What are Ranger tickets?

Rail Ranger tickets can be a convenient and cost-effective way for you enjoy a day out on the railway. They offer unlimited travel in a city or region and are perfect for planning a day out on the go.

Where are Ranger tickets valid?

Most areas of the country will be covered by at least one Ranger ticket. The National Rail website offers a full list of all of the tickets you can buy.

Some products are advertised by rail operators, while others are offered by local councils or transport authorities. For example: Liverpool, Manchester and West Yorkshire offer Rail Ranger tickets that cover all services within their local authority boundaries.

Some Ranger tickets, such as the Ride Cornwall ticket, offer travel on buses and/or other modes of transport. These are ideal for exploring places outside of the rail network.

You can also purchase a Ranger ticket for London, known as the Travelcard. While you may find Oyster and Contactless payments more useful for occasional trips, Travelcards can be the most convenient option if you’re travelling from outside of London or have a Railcard.

When are Ranger tickets valid?

These tickets are usually designed as ‘leisure products’, so they’re intended to be used outside of peak hours. However, we would advise checking the restrictions that apply to your Ranger ticket before you purchase it.

London Travelcards are valid after 09:30 on Mondays to Fridays and anytime at weekends and Bank Holidays. If you have a Railcard, then additional restrictions may apply.

Can I get a Railcard discount?

Some tickets will allow you to get a discount with your Railcard. These are usually the tickets offered by rail operators which cover larger regions or specific rail lines.

While there are some exceptions (such as London), Ranger tickets offered by a particular city or transport authority area (such as Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool) don’t offer Railcard discounts.

How can I buy Ranger tickets?

The majority of these tickets are currently only available to buy at staffed ticket offices. If your station doesn’t have a ticket office, you can buy them from the conductor on the train.

In the future, we hope to offer a full selection of Ranger tickets for you to purchase at Railsmartr.