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Everybody knows that the trains in this country are a bit o a nightmare. The prices go up every year and the service seems to get worse. But that doesn't change the fact that so many of us still rely on them. A lot of people can't afford a car or would rather not use one for environmental reasons so they use the train instead, which means they're stuck paying ridiculous prices. But it doesn't have to be that way, because you can use these simple tricks to cut the cost of train travel.
Image Source Take The Coach Instead
If time isn't a problem and you don't mind taking a longer trip, the coach is almost always a cheaper option than the train by a long way. It'll take you a lot longer to get where you're going but the savings are usually worth it. The cheapest company to go for is MegaBus, but be aware that they're not quite as cheap as people think. They're well known for their £1 fares but they've actually been forced to take those ads down, reports Pressat, because they were incredibly misleading. There is actually only one seat available per bus at £1, so most people are never getting that deal. However, MegaBus is still the cheapest coach company out there so even though you won't get a £1 fare, you'll spend a lot less than you would if you went on the train.
Get A RailcardIf you're under the age of 25, you can get a railcard. They cost around £15, but you can sometimes find discount codes online. All rail fares are reduced by a third, which is a big saving if you're going on a longer journey. Often, you'll make your money back on the railcard with a single booking so it's worth doing.
Book EarlyThe price of train tickets shoots up as you get nearer to the travel date, so booking early can save you a lot of money. This is especially useful if you commute by train on a regular basis because you can book all of your tickets far in advance and get a better deal.
Split TicketsWhen you book a journey with multiple changes, they don't just add up the cost of the separate trips. If you booked each leg of the journey separately, it would actually work out a lot cheaper, but doing that is a bit of a hassle. Luckily, there are some great split ticketing websites that will do it for you. It's worth a try on longer journeys because you can save a lot of money and you still get your railcard discount.
Travel Off PeakThis doesn't work if you commute to work on the train, but if you're going for any other reason, you should try to travel during off peak times because the tickets are a lot cheaper. Anytime between 6.30 and 9.30 in the morning and 3.30 and 6.30 in the evening usually count as peak times. Anytime outside of that is fine.
Trains can be so expensive but if you use these 5 simple tricks, you could save yourself a lot of money.
