Brief Introduction to UK Railway
According to the Rail Factsheet released by the Department of Transport in 2019, there are 2,566 stations located along 15,847 km of railway route in Great Britain. The passenger volume has also reached a record 1.8 billion journeys in 2018/2019! This makes traveling by rail the fastest increasing mode of transportation in the UK. In this article, Trip.com will give you a guide on how you can purchase UK railway tickets for your next journey on this popular transportation method.
Source: Ben Collins/ unsplash
Traveling by rail is the fastest increasing mode of transportation in the UK
Can you buy tickets on the train?
However, passengers who purchase tickets on a train are unable to buy the full range of tickets as undiscounted Anytime fares are the only available options from the conductor. These tickets are usually more expensive than tickets that are purchased in advance. In addition, passengers may risk getting a penalty fare if they do not purchase a ticket before boarding the train. (Buying Tickets, Southeastern Railway)
However, passengers may purchase their tickets on the train if there are no ticket purchasing facilities available at the station. This refers to situations whereby the Ticket Office or the self-service ticket machines are closed or out of service (Buying Tickets, National Rail). In this situation, passengers will be able to buy a ticket (including discounts) from the conductor on the train or at any point along your route.
Source: BDS.Photo/ unsplash
King's Cross Station, London, England
How can customers buy train tickets before boarding in the UK?
Online
The National Rail consists of over 30 trainline operators serving different regions of the UK. Passengers will be able to purchase train tickets on various trainline operators’ websites depending on their traveling route. However, if you are unsure which trainline operator is serving your intended route, do visit Trip.com to purchase your train tickets instead! On Trip.com, we present a comprehensive list of train routes served by different trainline operators so that our users can enjoy an accessible and hassle-free experience when purchasing train tickets for their journey! We will elaborate further on the benefits of purchasing train tickets via our website later on in this article.
Phone
Passengers can purchase their train tickets by calling individual rail service providers. We will list the phone numbers of several popular rail service providers below.
| Rail Service Provider | Phone Number for Ticketing | Phone Number for Other Queries |
| CrossCountry (XC) | 08448110124 | 03447369123 |
| East Midlands Railway (EM) | 03457125678 | NIL |
| Eurostar (ES) | 03448224777 | 01777777879 |
| LNER (GR) | 03457225333 | NIL |
| Merseyrail (ME) | 01515551111 | NIL |
| West Midlands Railway (WM) | 03333110039 | NIL |
Passengers may also call the National Rail for other queries. The National Rail hotline is 0800 022 3720.
Ticket Office
Self-Service Ticket Machine
Rail-Appointed Travel Agents
The National Rail accredited logo for rail-appointed travel agents
What is the latest time for customers to buy train tickets?
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Edinburgh, Scotland
When is the best time to buy train tickets?
| Type of Ticket | Description |
| Anytime Ticket | Anytime Tickets can be bought anytime for traveling at any time. These tickets are available up to 12 months in advance or on the day of travel. Please note that Anytime Tickets may be more expensive. |
| Off-Peak Ticket | Off-Peak Tickets can be bought anytime for off-peak traveling. These tickets are available up to 12 months in advance or on the day of travel. Please note that there is not a national “Off-Peak” time. Off-Peak Tickets and Super Off-Peak Tickets differ depending on the train journey. If Off-Peak Tickets and Super Off-Peak Tickets are available for your intended route, they will be made available for purchase by journey planners. |
| Advance Ticket | Advance Tickets can be bought in advance. These tickets are usually made available for sale once timetables have been confirmed, and this happens approximately 12 weeks beforehand. Advance Tickets can be bought up to 10 minutes before departure for many long-distance routes. These tickets are sold in limited quantities and hence subject to availability. Please note that Advance Tickets are only valid on the date or train specified. |
| Season Ticket | Season Tickets allow passengers to enjoy unlimited travel between two stations for a specified period of time. |
| Rovers and Rangers Ticket | Rovers and Rangers Tickets allow passengers to enjoy unlimited travel within a specified area. However, passengers may be subject to time restrictions on when they can travel |
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Waterloo Station, London, England
Hence, these tickets are unlikely to sell out and there is little advantage in purchasing these tickets in advance. On the other hand, Advance Tickets are cheaper tickets and they only are only available for sale when seat reservations are open approximately 12 weeks in advance. In consideration of the above factors, when passengers book their tickets too early, they may only see Anytime Ticket and Off-Peak Ticket options which may be more expensive. However, if passengers purchase their tickets approximately 1 month beforehand, they will be able to compare cheaper Advance Tickets with other ticket types.
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Waterloo Station, London, England
How to buy cheap train tickets in the UK?
