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Train Ticket Discounts

We all love a discount. So, it’s always good to know when you can get train ticket discounts! Here’s our round-up of some of the discounts you can get on your train travel when you book with Railsmartr

Are there train ticket discounts with a Railcard?

Yes, of course! The most well-known way to get train ticket discounts is to use a Railcard. There are quite a few to choose from, depending on whether you’re under 30, travelling together, or more.

We’ve written a dedicated page about the types of Railcards and how you can get one.

I don’t have a Railcard, can I still get train ticket discounts?

Of course, not all of us qualify for a Railcard. Don’t worry though, it’s still possible to get a discount, particularly if there’s more than one of you travelling. Let’s take a look at some of the different discounts you can take advantage of.

Groupsave

One of the most well-established train ticket discounts is Groupsave. In a nutshell, if there are between three and nine of you travelling, you can get a third off each ticket. It’s as simple as that!

When you book with Railsmartr, we’ll automatically offer you this discount if it’s the cheapest option for your trip. We’ll sell you a Groupsave ticket for the following operators:

  • c2c
  • Chiltern Railways
  • Gatwick Express
  • Great Northern
  • Great Western Railway
  • Greater Anglia
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • London Overground
  • Southeastern
  • South Western Railway
  • Stansted Express
  • Thameslink
  • West Midlands Railway

How do you know you’ve got the discount? It’s simple. Just pop in your journey details, and select the ‘i’ symbol when you’re offered a price:

When you load up this information, look at the bottom. The discount will show as a ‘Railcard’, but don’t worry. You don’t need a Railcard discount:

Just remember that Groupsave tickets are only valid on the companies that offer the discount. Even if your ticket is valid on ‘Any Permitted’ route, you can’t use a company that doesn’t do Groupsave. Want to know more? Take a look at our dedicated page for Groupsave.

Northern Duo

As the name suggests, this is a discount that requires just two people. On most Northern Trains services, you can get 25% off your ticket if two of you travel together.

Simply pop your journey into the Railsmartr website, and we’ll offer you this fare if it’s the cheapest option.

Usually, Duo tickets are valid at the same time that the Off-Peak Day Return becomes valid (09:00 or 09:30). However, some evening peak restrictions apply in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. Most Duo tickets for travel within these areas aren’t valid on journeys that start between 16:01 and 18:29.

Is there anything else I should know about booking train tickets?

Here at Railsmartr, we know how difficult it can be to navigate the world of train tickets. Why not check out our pages on the best time to travel for cheap tickets and the best First Class train next?

Thinking of taking a trip soon? You can book it all with Railsmartr. We’ll be sure to show you the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.