Rail Sale 2026

What is the Rail Sale?
Train operating companies across England, Wales and Scotland are working together to offer up to 50% off selected Advance tickets on over 2 million journeys. The discounted fares will be available from participating train operating companies and ticket retailers.

Where can I travel with Rail Sale tickets?
Rail Sale tickets are available on a wide selection of routes across England, Wales and Scotland. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available.

The following train operating companies will be offering discounted tickets as part of the Rail Sale: Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, Grand Central, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, London North Eastern Railway, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, ScotRail, Southeastern, Southern, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, and West Midlands Railway.

When will the Rail Sale tickets go on sale?
Rail Sale tickets will go on sale from Tuesday 6 January to Monday 12 January 2026. Tickets can be purchased for travel between Wednesday 21 January 2026 and Tuesday 31 March 2026. Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, this varies by operator. Please note for Travel on TransPennine Express tickets must be purchased at least 7 days in Advance and are available between 21 January and 31 March 2026. 

What tickets will be available as part of the Rail Sale?
The discount will be available on selected Advance tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative. Customers should visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to see what discounts are available for the location they wish to visit.

Where can I buy Rail Sale tickets?
Rail Sale is promoted via the Rail Sale website and Rail Sale Tickets are available to purchase;

• Via participating Train Companies and ticket retailers for the Promotional Period
• Tickets are also available to purchase from TransPennine Express managed booking offices. These are: Brough, Cleethorpes, Dewsbury, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield, Hull, Malton, Manchester Airport, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Scarborough, Scunthorpe, Selby, Stalybridge, Thirsk, and Thornaby. If you would prefer to buy your ticket at a non-TransPennine Express ticket office, please contact the relevant train company to find out the purchasing options available.
• Please contact our team if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements: www.tpexpress.co.uk/help/passenger-assist.
• Please contact the relevant participating Train companies if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements.

How do I find out which tickets are available as part of the Rail Sale?
Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available. Tickets are limited in number and subject to availability. Once you find a route, select 'buy' to head over to a ticket retailer and check the availability for your journey. Act quickly, because when they're gone, they're gone!

How many Rail Sale tickets will be made available?
Over 2 million Rail Sale tickets will be on sale between 6 January to 12 January 2026 for travel between 21 January and 31 March 2026. Please note for Travel on Transpennine Express tickets must be purchased at least 7 days in Advance.

Do I have to buy my tickets in advance or will there be some available on the day I wish to travel?
You must buy them in advance. Rail Sale tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, but varies by operator. Please note for Travel on TransPennine Express tickets must be purchased at least 7 days in Advance.

I have a Rail Sale ticket; will I be able to pay for a First Class upgrade?
On some train operators you may be able to pay for a First Class upgrade. Please check the terms and conditions on your train company's website for more information.

Are there any train operating companies I will not be able to use my discounted ticket on?
You must use your Rail Sale tickets on the train services shown on the ticket or for the journey you booked.

What is the maximum number of Rail Sale tickets I can buy?
You can buy as many as you want. The tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Why can't I find any tickets for my chosen journey in the Rail Sale?
Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes.

I can't find any Rail Sale tickets, are they all gone?
Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes and are limited and subject to availability and exclusions. If you can't find what you're looking for on your train company’s or ticket retailer's website, it could be that the journey you're looking for is either already sold out or not included in the sale. Rail Sale tickets are available on the trains and routes that have more capacity to ensure rail travel is more enjoyable for everyone.

Do you have a full list of which routes and journeys have up to 50% off?
Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are included in the Rail Sale.

I found the Rail Sale tickets I wanted on the Rail Sale website, but I can't find them on the train company website, why is this?
If you're unable to find the train ticket you're looking for on the train company or ticket retailer's website, it may have already sold out. Rail Sale tickets will be advertised as Rail Sale in the journey planner of your train company or ticket retailer's website. It is also worth checking stations nearby as tickets may be available from a nearby station instead. For example, if tickets aren't available from Manchester Piccadilly, it may be worth checking whether they are available from Manchester Victoria or Manchester Oxford Road.
 
Can I use my Rail Sale ticket to commute?
Yes, your ticket can be used for whatever journey purpose you wish, but you are only able to travel on the date and train shown on your ticket or for the journey you booked.

Will I be able to use my Railcard to get 1/3 off the Rail Sale tickets?
No, there is no additional discount available with Railcard.

Are Child rate Rail Sale tickets available?
Yes, Child tickets are included. Subject to availability.

Can I use my Rail Sale ticket on any other service if my chosen train is disrupted or cancelled?
If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed and you still decide to travel, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If you choose not to travel, normal refund policy applies. Please contact your train company or where the ticket was purchased for more information.

How do I reserve a seat for my journey?
Rail Sale tickets may be issued with reservation tickets which must be carried when travelling. If the train company does not offer seat reservations on the train you are travelling on, your ticket will specify the date and time of travel. In these cases, you may sit in any available seat on the specified train, appropriate to the class of your ticket.

How were the Rail Sale routes picked?
To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity.

Are there Rail Sale tickets available on commuter trains?
Yes, there are some tickets available on services people use to commute to work. To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available.