Avoid Peak Timings and Weekends
Flexible Travel Times
Alternative Travel Routes
Use Railcards
| Railcard Type | Brief Description |
| 16 –17 Saver | Passengers aged 16-17 can enjoy 50% off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets. The 16 –17 Saver Railcard costs just £30 a year. |
| 16 – 25 Railcard | Passengers aged 16-25 can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 16 – 25 Railcard costs just £30 a year or £70 for 3 years. |
| 26 – 30 Railcard | Passengers aged 26-30 can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 26 - 30 Railcard costs just £30 a year. |
| Senior Railcard | Passengers aged 60 and over can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Senior Railcard costs just £30 a year or £70 for 3 years. |
| Two Together Railcard | Two Together Railcard is designed for 2 named people traveling together. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Two Together Railcard costs just £30 a year. |
| Family & Friends Railcard | Up to four adults and four children can travel on one Family & Friends Railcard. Adults can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares while kids and enjoy 60% off rail fares. The Family & Friends Railcard costs just £30 a year or £70 for 3 years. Please note that the railcard holder must travel with a child to be eligible for the discounts. |
| Disabled Persons Railcard | Passengers with a disability that makes traveling by train difficult may qualify for a Disabled Persons Railcard. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Disabled Persons Railcard costs just £20 a year or £54 for 3 years. |
| Veterans Railcard | Veterans of the UK Armed Forces may qualify for a Veterans Railcard. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Veterans Railcard costs just £30 a year or £70 for 3 years. |
| Network Railcard | Network Railcard is available for passengers aged 16 or over who are traveling in the South East. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares in London and the South East in the Network Railcard area. The Network Railcard costs just £30 a year. |
(Get a Railcard, railcard.co.uk)
Purchase Train Tickets via Trip.com
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Victoria Station, London, England
Why book with Trip.com?
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Paddington Station, London, England
Examples of Cheap Train Tickets for Popular Routes on Trip.com
London to Edinburgh (Waverley) Train Tickets
| Date | Departure | Arrival | Duration | Price |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 08:00 London King’s Cross | 12:22 Edinburgh (Waverley) | 4 hrs 22 minutes (Direct) | £75.80 (Cheapest) (Split Tickets) |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 18:00 London King’s Cross | 22:20 Edinburgh (Waverley) | 4 hrs 20 minutes (Direct) (Fastest) | £79 |
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Edinburgh Waverley Station, Edinburgh, Scotland
London to Manchester Train Tickets
| Date | Departure | Arrival | Duration | Price |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 06:10 London Euston | 08:25 Manchester Piccadilly | 2 hrs 15 minutes (Direct) | £16.70 (Cheapest) (Split Tickets) |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 16:58 London Waterloo | 19:44 Manchester Piccadilly | 2 hrs 46 minutes (1 transfer) | £54.10 (Cheapest) |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 06:13 London Paddington | 09:05 Manchester Piccadilly | 2 hrs 52 minutes (1 transfer) | £29.70 |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 17:09 London Victoria | 19:44 Manchester Piccadilly | 2 hrs 35 minutes (1 transfer) | £54.10 |
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Manchester Piccadilly Station, Manchester, England
London to Birmingham Train Tickets
| Date | Departure | Arrival | Duration | Price |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 06:37 London Paddington | 08:26 Birmingham New Street | 1 hr 49 minutes (1 transfer) (Fastest) | £20.40 |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 15:28 London Paddington | 18:34 Birmingham Moor Street | 3 hrs 6 minutes (2 transfers) | £19.50 (Cheapest) |
| 23 December 2022 (Friday) | 07:10 London Euston | 08:26 Birmingham New Street | 1 hr 16 minutes (Direct) (Fastest) | £17.40 (Cheapest) |
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Birmingham New Street Station, Birmingham, England
FAQ
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Can you buy tickets on the train?
Passengers are advised to buy before you board. Passengers who purchase tickets on a train are likely to pay more and may risk getting a penalty fare.
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What if there are no ticket purchasing facilities available at the train stations?
Passengers may purchase their tickets on the train if there are no ticket purchasing facilities available (e.g., Ticket Office or the self-service ticket machines are closed or out of service).
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How can customers buy train tickets before boarding in the UK?
Customers may purchase train tickets online via individual train operators' websites or via Trip.com. Alternatively, passengers can buy train tickets via phone, ticket offices and self-service ticket machines.
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When is the best time to buy train tickets and why?
The best time to buy train tickets is approximately 1 month beforehand. This is when cheaper Advance Tickets are released for purchase. These tickets are limited and subject to availability.
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How to buy cheap train tickets in the UK?
Passengers are advised to avoid peak travel hours and to use railcards for discounts. In addition, please consider alternative travel timings and routes. Lastly, please visit Trip.com for cheap tickets!