Jasmine Birtles
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Get half price train tickets this May
Reading Time: 2 minutesYou can get half price train tickets this May!
Yesterday, on the 19th April, the government and rail industry launched the biggest ever rail sale. This initiative allows passengers to get their ‘next trip at a snip’. With up to 50% off train tickets for journeys between 25th April and 27th May 2022.
The government are hoping the more than one million discounted tickets will help to connect people with friends, family and loved ones and boost tourism within the UK. There are also hopes to encourage greener travel across the country, with more people choosing to journey by train instead of road vehicles.
This sale has been labelled the Great British Rail Sale and is the first of its kind. The public are encouraged to take advantage of this sale, which sees multiple rail operators in conjunction, working together to bring nationwide savings for customers.
So, where will your half price train tickets take you? Savings on offer for off-peak tickets include:
- York to Leeds: was £5.60, now £2.80
- London to Edinburgh: was £44, now £22
- London to Cardiff: was £47, now £25
- Wolverhampton to Liverpool: was £10.50, now £5.25
- Manchester to Newcastle: was £20.60, now £10.30
- Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads: was £25.30, now £12.60
- Portsmouth Harbour to Penzance was £45.70, now £22.00
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“For the first time ever, operators across the rail industry are coming together to help passengers facing rising costs of living by offering up to 50% off more than a million tickets on journeys across Britain.
“There’s no better time to visit friends, family or just explore our great country, so book your tickets today.”
Jacqueline Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, said:
“We want everyone to be able to benefit from travelling by train because it’s more than just a journey, it’s a way to connect everyone to the people, places and things they love.
“As part of the Great British Rail Sale customers will enjoy over one million discounted tickets, so they can explore some of the fantastic locations that are accessible by rail.”
You can purchase train tickets online from participating retailers, with up to half price applying to a huge range of off-peak journeys reaching far and wide around the country. Discounts only apply to journeys taken between 25th April and 27th May 2022.
If your journey needs more than one train company, eg for cross London journeys, you’ll need to check split ticketing sites like Trainsplit, the National Rail Rail Sale site will say “no discount found”. There are also lots of stations not covered and you’ll get the same message. There are discounts available though, split ticketing combines sale fares with ordinary ones and different TOC fares into one price. Also, if you get directed through to a train operator site and it is not showing the sale discounted price quoted, make sure you check the fare on Trainsplit before you buy.