Book Christmas rail tickets now to save a fortune
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Book Christmas train tickets now to save a fortune: Failure to do so could result in much higher costs
Rail travelers now need to book their tickets to visit loved ones during the holiday season. If they don’t, they could face a much higher cost.
The train strikes may have been scaled back for now – but unless Christmas travelers book an ‘advance’ ticket in the coming days, they could pay up to ten times as much for the exact same seat if they wait until the day of travel to make a purchase.
With ‘essential engineering and railway improvement works’ scheduled between December 23 and January 3, fewer services will be operated – meaning cheaper presale tickets are quickly running out. Even delaying a purchase by a week can lead to doubling the ticket cost.
Plan ahead: Unless Christmas travelers book an ‘advance’ ticket in the coming days, they can pay up to ten times as much for the exact same seat if they wait until the day of travel
In some cases it is cheaper to pre-book a first class ticket instead of paying for a standard ticket on the day.
Train passengers, bruised by recent strikes and limited services on non-strike days, must also consider ‘split ticketing’, for example when buying two tickets for specific parts of one journey, resulting in a cheaper total fare.
Websites such as TrainSplit and Split Ticketing calculate potential savings, while the ticketing website Trainline shows the prices for split tickets if they are cheaper. Trainline charges a £1.50 booking fee.
The National Rail Inquiries website provides details on discounts on tickets and other special offers through the cheap scholarship finder tool.
Also check the website of the train company you are traveling with for special offers.
Another great way to reduce the cost of train travel is to purchase a train ticket. These cost £30 a year and can cut a third of the price of an off-peak fare – for those traveling after 9.30am.
The offer includes a Railcard 16 to 25, a Railcard 26 to 30, a Railcard Senior for 60 years and older – and a Railcard Two Together for two persons with a name.
Families can also opt for a Family & Friends train ticket which offers up to a third discount on the standard ticket price for up to four adults and half the price for children up to 15 years old.
Traveling by train is not getting cheaper. Standard rates have increased by an average of 4.8 percent this year and will rise again in March with increases yet to be determined.