If you’re flexible, TheTrainline has a nifty Cheap Fare Finder tool . Tell it where you want to go and a range of dates and it tells you the cheapest day and time. Yet while it’s great for info, you can book more cheaply by going direct to the train company (read find cheap fares and book for less).
Currently it covers the 100 most popular routes, yet even if only part of your journey’s covered, you may …

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Train peak times are usually before 10am and between 5pm and 7pm. Therefore if you’re getting on a long-ish train journey during peak time, and some portion of the journey is outside peak time; if you’re buying a return ticket you’re still paying a peak ticket price.
The simple solution
By following Trick Two above and split ticketing based on time as well as distance, you can ensure you’re only paying peak prices for the portion of the journey that is …

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This is the big trick everyone should know. Instead of buying tickets for the whole journey, buying tickets for its constituent parts separately can bizarrely slash the price – even though you’re travelling on exactly the same train.
It’s perfectly allowed within the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, and has been confirmed by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). The only rule is that the train must call at the stations you’ve bought tickets for.
How much can you save… …

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Buying a return ticket should be cheaper than two singles. Yet logic and train fares go together like a kettle and a rabbit. Lots of top deals are only available on one-way fares. It’s very common that cheaper fares are available for two single tickets but not the return, thus always check.
And just to make it more confusing, occasionally if you’re only doing a one way trip, buying a return can be cheaper.
How much can you …

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