Train tickets are set to be slashed by as much as half as the Government looks to address cost-of-living pressures with cheaper travel in April and May. Dubbed the Great British Rail Sale, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said more than one million train tickets would be reduced this spring.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is hoping the move will help hard-pressed households, facing rising bills and soaring inflation, to afford trips across the UK and boost domestic tourism.
The sale, said to be the first of its kind, is expected to bring some Manchester to Newcastle journeys down to a little over £10, while seats on some London to Edinburgh services will be slashed from £44 to £22. Some journeys between Birmingham and London will be available for as little as £8.50.
Here's all you need to know about the offer:
Where can tickets be purchased?
Tickets can be purchased online from participating retailers with the up to half-price rate applying to a huge range of off-peak tickets spreading the length and breadth of the country. Tickets go on sale from today (April 19) with discounted tickets available on journeys from April 25 to May 27.
Tickets will be on sale at: www.nationalrail.co.uk/railsale
What fares are included?
The offer only applies to off-peak services and does not include commuter routes. Tickets covered by the sale include routes in England, Scotland and Wales.
The offer will have ended by the time many schools break up for May half-term. It will also miss the four-day UK bank holiday weekend from June 2-5, which will mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Sleeper services are not included.
How much cash can be saved?
The Department for Transport (DfT) says more than a million tickets will be cut in price by “up to” 50 per cent. Officials say at least 80 per cent of tickets included in the sale will be at a 50 per cent discount.
The others will be at a “substantial” discount but further details have not been confirmed. Savings on offer for off-peak tickets include:
- York to Leeds: was £5.60, now £2.80
- London to Edinburgh: was £44, now £22
- London to Cardiff: was £47, now £25
- Wolverhampton to Liverpool: was £10.50, now £5.25
- Manchester to Newcastle: was £20.60, now £10.30
- Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads: was £25.30, now £12.60
- Portsmouth Harbour to Penzance was £45.70, now £22
All will be sold on a first-come first-served basis.
Can they be combined with other offers?
Passengers will be able to combine the sale price with railcards to buy tickets for one-third of the original price.
What train operators are taking part?
The DfT says all English government contracted train operators will be taking part in the sale. Those are: Southeastern, London North Eastern Railway, Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, South Western Railway, Great Western Railway, Northern, C2C, Chiltern, London Northwestern Railway, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway, Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, TransPennine Express.
Hull Trains and Grand Central are also part of the scheme.
Why has the promotion been introduced?
Officials said offering half-price rail tickets was “one of the ways” the Government was helping to support families with the cost of living, having previously announced measures to defer energy costs and offer council tax discounts for some households.
In a statement, transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “For the first time ever, operators across the rail industry are coming together to help passengers facing rising costs of living by offering up to 50 per cent off more than a million tickets on journeys across Britain. There’s no better time to visit friends, family or just explore our great country, so book your tickets today.”
Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “We want everyone to be able to benefit from travelling by train because it’s more than just a journey, it’s a way to connect everyone to the people, places and things they love. As part of the Great British Rail Sale customers will enjoy over one million discounted tickets, so they can explore some of the fantastic locations that are accessible by rail.”
About 285 million rail passenger journeys were made in the UK during the last three months of 2021 - equating to t 62 per cent of the levels seen before coronavirus pandemic. Regulated fares in England and Wales increased by up to 3.8 per cent last month.
They cover around half of fares and include season tickets on most commuter routes. The rise was labelled the biggest increase since January 2013, according to the Rail Delivery Group.
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