More than a million train tickets will be sold at a discounted rate as part of the “Great British Rail Sale”.
The Department for Transport revealed passengers will be able to save up to 50% on Advanced and Off-Peak tickets. The promotion will run from January 23 to 29.
The tickets on sale will be for travel in England and Wales – as well as cross-border trips into Scotland – between January 30 and March 15. A similar scheme was run in April 2022.
The DfT gave examples of some fares where passengers could save. This included a trip from Birmingham to Bristol that was down from £30.60 to £15.30.
Other examples include:
– From Manchester to Leeds down from £8.60 to £4.30.
– From Leicester to Sheffield down from £7.30 to £3.60.
ransport Secretary Mark Harper said: “The return of the Great British Rail Sale is good news for passengers, following the success of the previous sale which saw passengers benefit from around £7m in savings on their travel costs.
“With discounts on more than a million tickets, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to connect with friends and family, and explore great destinations across the country. I hope passengers make the most of this sale and choose to travel by rail.”
Sale tickets will start to become available from 12.01am on January 23 on a limited basis. No more will be offered once they are sold out.
Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) will host a page on its website aimed at helping customers find the best deals. Promotional tickets will not be sold for services that may be impacted by previously-announced industrial action by train drivers’ union Aslef.
RDG chief executive Jacqueline Starr said: “Following the success of the Great British Rail Sale in 2022, we are really excited that it’s coming back.”
Suzanne Donnelly, passenger revenue director at the Great British Railways Transition Team, which is working on behalf of the Government to create a new organisation to oversee rail infrastructure and train operation, said: “We are focused on driving initiatives that will boost the number of rail journeys people make to reduce the cost of running the railway for taxpayers, whilst providing value for money for customers. The Great British Rail Sale is just one example of what can be achieved through a one railway, joined-up approach.”
Train fares will rise across England from March 3. The DfT set a cap of 4.9% for increases in regulated fares, such as season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.
The level of unregulated fare rises is decided by operators, although their finances are closely controlled by the DfT. All ScotRail fares in Scotland will rise by 8.7% from April 1. No decision has been made on fare rises in Wales.