Oct 15, 2014 13:59 By Emma Munbodh
Find out how you can get big discounts on your train tickets to stations across the UK including London, Manchester and Birmingham by booking ahead
PABook in advance and you could save hundreds on fares up and down the country
It’s no secret that train tickets cost a lot with fares to popular UK hotspots like Manchester and Birmingham expensive and only going up - 3.5% from January 2015.
But you can beat the system by booking in advance and save yourself a fortune - and we mean a fortune - with one-ways to Manchester starting at just £7.50, compared to an eye-watering £78.70 on the day!
The hidden trick
Book in advance and you could save some serious cash on rail travel across the UK, including to popular but pricey destinations like Liverpool, Leeds and London.
Regular commuter? If you know the time of travel, you can save on peak time fares too.
Follow our guide below to find out how you can save on fares to Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Edinburgh.
How does it work?
Whether you’re a regular commuter, occasional day-tripper or travel now and then to visit friends and family, this trick can help you save.
It works best if you know when and where you’re going well in advance – the earlier you book the bigger your savings.
Visit thetrainline.com
Type in where you're traveling to and from
Select your date of travel
See your savings
Book your seat and start the countdown...
See the savings for yourself
We compared prices on some of the most popular journeys to show you exactly how much you can save.
This is excluding any promotional discounts, railcards, and delivery costs. (Full details below the graphic)
Book from Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone
A standard single to Birmingham Moor Street on-the-day costs £28.80.
However, if you book one to 10 weeks in advance you could save a fortune.
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £11.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £7.50.
That’s a £21.30 saving if you book anything from two to 10 weeks early.
All advance fares research carried out by deals finder Vouchercloud.com.
Book from Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston
A standard single to Liverpool Lime Street on-the-day costs £78.70.
However, book one to 10 weeks in advance and you'll make big savings:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £27.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £14.
That’s a whopping £64.70 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Sheffield to London St Pancras International
A standard single to Sheffield on-the-day costs £71.50.
However, here's what happens if you book one to 10 weeks in advance:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £25.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £25.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £15.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £15.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £13.50.
That’s an amazing £58 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Leeds to London Kings Cross
A standard single to Leeds on-the-day costs £96.80.
However, if you book one to 10 weeks in advance you could save a fortune.
Book one week early for the same journey and pay £30.50.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £30.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £49.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £22.60.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £14.60.
That’s an amazing £82.20 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross
A standard single to Edinburgh on-the-day costs £125.80.
However, book one to 10 weeks in advance you'll save big time:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £64.50.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £64.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £64.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £39.50.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £25.80.
That’s an amazing £100 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
And it doesn't end there...
It's also actually cheaper to purchase two single tickets rather than an open-return.
This is because the cost of an open return ticket never changes - even if you book weeks in advance- so you are effectively cancelling out any savings by doing so.
For example, a single ticket between Exeter and London, 10 weeks in advance, is only £14.00 but an open return is £63.80.
By booking two single journeys instead of an open-return, you'll save £35.80.
With savings as high as £59.70 for a single journey - it's no wonder so many people book online.
Saturday 18 October 2014
How to get cheap train tickets to top UK destinations
Oct 15, 2014 13:59 By Emma Munbodh
Find out how you can get big discounts on your train tickets to stations across the UK including London, Manchester and Birmingham by booking ahead
PABook in advance and you could save hundreds on fares up and down the country
It’s no secret that train tickets cost a lot with fares to popular UK hotspots like Manchester and Birmingham expensive and only going up - 3.5% from January 2015.
But you can beat the system by booking in advance and save yourself a fortune - and we mean a fortune - with one-ways to Manchester starting at just £7.50, compared to an eye-watering £78.70 on the day!
The hidden trick
Book in advance and you could save some serious cash on rail travel across the UK, including to popular but pricey destinations like Liverpool, Leeds and London.
Regular commuter? If you know the time of travel, you can save on peak time fares too.
Follow our guide below to find out how you can save on fares to Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Edinburgh.
How does it work?
Whether you’re a regular commuter, occasional day-tripper or travel now and then to visit friends and family, this trick can help you save.
It works best if you know when and where you’re going well in advance – the earlier you book the bigger your savings.
Visit thetrainline.com
Type in where you're traveling to and from
Select your date of travel
See your savings
Book your seat and start the countdown...
See the savings for yourself
We compared prices on some of the most popular journeys to show you exactly how much you can save.
This is excluding any promotional discounts, railcards, and delivery costs. (Full details below the graphic)
Book from Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone
A standard single to Birmingham Moor Street on-the-day costs £28.80.
However, if you book one to 10 weeks in advance you could save a fortune.
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £11.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £7.50.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £7.50.
That’s a £21.30 saving if you book anything from two to 10 weeks early.
All advance fares research carried out by deals finder Vouchercloud.com.
Book from Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston
A standard single to Liverpool Lime Street on-the-day costs £78.70.
However, book one to 10 weeks in advance and you'll make big savings:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £27.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £27.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £14.
That’s a whopping £64.70 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Sheffield to London St Pancras International
A standard single to Sheffield on-the-day costs £71.50.
However, here's what happens if you book one to 10 weeks in advance:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £25.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £25.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £15.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £15.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £13.50.
That’s an amazing £58 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Leeds to London Kings Cross
A standard single to Leeds on-the-day costs £96.80.
However, if you book one to 10 weeks in advance you could save a fortune.
Book one week early for the same journey and pay £30.50.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £30.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £49.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £22.60.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £14.60.
That’s an amazing £82.20 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
Book from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross
A standard single to Edinburgh on-the-day costs £125.80.
However, book one to 10 weeks in advance you'll save big time:
Book one week early for the same journey and you'll only have to fork out £64.50.
Book two weeks in advance and pay just £64.50.
Book three weeks in advance and pay just £64.50.
Book five weeks in advance and pay just £39.50.
Book 10 weeks in advance and you'll pay just £25.80.
That’s an amazing £100 saving if you book 10 weeks early.
And it doesn't end there...
It's also actually cheaper to purchase two single tickets rather than an open-return.
This is because the cost of an open return ticket never changes - even if you book weeks in advance- so you are effectively cancelling out any savings by doing so.
For example, a single ticket between Exeter and London, 10 weeks in advance, is only £14.00 but an open return is £63.80.
By booking two single journeys instead of an open-return, you'll save £35.80.
With savings as high as £59.70 for a single journey - it's no wonder so many people book online.
