Next week, passengers will be able to get their hands on millions of train tickets at half the price as part of the Government’s annual rail sale.
From 14 to 20 January selected advance and off-peak fares will go on sale at up to 50% off for travel between 17 January and 31 March.
As part of this year’s Rail Sale, thousands of popular routes across almost all UK train operators, including Transport for Wales and ScotRail, will be offering discounted tickets with journeys spreading the length and breadth of Great Britain.
Passengers in Liverpool could visit London for as little as £7, a journey from Preston to Edinburgh could be as cheap as £8.40, and a ticket from Nottingham to Manchester could cost less than £10.
These offers won’t last long, and there are only a limited number of tickets, so passengers are being encouraged to snap up these deals quickly if they want to save more on their train fares.
Following the success of last year’s sale, which saved passengers around £5.8m in total, the Government tasked the rail industry to deliver an even bigger sale to offer cheaper tickets for passengers and encourage more people to travel by train.
The sale delivers on the government’s commitment to put passengers at the heart of rail services and to raise living standards as part of the Plan for Change so working people have more money in their pockets.
“I’m launching the biggest ever rail sale so more passengers can get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across the country,” said Secretary of State Heidi Alexander.
“Whether you’re planning a getaway or wanting to visit friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions on all sorts of journeys.
“Make the most of this sale, get your tickets while you can!”
This year’s Rail Sale returns after more than 600,000 tickets were sold in last year’s sale, worth £5.1 million in ticket sales for the industry, and resulting in an extra 440,000 journeys taken by train.
This comes on the 200th anniversary of the first steam powered passenger train with celebrations expected throughout the year as part of Railway 200.
Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of Rail Delivery Group, said: “This year, as we celebrate 200 years of railways in the UK, we’re reminded that rail travel is about much more than simply getting from A to B – it’s about bringing people, communities, and opportunities together. Over two centuries, rail has become a vital part of the UK, shaping the economy and lives of millions.
“The year’s rail sale will offer over 2 million discounted advance fares starting on 14 January 2025 which is a great way to save on your travel and celebrate 200 years of railway connections.”
Image credit: iStockphoto.com/georgeclerk
