Is there a website in the uk that sells cheap train tickets?

Question

Is there a website in the uk that sells cheap train tickets?

Answer 1

My local railway station has always been able to sell me tickets at the same price as I have seen them on the internet that day and often they have been able to book a seat where none were available to reserve on the web site. When my daughter wanted to change a ticket she spent simply ages on the phone getting absolutely nowhere, it was done in 30 seconds at the station. Don't knock your local station, they can be very helpful.

Answer 2

I always use www.thetrainline.com (part of Virgin Trains). I have never found any problem with delivery - tickets arrive the day after order (if ordered in working hours). They offer a special delivery service for last minute tickets. or the ability to  pick them up from the station if there is a machine. The website has the ability to tell you  whether there are bargain single tickets - for example just yesterday I was checking the price from my local station in Sussex to the East Midlands - a return would have been in excess of £60 but I could do the journey using two singles for just over £30. I don't think that ticket office clerks are going to have this information at their fingertips, despite what Kevin says In fact the anecdotal evidence is that you usually get the worst deals from the ticket office.  

Answer 3

try www.megatrain.co.uk

Answer 4

Yes there are a few around, like the trainline.co.uk. As well as many of the rail company sites that offer cheaper pre booked tickets if using there own services only.

However there is a downside to internet booking.  These are you must allow at least 7 days clear to allow post to get to you, or ensure that you can pick up the tickets at your local station, if the company allows it. A surcharge for the service is levied on top of the ticket price for administration. The tickets are non transferable and non refundable so therefore if you change your mind you have lost the chance of getting any money back normally unless it is a real emergency. Tickets lost in post or unable to obtain from local station are again quite a pain (have worked in a station that did not have the facilities and many customers who had been told to pick up there tickets could not understand when we told them to travel another 20 miles during 9 to 5 mon to fri only to the nearest point where they could pick them up!) and if left till the last day to get them, will often mean you have to pay out a peak time / standard fare because you can not obtain the ticket.

You can go to your nearest station with the details of date, time and where you want to go, the clerk in the ticket office can give you even more information, routes possible, alternate times for quicker journeys,  planned engineering works that may affect you, etc and offer you cheap tickets if booked in advance, these can then be taken away and checked against the internet and you might well be surprised in the differance.

Good Luck

Answer 5

in search type  rail fares ... from the opening page 5th or 6th down

  National rail enq  click     right of this page  journey planner  fill this in

Answer 6

www.nationalrail.co.uk.  The further in advance you book (up to twelve weeks before you travel), the less you pay.