9 Easy Ways to Get Cheap Train Tickets for London
Do cheap train tickets for London exist? Sometimes it might not seem like it.
If you’re planning a trip in the UK, the price of train fares to London can be a bit shocking. But don’t worry!
Living here for a long time, I can tell you the best ways to get cheap train tickets for London and everywhere the UK. Let’s get started.
Cheap Train Tickets for London: All the Ways to Save
Here are my favorite tips for getting cheap London train tickets.
1. Know Your Ticket Types
In the UK, train ticket prices vary based on the time of day and the demand for travel, and also on advance fares vs. flexible fares.
Here are the main differences.
Flexible Fares: Peak vs. Off-Peak vs. Super Off-Peak
The UK train system categorizes tickets mainly into three types: Peak, Off-Peak, and Super Off-Peak.
These are all flexible fares, meaning that if you buy a peak ticket, you can get on any train that travels during this specific time frame.
This means you aren’t booking a specific train at a specific time. You’re booking a time-frame instead, so it’s a bit more flexible.
- Peak Tickets: These are similar to rush hour pricing. Peak times are usually weekday mornings and evenings when a lot of people are commuting to and from work. These are usually the most expensive.
- Off-Peak Tickets: Off-Peak is like flying midday or on a Tuesday. It’s outside the busiest travel times. Tickets are sometimes cheaper than peak times because there’s less demand, but there’s also less trains running at these times, so compare your fares.
- Super Off-Peak Tickets: Think of this as the equivalent of taking a red-eye flight. Super Off-Peak tickets are sometimes even cheaper and are available when trains are least busy.
There are always some exceptions, so check with your specific ticket type to make sure you know what you’re booking.
Advance vs. Peak & Off-Peak Tickets
Another price bracket of ticketing is advance fares (booking specific trains) vs. flexible fares (taking any train within your peak or off-peak time frame that your ticket specifies).
- Advance Tickets: Buying “Advance” tickets in the UK are like booking a flight several weeks or months in advance. They’re usually much cheaper but are for a specific train at a specific time. There are no refunds and no changes available for this type of ticket.
- Flexible Tickets: Peak and Off-Peak tickets offer more flexibility than Advance tickets. You’re not tied to a specific train, but you have to travel at the time that matches your ticket type. If you buy a peak fare, the train company will specify at what time you can travel on your ticket (i.e. 7am-10am or similar).
2. Cheap Train Tickets London Top Tip: Get a Railcard!
If you go to check out to buy UK train tickets, you’ll see an option to enter Railcard details before payment.
A Railcard is a savings card you purchase annually, and it gives hefty discounts and really helps to get cheap train tickets for London and across the UK.
Some railcards are cheaper and some are more expensive, but they all offer at least ⅓ off train tickets all year long.
This is the number one secret to getting cheap train tickets for London and all over the UK.
A 1-year Railcard costs usually costs £30 per person, but you can also save more if you buy a 3-year Railcard instead.
If you travel a lot in the UK, it’s really worth investing in a Railcard since you’ll always save at least 1/3 on all National Rail trains, and sometimes a lot more.
Use National Rail’s Savings Calculator to see how much you can save.
3. Book in Advance to Score Cheap Train Tickets for London & the UK
It’s not always possible to book ahead – sometimes we want or need to travel last-minute.
But if you can book trains well ahead of time (fares for most lines are released 3 months – 12 weeks – in advance), you’ll have the best chance of getting cheap UK train tickets.
Find out how far in advance fares are released for your route here.
Be aware that most advance tickets are non-refundable. So if you’re sick or cancel, you won’t get a refund.
4. Use National Rail’s Fare Finder
National rail has a handy fare finder that can find you the cheap London train tickets, and to any other destination.
It’ll show you the cheapest fare for your date and time, covering all train services across the UK.
I always check the Fare Finder when I’m booking train tickets to see what the prices are like for certain dates – it’s great for planning affordable holidays.
5. Book a Single Fare
When you are choosing your cheap train tickets to London, suddenly they’re not so cheap anymore when you add the return fare.
If you do a little playing around with dates and times, sometimes it’s actually cheaper not to book the return fare on the same ticket.
In the example above, the return fare from London to Bath is a whopping £235.60.
Just book two single fares for £23 each and you’ve saved £189!
6. Book Split Fare Tickets
Fare splitting is booking your journey in parts. You’re still on the same train, but instead of buying one (expensive) end-to-end ticket, you book it with individual tickets.
This only works on trains that have multiple stops and not direct trains with no stops. You don’t have to get off the train – you’re just buying the journey in parts.
For example: London to Glasgow might cost £100. But if you book London to Crewe for £23, then Crewe to Glasgow for £30 on the same train, you’ve saved £47.
Sometimes this can save big, and sometimes not so much. It’s worth exploring if the fares you’ve been seeing are outrageous, or it’s a peak travel time.
Check out all these split fare ticket vendors:
- My Train Pal
- Split My Fare
- TrainTickets.com
- Split Your Ticket
- Train Split
- Trainline recently added a split fare option, too!