Can Rail Sale tickets be purchased in ticket offices?
Rail Sale is mainly available online from ticket retailers and train companies operating in England. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available.

If you would prefer to buy your ticket at a ticket office or require assistance from station staff, please contact the train company you’re travelling with to find out the purchasing options available. The TransPennine Express ticket offices available for Rail Sale tickets are: Brough, Cleethorpes, Dewsbury, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield, Hull, Malton, Manchester Airport, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Scarborough, Scunthorpe, Selby, Stalybridge, Thirsk, and Thornaby.

How much does a Rail Sale ticket cost?
Rail Sale is offering customers up to 50% off selected Advance tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.

Can you get a refund on a Rail Sale ticket?
Rail Sale tickets are valid only for the date and train shown on your ticket or for the journey you booked and are non-refundable unless you are unable to travel due to a delay or cancellation. You can, however, change the time or date of your journey any time before your first reserved train departs via the train operating company or ticket retailer you purchased your ticket from. Any difference in fare and an administration fee will be payable prior to travel.

Can I get a discounted Return ticket?
There are some Return tickets available, but most Rail Sale tickets are Single tickets. If you wish to make a there and back journey, you can search for a Single ticket for each leg of your journey on a train operator or preferred ticket retailer's website.

Can you get Delay Repay on a Rail Sale ticket?
Customers can apply for Delay Repay in times of disruption when their journeys have been delayed to the extent that they become eligible to do so. If you choose not to travel at the last minute in the event of train delays, you should apply for Delay Repay.

I was sick so could not use my Rail Sale ticket, can I get a refund?
Rail Sale tickets are not refundable unless the service you are booked to travel on is delayed or cancelled.

My Rail Sale ticket has been disrupted by strikes, what should I do?
If you purchased your ticket before the strikes were announced, you may be able to use your ticket on an alternative day (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If the ticket is for a train that is scheduled for a strike day, and that service is not cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, but you prefer not to travel, you should contact your ticket retailer. Please contact the train company you are travelling with for more information.

I bought a full price ticket before the sale went live, am I entitled to a refund?
Valid tickets for journeys purchased outside of the sale window are not entitled to be refunded and swapped for a Rail Sale ticket.

Rail Sale - TransPennine Express Terms & Conditions

• These terms and conditions apply to the Rail Sale, a promotion coordinated by ATOC Ltd on behalf of participating Train Companies, including TransPennine Express, for the Promotional Period.

• Over 2 million promotional Rail Sale tickets will be available on selected journeys across the National Rail network (in England, Wales & Scotland) for the Promotional Period. TransPennine Express is making around half a million tickets available.

• The Promotional Period for TransPennine Express will start on 6 January 2026 and will end when all Rail Sale tickets have been sold or on 12 January 2026, whichever is sooner, for travel between 21 January 2026 and 31 March 2026. The number of Rail Sale tickets available during the Promotional Period is limited and subject to availability.

• Rail Sale tickets are selected Advance or Off-Peak tickets with fares discounted by individual participating Train Companies, up to 50% off the equivalent full price Advance ticket fare. Where a participating Train Company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak ticket fares may be offered as an alternative. Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes or all journeys and may not represent the lowest available fare for a particular journey.

• Rail Sale tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days in advance of the date of travel. This varies per operator. Please note for travel on TransPennine Express, tickets must be purchased at least 7 days in Advance.

• Rail Sale is promoted via the Rail Sale website (www.nationalrail.co.uk/railsale) and Rail Sale Tickets are available to purchase;

o Via participating Train Companies and ticket retailers for the promotional period

o Tickets are also available to purchase from TransPennine Express managed booking offices. These are: Brough, Cleethorpes, Dewsbury, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield, Hull, Malton, Manchester Airport, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Scarborough, Scunthorpe, Selby, Stalybridge, Thirsk, and Thornaby. If you would prefer to buy your ticket at a non-TransPennine Express ticket office, please contact the relevant train company to find out the purchasing options available.

o Please contact our team if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements: www.tpexpress.co.uk/help/passenger-assist.

o Please contact the relevant participating Train companies if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements.

• The number of Rail Sale tickets offered by each participating Train Company will vary and are limited in number.

• Tickets are not available on all routes and at some peak times and are not offered by all Train Companies.

• Availability is subject to specific travel exclusions across some routes due to engineering improvement works. For more details of engineering works see: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/planned-engineering-work

• Railcard discounts do not apply to Rail Sale tickets, and no other discounts can be used in conjunction with the Rail Sale tickets.

• Child tickets are available with the Rail Sale, subject to availability.

• ATOC Ltd reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions without notice and to take appropriate action to close the offer or withdraw the Rail Sale tickets from sale at any time.

• Usual TransPennine Express terms and conditions of purchase, National Rail Conditions of Travel and Advance ticket terms and conditions apply.

• The promoter of the Rail Sale is ATOC Ltd on behalf of participating Train Companies. ATOC Limited is a company registered in England and Wales under company no. 03069033, whose registered office is at First Floor North, 1 Puddle Dock, London, England, EC4V 3DS

• The national offer T&Cs can be viewed here.