Rail is always the best way to get around Britain and often there are bargain fares too.
Railrovers and Groupsave tickets are good buys.
Many of the rail companies' promotions are at Promotions
You can find others by surfing the train operators' websites.
Links to their websites can be found at Train operators
Here are some we know have good deals on offer
c2c London-Tilbury-Southend
Chiltern Railway
E-Day Tickets Birmingham to London (and vice versa) for £5 single. Book until the day before and get your ticket sent direct to your mobile phone! £5 single
Just £15 Off-peak train ticket that gets you between the West Midlands and London, or vice versa, for just £15 return. It's a 'walk up' fare, so you don’t have to book in advance. If you have a Railcard, you'll pay just £9.90! Children (aged 5-15) travel at half price. Just £15
Derbyshire day rover
A Derbyshire Wayfarer is a one-day rover for trains and buses in the county.
£7.90 Includes one adult and one child.
£3.95 for a child (5-15) or senior.
£12.50 for a group Up to two adults and three children)
For details click here
Great North Eastern Railway
Heathrow Express
Expensive tickets but a few limited ideas for cutting costs: Heathrow Express
Hull Trains Hull Trains
Isle of Wight Island Line
Manchester area day rover GMPTE
GM Rail Ranger costs £3.50. The Evening Ranger costs £1.75.
Wayfarer costs £8.40 and covers large parts of Derbyshire, as far as Matlock, Crich, and Grindleford as well as covering Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Warrington, and Northwich. Group (two adults and two children): £16.80
Mills and Markets Day Ranger is valid on Northern, TransPennine and Virgin in an area bounded by Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton, Clitheroe, Colne, Halifax, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester Victoria. £12.50, £8.25 (railcard holders), £5.75 (child).
March 2007: The cheapest single fare between Manchester and London is Midland Main Line’s Advance C via Sheffield at £7. The cheapest single fare on Virgin West Coast is the Value Advance C at £12.50.
Manchester to London £7 single advance purchase ticket using MML trains from Sheffield and on connecting trains from Manchester.
Fylde Coast Day Ranger is for Northern services in the area bounded by Preston, Blackpool South and Blackpool North and covers Blackpool Transport buses and trams. Adult: £9.90 Child: £4.95 Concession: £6.55 Senior, Young Persons, and Disabled Railcards.
Freedom of the North West Rover ticket. Four days in eight cost £52. Seven-day Rover £63.00
Cheshire Day Ranger can be used on the services of all train operators (not Metrolink) in the area bounded by West Kirby, Liverpool, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe and Chester. £15 (£9.90 for railcard holders) and can be used after 08.45 on Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Adult: £15.00. Child: £7.50. Concession: £9.90 (young person, senior and disabled railcards).
Megatrain for bargain tickets bought in advance http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/News/_MegatrainLaunch.htm
One of the best travel bargains in Britain must be the family day rover which gives travel on rail and most buses in the Leeds area. The scratchcard style ticket costs £7.50 for two adults and three children throughout West Yorkshire from Todmorden to Pontefract and Ilkley to Holmfirth. It can be bought at bus stations and post offices and in theory at all staffed rail stations. But sometimes railstaff do not know about it. £5 for one adult. Train only £4. People who live outside the area can buy by post from West Yorkshire PTE, 40-50 Wellington Street, Leeds LS21 2DE. Tel: 0113 251 7272
Full details of all these special offers from national railways enquiry line 08457 484950
Northern Ireland Railways web site
Return to the Railwatch home page.
For rail campaigning news go to http://www.railfuture.org.uk
You can email Railwatch editor Ray King at editor@railwatch.org.uk (or just click on this link), e-mail Deltic Design with comments about the Railwatch Web pages, or visit their web site. 29.12.05
RiscPC