest, and each train has a quota. For trains in the middle of the day during the week the quota is big and the demand is small, so the tickets are cheaper. In weekday peak time (before 10am and between 3pm and 7pm) these tickets are harder to get or are not available, and during Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday the tickets sell out quickly because of all the leisure passengers.

    It's hard to get advance purchase tickets on a Sunday afternoon because of a high number of travellers and a smaller number of trains. For that reason Sundays are often the busiest day for Intercity operators.

    Different types of walk-on ticket are not valid during certain times, for instance you cannot arrive in London on a Saver return before 10am, and you cannot arrive in places like Leeds, Manchester or Birmingham on a Saver return before 10am on Virgin. Young Persons' Railcards are subject to minimum fares before 10am, and are also not valid on some services arriving in London or other cities before 10am.

    For short distances, cheap day returns are not valid before 9.30am, and railcard discounts are subject to a minimum fare before 10am.

    Basically the cheapest time to travel is during the middle of the day or late evening, on a weekday.
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Violette wrote:
    on site train experts on these boards ;)
    All part of the service innit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Where do you get a railcard from? The train station? Or can you buy one online?

    Also, I find that if you book single fares each way it can work out a lot cheaper than return tickets (sometimes). For example: to london from leicester the return was something like £40, so I got two singles at £6 one way and £8 coming back.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i got mine from the train station. you need a photo for it so i'd assume you get them from the station. probably wrong though. :p
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Where do you get a railcard from? The train station? Or can you buy one online?

    Also, I find that if you book single fares each way it can work out a lot cheaper than return tickets (sometimes). For example: to london from leicester the return was something like £40, so I got two singles at £6 one way and £8 coming back.

    I suppose I should give you the useful link http://www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk/

    You can buy online now as a trial, alternatively print off the form, and take it along with a photo and a birth certificate to any manned station.
Sign In or Register to comment.