Train travel may be one of the most sustainable, speedy ways to get around in the UK, but tickets don’t come cheap. The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, reported that train fares have risen by around 4.6 per cent. But, unfortunately, for many, the cost is unavoidable.
A railcard can save you a third on your travel, but also booking tickets via Trainline guarantees the best price, with no booking fee when you buy same-day tickets using the app. Our team of money-savers have used their skills to find ways to help you save up to £22 per trip, and enjoy an average of 61 per cent off* with advance bookings. Here’s how.
Top Trainline discount codes
How to save at Trainline
Book advanced tickets
As is often the case, train tickets are usually cheaper when you book them in advance. Advance train tickets are single fares that go on sale around 12 weeks before your departure date. They’re non-refundable and non-flexible – which is what makes them a lot cheaper than on-the-day, full-price fares.
Advance train tickets from Trainline can save you up to 61 per cent compared to purchasing on the day, but only a limited number of tickets will be available, so don't hang around. We recommend setting up a ticket alert, which will notify you as soon as the tickets are released.
Split tickets
By opting for a split ticket on Trainline, you can save on average £22 per trip and as much as up to 50 per cent compared with booking a single journey. The app splits your train journey into multiple tickets automatically, rather than buying a single ticket, saving you a big chunk of cash. Most of the time, you won't have to change trains; the train just needs to stop at your split ticket section.
Invest in a season ticket
If you’re frequently travelling by train, you can save with digital season tickets. There are four options – weekly, monthly, annual and flexi tickets. When you buy an annual season ticket you'll also get a free annual gold card, which acts in the same way as a railcard and gets you a third off of off-peak train journeys, travelcards and tube trips, saving you an extra £93 a year, on average.
Travel off-peak
Pre-planning your travel times can mean signifant savings. By simply choosing to go an hour later or earlier, during off-peak times of the day, or outside of peak seasons, your fare can be between 10 to 50 per cent cheaper. Peak times of day tend to be before or after typical commuting hours, however these can vary slightly depending on the operator. Midweek, specifically Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, are also typically cheaper than the tail-end of the weekend (Monday and Fridays).
Download the Trainline app for more savings
If you’re a frequent traveller, it’s well worth downloading the app to access live train coverage, convenient and quick ticket booking and app-coupons or flash sales that may be relevant to you. It also has a price prediction tool that shows how ticket costs evolve and warns if prices are expected to rise, making it easier to choose the best booking moment.
Group savings
If you’re travelling as a group of between three and nine people, it’s well worth booking a groupsave ticket, to save up to a third (34 per cent) on your train fare. Groupsave discounts are available on most off-peak routes after 9:30am, Monday to Friday.
Use a student discount for 15 per cent off
Student Beans members can save an extra 15 per cent on selected railcards through the Trainline app. Railcards included in this offer include the 16-25 railcard, 26-30 railcard and 16-17 saver. To redeem these offers, simply log in to your Student Beans account and you will receive a unique code to apply at checkout.
Get a railcard
A railcard is a smart way to save up to 33 per cent on every train journey. There are nine different railcards to choose from, including the senior railcard, friends and family and network railcard, so the chances are you will find one to suit.
With card prices starting from £35 and an average of £172 in annual savings, it pays for itself in just a few journeys. Simply apply your railcard to your Trainline ticket booking to see your discounted train fare.
How we find the best Trainline discount codes
We have an incredible team of deal hunters here at The Independent, who are skilled in curating the best offers on products that we know you love. We work closely with Trainline to bring you the latest and best discounts, as soon as they are released. As well as checking for new deals daily, our team hand-test and quality-check every offer and code, so you can be sure it’s always up-to-date and working.
Why you can trust us
Since 1986, The Independent has been a trusted consumer champion, reporting on behalf of our readers to find the best of all discounts out there. Whether bringing you the latest deals on train travel or fashion, our team is always searching for the cream of the crop. Rest assured, we only bring you deals from brands that we trust and would buy from ourselves.
*Average savings on advance fares booked at least one day before the day of travel vs anytime fares purchased on day of travel.
To keep up to date with the best savings, check out our dedicated deals section
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