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TICKET TYPES
Help choosing and buying the right ticket for you
Which ticket suits you best?
There are a range of tickets available when travelling on the railway in Great Britain. When you plan your journey using our Journey Planner you will see that tickets fall into one of three categories. We will always show you the cheapest fare within each category, so you always know you're getting the cheapest ticket for the journey you have selected.
Advance
These are Single (one-way) tickets that must be purchased in advance and are subject to availability. Reservations are required for the journey and you must travel on the train shown on your ticket or reservation confirmation.
Saver/Cheap Day
These tickets may have restrictions on the times of the day or days of the week that you can travel, particularly during the early morning and/or early evening. Single tickets may only be used on the date shown on the ticket. Day return tickets may only be used on the date shown on the ticket. Reservations are not required, but maybe available on longer distance journeys - sometimes they are highly recommended on busier services.
Open
These tickets have no time restrictions on when you can travel. Single tickets may only be used on the date shown on the ticket. Day return tickets may only be used on the date shown on the ticket. Reservations are not required, but maybe available on longer distance journeys - sometimes they are be highly recommended on busier services.
Railcards
Railcards offer value for money if you travel by train, saving you 1/3 off most standard rail tickets (time restrictions may apply). There are different types of Railcards, costing from £10 to £20 each and they valid for 12 months. Full information about Railcards can be found on our Railcards page.
Season Tickets
You can buy Season Tickets and multi-modal tickets that give you unlimited travel on certain routes and in certain areas. Season Tickets are valid for seven days, or for any period from a month to a year. Full information about Season Tickets can be found on our Season Tickets page.
Groups Travelling Together
When eight or more passengers travel together as a party to the same destination, a great discount may be available! You should contact the Group Travel office at the train company you will be travelling with. Contact details can be found within the 'Ticketing & Fares' section in the relevant Train Companies information page.
If you travelling as a smaller group, GroupSave for smaller groups are also available on some services. GroupSave offers the opportunity for three or four people to travel for the price that two adults would normally pay:
- c2c, Central Trains, Chiltern Railway, First Capital Connect, First Great Western, First ScotRail , Midland Mainline, one, Silverlink, Southeastern, Southern and South West Trains allow three or four adults or children to travel for the price of two adults on various off-peak ticket types. Also additionally, up to four accompanying children pay £1.00 each.
- Arriva Trains Wales don't offer the standard GroupSave discount, but have their own branded discount scheme called "GroupWales". For groups of between 3 and 9 people (either adults or children), each ticket will receive a 25% discount. Arriva Trains Wales do not offer special accompanying £1 child fares.
For all of the above, the group must travel together at all times. No further discounts (using Railcards, for example) are available for any of the passengers.
Rover and Ranger Tickets
Rover and Ranger tickets allow unlimited travel throughout an area. There may be a few time restrictions on when you can travel, but they are ideal for tourists and regularly travellers, as they offer flexibility and great value for money if you need to cover a local area or a region. Rover Tickets are usually available for a certain number of days (for example: seven consecutive days, or any three days within fifteen consecutive days). Ranger Tickets offer the same flexibility, but are generally valid for just one day.
You can see the full details of Rovers and Rangers that are available on our Rovers and Rangers page.
Summary of Main National Rail Tickets
Advance
These are Single fares offering great value for money on many longer distance journeys. You must book in advance and fares are subject to availability. Generally, the earlier you book, the better deal you’ll get. You can mix and match Advance fares for a return journey. Terms and conditions for Advance fares are now the same across all train companies nationwide.
Saver/Cheap Day
- Saver
- SuperSaver
- Network AwayBreak
- Day Travelcard (Off Peak)
- Day Travelcard (Off Peak PLUS)
- Business Saver
Open
Rail and Bus Tickets
PLUSBUS tickets
Add unlimited bus travel around your origin, or destination town for around £2 a day with PLUSBUS. Ask for PLUSBUS when buying your train ticket. It can be added to single, day return, period return train tickets and for many destinations to season tickets as well. PLUSBUS can save you time and money!
RailLink tickets
It is now possible to buy tickets for travel to hundreds of non-rail served towns using local bus routes from the nearest train station. Ask for details of RailLinks at your staffed station, or visit the Non-rail served towns section of this website.
Visitors to Britain
If you live abroad and plan to visit Britain, the BritRail Pass gives the freedom to travel on all National Rail services. Ask for details from your travel agent before leaving for Britain, or visit the BritRail website.
For timetable enquiries from overseas, you can contact National Rail Enquiries International on +44(0)20 7278 5240. Please note: This service is for information only purposes, and international rates apply.
Note: The above is a summary of ticket options. Full information on tickets, validity periods and other conditions is available from our Journey Planner.
