Train fares: 7 simple ways to ‘save significant chunk of money’ on tickets

As an example, commuters travelling from Milton Keynes to London Euston five days a week buying a ticket at the station each day would cost £44.70, or £223.50 for the week. If, on the other hand, you bought a weekly season ticket, this would cost you £147.10, the equivalent of saving £29.42 per day.

Personal finance experts at Ocean Finance said: “Whilst these longer season tickets are very expensive to buy up-front, you could have a chat with your employer about whether they offer a season ticket scheme.

“This is where they would buy your season ticket for you, and you pay for it gradually through your wages each month. Employer schemes like this don’t usually count as a type of credit as the money is taken as a deduction from your wages before they hit your account.”

National Rail has a season ticket calculator that shows you how much you can save depending on your route.

Consider the service Commuter Club

For those whose employers won’t offer a season ticket scheme or don’t commute often for work, there are still other options for cheaper tickets, such as Commuter Club.

This enables you to benefit from the cheaper daily cost that comes with an annual season ticket, while paying monthly to avoid a huge initial outlay.

Ocean Finance experts explained: “Commuter Club is a type of credit with fees payable and will be recorded on your credit report. So, it’s important to bear this in mind before you decide how to fund your season ticket.”

Split your tickets to save up to 40 percent

According to Ocean Finance, split ticketing is cheap train travel’s best-kept secret.

They said: “Instead of buying one ticket to cover your whole journey. you’ll buy multiple tickets for different parts of the journey to save money.”

For example, a train from Cardiff to Newcastle could stop in Birmingham along the way. Instead of buying one ticket from Cardiff to Newcastle, you’d buy a ticket from Cardiff to Birmingham, and another ticket from Birmingham to Newcastle.

The experts continued: “You would stay on the same train, in the same seat, but could save a significant chunk of money.”

Despite sounding complicated, it’s super easy as a service like Split My Fare will do the legwork for you.

The average saving between Glasgow and Birmingham is 29 percent, between London and Glasgow is 41 percent, and between Leeds and London is 40 percent.

Buy tickets in advance

While buying tickets in advance to save money isn’t a new concept, it’s still effective as it can save up to 61 percent according to Trainline.

Ocean Finance experts said: “Train tickets tend to go on sale 8-12 weeks ahead of time, with prices starting relatively low and gradually increasing in price the closer to the date of travel we get.

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