7. Use Group Save
National Rail has a group save option, where 3 adults traveling together can save ⅓ on the total fare.
Traveling with buddies is the best anyway! And it’s cheaper!
8. Use a Ranger or Rover Ticket to Save on Multiple Trains
If you’re exploring a specific area, some train companies offer “Ranger” or “Rover” fares that offer unlimited travel for a specific day or time period, often including local bus fare.
This is great if you want to thoroughly explore one area of the UK, seeing multiple destinations.
Check with your train company for specific fares.
9. Book Directly to Get Cheap Train Tickets to London
Once you find out which train you need for your route, note which company runs it.
For example, in the screenshot above, Great Western Railway sells the 12:38 train for £40.
Trainline offers the exact same train for £53.45 (plus booking fees). Booking directly with the train company in this instance will save you at least £13.45.
Sometimes you’ll find a cheaper fare, and sometimes you won’t. Each company offers their own deals and pricing, so it’s best to shop around.
It all depends on the day and time you want to travel, but it’s worth exploring! It only takes a few minutes and you might be able to save.
Cheap London Train Tickets: Final Tips
Trying to get cheap train tickets to London can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many websites offering train fares to London, but train tickets to London can vary widely in price depending on who you’re booking with, when you want to travel, and the peak or off-peak fare.
Using my guide above, you’ll be able to find cheap train tickets to London no problem. If you can be a bit flexible with your travel date and travel time, you have the very best chance at scoring cheap train tickets to London.
Keep in mind my most important tips:
- ✅ Know which type of ticket you’re buying (flexible or non-refundable, specific train or timeslot).
- ✅ Shop around.
- ✅ Get a Railcard if you’ll travel more than once on National Rail.
- ✅ Book in advance if you can, and be flexible with your travel dates and times if you can.
Getting cheap train tickets for traveling the UK can be a bit tricky, but with persistence and a bit of internet browsing, you can do it!
Remember to check for any train strikes ahead of your travel dates to avoid disappointment.
If you’ve tried every trick and tip I listed above, and it’s still unaffordable, check for flights. Sometimes domestic flights in the UK are incredibly cheap.
Happy train travels!
Cheap Train Tickets to London FAQ
What time do trains to London get cheaper?
Peak is usually commuter times (before 9 or 9:30am, and between about 4pm and 6pm), and off-peak is outside commuter hours.
It depends on the specific train company you’re traveling on, so check their website to see what time off peak tickets are available.
Which site has the best cheap train tickets to London?
It’s best to shop around between National Rail, Trainline, split fare sites, and the individual train line’s website. They may all have a different price and different fees involved, so do your research.
Is it cheaper to buy train tickets on the day?
Sometimes it can be cheaper to buy on the day either online or in person, but this is becoming more rare.
Trains on popular routes are often full and it won’t be possible to get a ticket the day of. If you’re taking a less popular route (i.e. not something like Manchester to London) to a less popular destination, it might be possible.
Use caution: you might not end up with a ticket at all, so in my view it’s best done ahead of time.
Do tickets get cheaper closer to the train?
It depends. Trainline has a price prediction tool in their app that shows when tickets are likely to rise or fall in price. Generally on popular routes, tickets will only get more expensive.
What is the cheapest day to go to London?
There is no one day of the week that tickets are cheapest to London. It depends on if the day is a weekday or weekend, or during holiday or not.
Look for off-peak fares (during non-commuter hours) as well as advance fares during the week for the best chance at a cheap train ticket to London.
Can I Use Someone Else’s Railcard to Get the Discount?
No, you can’t borrow or use someone else’s railcard. Railcards come with your photo on them and train staff do actually check, every single time (at least they have checked mine on every journey).
What’s National Rail? Is it the Only Train Company in the UK?
National Rail refers to the entire network of trains that run in the UK.
Under the National Rail umbrella fall all the individual train companies that operate in the UK.
National Rail and its partner Network Rail own and maintain the tracks, but individual train operators own and run the trains and dictate the prices of train tickets to London.
Use this handy National Rail Map to see all the individual train company routes.
Why are London Train Tickets so Expensive?
Most train lines and rail services in the UK are privately owned. So unlike the rest of Europe where you can get cheaper fares, UK trains are in it for the profit.
But there are still ways to get cheap London train tickets, both leaving London and arriving in London.
Keep in mind that London is also one of the most expensive cities in the world, so entering and leaving London can be costly.
Is Trainline the Same as National Rail?
No. Trainline is a ticket vendor that can sell Network Rail tickets, but they are a totally independent company.
It’s like how you can book a hotel at Booking.com but they don’t own the hotels.
Train tickets to London are available in lots of places, so it’s best to shop around and compare.
Is Trainline the Cheapest Train Tickets?
Not always. Sometimes they can offer lower fares, but Trainline adds fees at checkout, so always double check that you’re not getting a better price from National Rail or the train company itself.
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