Cheaper train fares

Although the United Kingdom is one of the most expensive countries to travel by rail, on certain routes some train operators have very cheap fares. These fares are usually on routes with more than one competing railway company and they usually involve restrictions such as online advance purchase. Despite the restrictions, the savings with these cheap fares can be enormous and they are worth the effort of booking in advance.

London–Birmingham

Chiltern Railways run trains between London and Birmingham starting at £6 each way with London Northwestern Railway also offering £6 fares and advance purchase fares and Virgin Trains starting at £11, while the standard ticket price on the same route can cost as much as £115. Chiltern Railways depart from London Marylebone Station (London Northwestern and Virgin Trains depart from Euston Station) and the journey with Chiltern Railways takes longer than London Northwestern and Virgin Trains services. To get the £6 fare with Chiltern Railways, you need to book by 6pm the day before travel. These cheap tickets are only available in limited numbers and only for specific train departures. They are best booked online through Chiltern Railways website and tickets are either sent to your mobile phone or emailed for you to print at home. London Northwestern trains from London to Birmingham run from London Euston to Birmingham New Street (like Virgin Trains) with £6 advance purchase fares that can be purchased through the London Northwestern website from 12 weeks in advance up till 6pm the day before you travel. Virgin Trains advance purchase fares on the London–Birmingham route start at £8.

London–Leeds & York

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has advance purchase tickets for travel between London and Yorkshire with fares on the London–Leeds and London–York routes starting at only £17.

London–Leicester, Nottingham or Sheffield

East Midlands Trains have advance purchase tickets for travel between London and Leicester or Nottingham starting at £19. Even though it’s a longer trip, one-way fares between London and Sheffield start at just £14.50. These are advance purchase fares that are only available up to seven days before travel and tickets are cheapest for off-peak travel when booked online through East Midlands Trains website. Travel on these routes is also sold through Megatrain, which can often work out cheaper than booking directly with East Midlands Trains. Travelling from London to Leicester or Nottingham, you can get these same tickets for as little £7 each way when you book through Megatrain.

London–Manchester

Virgin Trains sell tickets for travel between London and Manchester with prices starting at £23. These special fares are for advance purchase through either the Trainline or Virgin Trains website. They are non-exchangeable, non-refundable and available for specific routes only. These tickets are sent to your mobile phone so you’ll need a UK sim card in your mobile to take advantage of these fares.

Megatrain one-way fares from £1

Megatrain sell cheap rail tickets using a yield management pricing model similar to the pricing system used by most low-cost airlines with tickets starting at £1 (plus a 50p booking fee); although train fares on most routes start at £9 with Megatrain, while it is easier to find £1 fares on Megabus coach services booked through the same website. Megatrain do not operate their own trains, but instead resell tickets for services operated by East Midlands Trains. Megatrain routes include Sheffield–Chesterfield–Derby–Loughborough–Leicester–London St Pancras and Nottingham–Loughborough–Leicester–London St Pancras. Megatrain is the cheapest place to buy British train tickets, particularly if you are booking your travel at least a few weeks in advance. If you’re travelling between London and either Leicester, Nottingham or Sheffield, this should be the first place to come to book your train tickets.

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