One of the best ways to get a cheap rail fare in the UK is to use split tickets for your train journey. In this guide, I’ll explain how you can book them!
Split ticketing
Train tickets in Great Britain can be expensive, but fortunately there is a way to lower your fare.
Split ticketing is a tactic many seasoned train travellers in the UK use to secure big savings on their journey by taking advantage of the intricacies of the British fare system.
The best way to search for and buy split tickets in the UK is through TrainSplit, which sells tickets for all British train operators.
With split ticketing, you can save up to 40% compared to purchasing a standard single ticket.
Trains at Glasgow Central. ©AndyBTravels
What are split tickets?
Split ticketing essentially means dividing your train journey across two or more tickets.
Split tickets are valid on exactly the same trains as a single ticket, and you do not need to get off the train when changing from one ticket to another.
It’s best explained with a theoretical example.
Let’s say you want to travel by train from London to York.
Normally you’d buy a single ticket from London to York, but with split ticketing, you could pay much less by buying separate tickets between intermediate stations along the route to cover the journey .
For example, you would buy a ticket from London to Peterborough, one from Peterborough to Doncaster, and one from Doncaster to York.
You can still travel directly from London to York in the same seat on the direct train, but instead of a single London-to-York ticket, you have purchased three separate fares to cover the entire journey – something known as split ticketing.
At most, the only inconvenience is having to show multiple tickets to the train conductor!
Split tickets works due to the complexities of the British fare system, where significantly cheaper options often exist between certain city pairs or via specific routes than when buying a single ticket for the entire journey.
How to use TrainSplit
If you use TrainSplit, you don’t have to search for all these individual segments yourself.
Simply enter your departure and arrival stations along with your travel date, and TrainSplit will automatically find the most affordable train journey and check whether split tickets are cheaper than a single ticket.
When TrainSplit identifies a saving using their split ticketing technology, they charge a small percentage of that saving when you book the ticket through them.
You still end up paying much less than if you bought a standard ticket directly from the rail operator or at the station!
The railway station of York. ©AndyBTravels
Can you use a railcard with split tickets?
If you have a British Railcard, you could save even more money.
Split tickets also works with any British Railcard – just be sure to enter it when searching for tickets through TrainSplit!
Is the use of split tickets legal?
Using split tickets are perfectly legal in the UK – as explained in Section 14 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel.
If you book your ticket through TrainSplit, the website ensures that the fares you purchase comply with all the regulations set out by National Rail.
Of course, it is your responsibility to follow the fare conditions, so even when using split ticketing, you must note any possible restrictions, such as fares being valid with a specific operator only or only on off-peak services.
These are all clearly shown when you buy your ticket through TrainSplit.
A printed British train ticket. Of course, if you book online, you get an e-ticket which you can use on your mobile phone. ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
Split ticketing involves buying multiple tickets for a journey, with each ticket covering a separate section of the route.
Buying split tickets is a popular way to secure cheaper rail fares in the UK, with many travellers using this method to achieve savings of up to 40% compared to a standard single ticket.
Services like TrainSplit make split ticketing accessible to everyone by automatically finding the cheapest options for your train journey.
