There are more promotional train fares available than people realise; yet for the ultra cheap deals you have to know where to look and be flexible.

• Check for hidden promotional specials

  The National Rail website has a special promotions index page listing all special offers. Also do note that on certain East Midlands and South West Trains routes, including Sheffield to Derby and London to Exeter, it’s possible to get Megatrain fares for £1 if you book early enough.

  Plus if you’re travelling from Manchester to London, go to the Virgin Trains website and click the e-ticketing and m-ticketing section. This offers super-cheap mid-week single tickets, from £1 provided you print the tickets yourself. And a similar service is available via Chiltern Railways for London to Birmingham trips.

• Where to find all train ticket info

  There are four main sites for finding cheap train fare info, as well as different types of search tools, rather bizarrely they don’t all list exactly the same tickets, so if you’ve time for a full belt and braces check on a big fare, do try them all.

  TheTrainline. The ubiquitous TheTrainline powers both its own site and many other commercial booking sites. Its operating system is relatively simple, but it charges fees when you book through it, so you’re better booking direct from the train operator.

  National Express’ East Coast system. The name might suggest otherwise but the National Express East Coast system covers the whole UK, has no booking fees and sometimes gives extra discounts if your journey uses its network. One advantage of this is it includes a low fare finder, which will also find alternative routes which may be cheaper.

  Raileasy. Another commercial booking site, like TheTrainline, Raileasy also charges booking fees; it’s a new player which is promising to bring out some powerful tools. One advantage is it lists single fares on the results screen, which is useful as these can often be cheaper than returns.

  National Rail. The daddy of all the info providers, National Rail has huge details of the different fares and great depth for the search. You can’t buy your tickets direct through it, but it will link you to individual train operators, which don’t charge booking fees.

• The cheapest way to book tickets

  Booking direct at a station or via the rail company’s own website is usually cheapest as there’s no booking fee; plus you may also find some extra online discounts.

  If you’re using the booking sites, beware, you’ll pay more … the Trainline charges a £1 booking fee, plus an extra £2.50 for credit card payments. Raileasy, on the other hand, charges a £1 booking fee on every purchase over £10 (£2 if it’s under a tenner), plus a 50p debit card fee and 2.5% for credit cards.

  Overall this means of the two, the Trainline is cheapest for any bookings using a debit card and for credit card payments over £60, whereas Raileasy wins for credit card bookings under £60.

• Calling National Rail Enquiries? Pay less for the call

  If you need to dial National Rail Enquiries, the official number is 0845 748 49 50; yet you can cut the cost of calling by dialling 0121 634 2040 and then pressing ‘1′, you’ll get through to the same thing.

• Travel overnight and save on accommodation too

  Sleeper trains may sound like something from days gone by yet travelling overnight could save on both transport and accommodation. For example if you’re planning a trip to London from Scotland it’s worth checking FirstScotRail’s Bargain Berths section where single fares on the Caledonian Sleeper start at £19.

• Get free first class in the dining car

  Some longer journeys still have first class dining cars as well as the standard buffet. These are often open to all diners, whatever class their ticket is. So go in and order a meal; while it’s a bit more expensive, you can effectively travel in first class luxury for a second class price and some grub.

  It’s worth knowing, they do have the right to kick you back to where you belong (i.e. second class!) once you’ve finished eating, but it rarely happens.

• Reclaim the cost after train delays

  The rules state that if a train is late you can reclaim a full or partial refund. How late it needs to be to qualify depends on the journey, but as a rough rule of thumb, if you’re over 30 minutes late then it’s worth checking out. Ensure you keep your ticket and pick up a reclaim form from the station.

source: Money Saving Expert Forum

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