TRAIN fares have gone up today and passengers will pay more for tickets, but there are ways to cut costs.
Rail fares will rise by 5.9% as of Sunday March 5.
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The rise will affect season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long distance journeys, and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.
Rail fares usually rise each year and the government has stepped in to cap them amid soaring inflation.
Inflation is a measure of how much prices are rising compared to last year across thousands of items and services.
Inflation in July this year was 12.3%, so this rise is far lower than it would have been without the cap.
But the increase means people still face a huge hike in costs and it’s a steeper rise than before.
Rail fares last went up in March last year by 3.8% – the biggest jump in nearly a decade.
Fares usually rise each year in January but were delayed to March because of Covid and have now been pushed back again.
Fares will officially rise today with a freeze on current rates from January and February.
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Train companies can set the prices of other tickets that are unregulated fares.
At the time the government said the rise is necessary to support investment and the financial stability of the railway.
While you won’t be able to avoid the hike completely, there are ways that you can save a bit of cash moving forward.
How to save money on your train ticket
Here are some top tips to help you save cash on rail fares.
Split tickets
If you’re taking a lengthy train journey then you could save hundreds of pounds by splitting your tickets.
You won’t need to change trains and National Rail lets you split your ticket as long as the train calls at the station you buy the tickets for.
One site that works this out for you is Splitticketing.co.uk.
Buy a season ticket
Regular travellers should be able to save by purchasing either a seven day, monthly or annual season ticket, which will allow them to make the journey an unlimited number of times as long as it’s valid.
If you’re making the same journey on three or more days a week, then a seven-day season ticket is likely to save you money, compared to buying a new one every day.
You can check to see if a season ticket will save you money on your trip with National Rail’s season ticket calculator.
Book at least 12 weeks in advance
Network Rail releases its timetable 12 weeks in advance, so ticket firms usually make their fares available at this time.
Just like plane tickets, the earlier you book the lower the price you’ll pay for your seat.
You can sign up to the Trainline’s ticket alert service and it will tell you when cheap advance tickets go on sale for a particular journey.
Also, the National Rail’s future travel chart shows the furthest advance date that you can buy tickets.
Save money with a Railcard
If you’re a regular traveller then a railcard should shave a third off the price of your ticket.
Just make sure you’ll make more in savings over a year than the price of the Railcard.
See Railcard.co.uk for more information.
Use the train’s own website
Booking directly through the train company you’re travelling with could save you a bit of cash.
While it may only be a couple of quid each time – which usually counts towards a booking fee on sites like Trainline – it will add up if you travel a lot.
Look up the trains on other website first and then head to the company to book the train direct.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
