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The guide to getting a cheap ticket

Everyone is looking for the best value ticket and thankfully most booking offices and online sites will direct you to the best fare for your journey. However there are some things to keep in mind when looking for the best possible fare. This page is updated with all available ticket types (but not special offers - check the newsletter and blog for those). These tickets are generally always available, although may have restrictions.

Tickets Made Easy

Note: virtually all tickets have a child discount. All will offer either complementary or compulsory seat reservations. You do not need a seat reservation unless you have any of the flexible / advance tickets in which case it will be compulsory and you must take your reservation with you, along with ticket.

Don't forget to look at our Tips for getting a cheap ticket

and for the cheapest of all fares - some excellent special offer fares!

	Class	Single or Return	Valid	Return Journey	Refunds (may be admin charge)	Break of Journey	Booking Deadline	Railcard Discounts	Train Operator	Notes
Flexible Tickets
First Open	First	Both, single costs half of return	Any train, any time on any permitted route	Within one month	Yes	You may break your journey on both the outward and return sections.	Up to time of departure	Yes, except Family and Young Persons	Any	Expensive ticket aimed at the business traveler.
Standard Open	Standard	Both, single costs half of return	Any train, any time on any permitted route	Within one month	Yes	You may break your journey on both the outward and return sections.	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	Expensive, but flexible ticket. Aimed at business travelers.
First Day Single or Return	First	Both	Any time during day of issue on any permitted route	On date shown	Yes	You may break your journey on both the outward and return sections	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	Fully flexible ticket for journeys over a short distance
Standard Day Single or Return	Standard	Both	Any time during day of issue on any permitted route	On date shown	Yes	You may break your journey on both the outward and return sections	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	Fully flexible ticket for journeys over a short distance
Semi Flexible Tickets
Cheap Day Return	Standard	Return only	Usually only available off-peak journeys. Usually after 09.30 weekdays and all weekend	On date shown	Yes	You may break your journey on both the outward and return sections	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	'Off peak' definition varies between route. Many evening peak services excluded. Good value fare.
Saver	Standard	Single or Return, however single is £1 less than return so don't bother!	Usually for off peak journeys on weekdays and all weekend on any permitted route.	Within one month of date shown	Yes	You may break your return journey only - not outward	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	'Off peak' definition varies between route. Many evening peak services excluded. Good value fare
SuperSaver	Standard	Return	Off Peak journeys, Sun - Thu and some Saturdays. This ticket is only available on a few routes now and has been replaced by 'advance' tickets.	Within one month of date shown.	Yes	You may break your return journey	Up to time of departure	Yes	Any	Good ticket, however it has generally been replaced by 'advance' tickets. These are often cheaper, if less flexible.
Restricted Tickets
Advance (has many brand names - Virgin Advance, GNER Advance, Superadvance, Firstminute, Apex, Pionner Standard Advance etc	Standard (some companies have First class versions)	Return / sometime single. Two singles may be cheaper than a return. Often there are different price levels depending on demand.	Off peak journeys	Only on trains and dates shown	Limited / No	No break of journey	up to 1800 on day before travel, however best value fares only available well in advance.	No, except for a few higher value tickets.	Only specified train operators services.	Best value fares, however they are restricted and don't allow change of travel plans. Best fares are available well in advance.
Groups (Known as many brand names - Friends Fare, Groupsave, FabFour etc)	Standard Class	Return	Off Peak	Only on dates and trains shown	Limited / No	No break of journey	48 hours in advance	No	Only with specified train operators	Great value fare for small groups and families of adults

General Tips for the Best Fare

1. Book in advance. Many advance purchase fares are available. Although most will allow booking up to 48 hours before travel or even by 1800 the day before travel, many have different price bands from lowest to highest. So when the cheapest fares sell out they move on to a higher band and so on.

2. Consider using more than one ticket! In certain situations is may be cheaper to buy to tickets rather than one. For example some routes will only have a standard return. By 'splitting' your journey in two and taking two cheap day returns some impressive savings may be made.

3. Don't use all of your ticket! If you are traveling from a town with no cheap day return for example (it's perhaps too far to be considered a day trip) try looking for a ticket from a town before your stop. It may be that this is now far enough to have a discounted advance purchase ticket. This isn't technically within the rules, but there is nothing to stop you getting off before you were supposed to! (so long as you don't get on again!)

4. Travel in a group. There are many types of group fare for up to 4 adults available. These tickets offer huge savings over 3 or 4 individual tickets and are priced to be competitive with the cost of using a car to transport a similar number.

5. Lastly don't forget Railcards! These offer great savings for Seniors, Young People, Students and Families. You can purchase them at any staffed railway station. Find out more about Railcards here.