How does split ticketing work?

With our site it’s quick and easy. Imagine you're travelling from Birmingham to Leeds:

• A return ticket costs £75.50*.
• With Sustrans Rail Bookings you can buy a train ticket from Birmingham to Derby, another from Derby to Sheffield and finally one from Sheffield to Leeds, all for just £49.30.
• That's a remarkable saving of £25.80.

*All fares quoted are Off-Peak (returning the same day) and accurate as of July 2023. Saving at peak times can be even greater.

What do I need to do to get cheaper train tickets?

Using Sustrans Rail Bookings is speedy and simple. Our powerful search engine will find you the cheapest train tickets ready for you to make your booking.

Will I have to get on and off the train with split ticketing?

You can relax and enjoy the journey! Even with multiple tickets, you stay onboard. If you’re in First Class, you may have to move seats (but not disembark the train) if they have been pre-allocated.

Cheap train tickets

Are you on the lookout for cheap train tickets?

Given the complexity of the UK rail fares system, finding cheap train tickets can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. To give you a helping hand we’ve put together some of our top money saving tips…

Book in advance and you can save up to 80% on the usual cost of day of departure tickets, provided you don’t mind limiting yourself to travelling on a specific train. Advance train tickets are released up to 12 weeks in advance of the date of travel and sold on a first come served basis so you need to get in there quickly to get the cheapest fares. That said, advance fares are often available until 6pm the night before travel so even if you’ve left it late, you may still be able to get a good deal.

Anyone who’s serious about saving money should get clued up about split ticketing. Split ticketing savings are found on 70% of journeys and save consumers an additional average of 30% if a split is found. You’ll find split savings on both fixed time advance fares and more flexible off peak and anytime fares.

Complicated though it sounds, thanks to the Sustrans Rail Bookings site, which works out where to split the tickets and books them for you Splitting train tickets or breaking a journey down into smaller bits with an individual ticket for each part of the journey. It’s an easy way to get cheaper train tickets with very little effort.

Any savings gained from split ticketing can be combined with a railcard discount to give you an additional third off the cost of your train fares. Railcards are available for travellers aged 16-25, 26- 30, seniors, families, disabled passengers, two people who travel together regularly, members of HM forces and those on Jobseekers allowance. Savings can be made on both cheap advance train tickets and more flexible fares. A railcard costs around £30 and lasts for a year so you need to be spending £90 a year or more to benefit from the saving.

If you’re happy to travel for longer for less, try searching for slower/overtaken trains along the same line or comparing alternative routes, for instance travelling via or avoiding London. It’s often a good way to bag a bargain.

While we always recommend booking your cheap train tickets up to 12 weeks in advance to secure the most significant discounts, there are still opportunities for savings even if you're planning closer to your travel date. So, whether you're a planner or a last-minute traveller, it's worth checking for cheap train tickets and potential savings as your travel date approaches.