Rail is always the best way to get around Britain and often there are bargain fares too.
Rail rover and ranger and Groupsave tickets are good buys.
Many of the rail companies' promotions are at Promotions
You can find others on operators' websites. Links can be found at Train operators
An independent guide is available at cheap train tickets.
Some of the cheapest tickets are released by train operators 12 weeks in advance of travel.
A chart giving the dates when cheap tickets become available can be seen here
But you can sometimes buy cheaper tickets, the day before you travel.
You can buy train tickets online from various websites, have them delivered to your home or collect them from a machine at almost any rail station (not necessarily the one you leave from). The trainline.com imposes booking charges but others, including East Coast, do not.
There are also good deals available on train operator and other websites:
A Derbyshire Wayfarer is a one-day rover for trains and buses in the county. £8.90 Includes one adult and one child. £4.45 for a child (5-15) or senior. £15.10 for a group of up to two adults and three children. For details click here
Booking early can save you money. Eurostar tickets are usually released 120 days before travel. Some British train operators also offer Eurostar tickets with through travel. Make sure your ticket for UK travel is to "London International" which should avoid expensive travel costs in London.
Wayfarer costs £10 (child and over-60s £5) and covers Manchester, as well as 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): £20
Cumbrian Coast Day Ranger £17 adults (£11.50 with a railcard), £8.50 children
Cumbria Round Robin £26 adults (£17.15 with a railcard), £13 children
Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger £16 adults (£10.55 with a railcard), £8 children
East Yorkshire Day Ranger £20 adults (£13.20 with a railcard), £10 children
Settle-Carlisle Day Ranger £26 adults (£17.15 with a railcard), £13 children
Cheshire Day Ranger £19 adults (£12.55 with a railcard), £9.50 children. 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 after 08.45 on Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Lakes Day Ranger £19 adults (£12.55 with a railcard), £9.50 children. £37 family ticket.
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 £8.50 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 most post offices, some tourist information offices but sometimes at rail stations. £6.20 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
Return to the Railwatch home page.
For rail campaigning news go to Railfuture website
You can email Railwatch editor Ray King at editor@railwatch.org.uk (or just click on this link), email Deltic Design with comments about the Railwatch web pages, or visit the Deltic website.
9.1.2011
RiscPC and Mac