The UK Government has announced train fares will be slashed by as much as 50% for a month to help with the cost of living crisis. The announcement is the latest in a series of measures revealed by the government in recent months to tackle rising prices.
The cheaper travel, available on off-peak fares for April and May has been dubbed the 'Great British Rail Sale', with the Department for Transport hoping the scheme will help hard-pressed households facing rising bills and soaring inflation to afford trips across the UK and boost domestic tourism.
The sale has cut some journeys between London and Cardiff from £47 to £25. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, referring to the end of coronavirus restrictions in a video to advertise the sale, said: "We've had two years of living life virtually. It is time to get real and visit our beautiful country."
Discounted tickets went on sale on Tuesday, April 19, with passengers eligible to travel for less on off-peak fares between April 25 and May 27. 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.
The promotion only applies to tickets for travel from 25 April to 27 May, with tickets available to buy until May 2, meaning the offer will not cover the majority of school half term, as well as missing the four-day UK bank holiday weekend from June 2 to 5, which will mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Tickets covered by the sale include routes in England, Scotland and Wales. It comes after the highest train fare rises for nine years came into force for rail travellers in England and Wales last month. In Wales, only journeys operated by Great Western Railway are valid.
In a statement Mr 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% 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."
What are some of the best discounts available for journeys from Wales?
Cardiff
- Cardiff Central to London, £25 each way.
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Cardiff Central to Swindon, £8 each way
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Cardiff Central to Southampton Central, £12 each way
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Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street, £13 each way
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Cardiff Central to Oxford, £22 each way
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Cardiff Central to Gatwick Airport, £26 each way
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Cardiff Central to Brighton, £30 each way
Swansea
- Swansea to Bristol Parkway, £9 each way.
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Swansea to Weston-super-mare, £10 each way
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Swansea to Swindon, £12 each way
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Swansea to London, £27 each way.
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Swansea to Reading, £23 each way
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Swansea to Oxford, £27 each way
All the discounts on valid journeys can be found on National Rail. To keep up to date with news from across Wales subscribe to our newsletters here.
