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The Great British Rail Sale

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, a Great British invention, with up to 50% off!

...and save even more with our FairSplits & no booking fees

RailSale
The Great British Rail Sale

Even bigger Rail Sale Price Savings

At traintickets.com, we’re all about helping our customers save the maximum money on rail fares and getting more people onto trains - which is why we’re thrilled to support the 2025 Rail Sale which this year ties in with the 200th anniversary of the invention of the railways, which happened right here in Britain.

Starting Tuesday 14th January, the Rail Sale is back with savings of up to 50% on selected Advance and Off-Peak fares on over 2 million tickets. It’s the perfect chance to plan that family holiday, city break, attraction escape or that trip to a part of Britain you’ve always wanted to visit and you’ve been dreaming of - without breaking the bank.

But there’s even better news. Booking with traintickets.com can help you save even more. While the Rail Sale delivers fantastic discounts, traintickets.com takes it even further with even bigger discounts because our market leading FairSplit and FairGroup pricing produces even cheaper prices than all other rail sale sites!

Frequently asked questions about the Great British Rail Sale

Everything you need to know about the Rail Sale, from when tickets will be available, where you can travel, and how to book!

Train operating companies across England, Wales and Scotland are working together to offer up to 50% off selected Advance tickets on over 2 million journeys. The discounted fares will be available from participating train operating companies and ticket retailers. Where a participating train company doesn't offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.

Rail Sale tickets are available on a wide selection of routes across England, Wales and Scotland. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available.

The following train operating companies will be offering discounted tickets as part of the Great Rail Sale: Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, Grand Central, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, London North Eastern Railway, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, ScotRail, Southeastern, Southern, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, and West Midlands Railway.

Rail Sale tickets will go on sale from Tuesday 14 January to Monday 20 January 2025. Tickets can be purchased for travel between Friday 17 January and Monday 31 March 2025. Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, this varies by operator.

Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, but will vary by operator. Check with your specific train operator for further details.

The discount will be available on selected Advance tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative. Customers should visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to see what discounts are available for the location they wish to visit.

Right here on traintickets.com!

Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available. Tickets are limited in number and subject to availability. Once you find a route, select 'buy' to head over to a ticket retailer and check the availability for your journey. Act quickly, because when they're gone, they're gone!

Over 2 million Rail Sale tickets will be on sale between Tuesday 14 January to Monday 20 January 2025 for travel between Friday 17 January and Monday 31 March 2025.

You must buy them in advance. Rail Sale tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, but varies by operator.

On some train operators you may be able to pay for a First Class upgrade. Please check the terms and conditions on your train company's website for more information.

You must use your Rail Sale tickets on the train services shown on the ticket or for the journey you booked.

You can buy as many as you want. The tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes.

Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes and are limited and subject to availability and exclusions. If you can't find what you're looking for on your train company’s or ticket retailer's website, it could be that the journey you're looking for is either already sold out or not included in the sale. Rail Sale tickets are available on the trains and routes that have more capacity to ensure rail travel is more enjoyable for everyone.

Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are included in the Rail Sale.

If you're unable to find the train ticket you're looking for on the train company or ticket retailer's website, it may have already sold out. Rail Sale tickets will be advertised as Rail Sale in the journey planner of your train company or ticket retailer's website.

Yes, your ticket can be used for whatever journey purpose you wish, but you are only able to travel on the date and train shown on your ticket or for the journey you booked.

No, there is no additional discount available with Railcard.

Yes. To buy Child tickets, please visit your train operating company or preferred ticket retailer.

If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed and you still decide to travel, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If you choose not to travel, normal refund policy applies. Please contact your train company or where the ticket was purchased for more information.

Rail Sale tickets may be issued with reservation tickets which must be carried when travelling. If the train company does not offer seat reservations on the train you are 4 travelling on, your ticket will specify the date and time of travel. In these cases, you may sit in any available seat on the specified train, appropriate to the class of your ticket.

To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity.

Yes, there are some tickets available on services people use to commute to work. To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity.

The Rail Sale is offering customers up to 50% off selected Advance tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.

Rail Sale tickets are valid only for the date and train shown on your ticket or for the

journey you booked and are non-refundable unless you are unable to travel due to a delay or cancellation. You can, however, change the time or date of your journey any time before your first reserved train departs via the train operating company or ticket retailer you purchased your ticket from. Any difference in fare and an administration fee will be payable prior to travel.

There are some Return tickets available, but most Rail Sale tickets are Single tickets.

Customers can apply for Delay Repay in times of disruption when their journeys have been delayed to the extent that they become eligible to do so. If you choose not to travel at the last minute in the event of train delays, you should apply for Delay Repay.

Rail Sale tickets are not refundable unless the service you are booked to travel on is delayed or cancelled.

If you purchased your ticket before the strikes were announced, you may be able to use your ticket on an alternative day (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If the ticket is for a train that is scheduled for a strike day, and that service is not cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, but you prefer not to travel, you should contact your ticket retailer. Please contact the train company you are travelling with for more information.

There have been many milestones in the railway, both before and after 27 September 1825, all of which also deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. We have done so in a timeline curated by the National Railway Museum:

History of rail – Railway 200

Railway 200 is inspired by what is widely regarded as the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, when the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened on 27 September 1825. This year’s 200th anniversary simply continues a tradition that follows the centenary celebration in 1925 and the 150th anniversary in 1975 under British Rail.

During our year-long programme we will be celebrating many other milestones and railway pioneers as part of rail’s revolutionary story. Our principal goal is to explore rail’s role in shaping people’s lives and livelihoods.