Cheap train tickets can be obtained with a little planning and knowledge, so let us guide you through the process of saving money on your travel. The best way to get cheap train tickets is to book in advance, typically saving over 50% compared to paying at the station before boarding. Wherever you're travelling, you can find cheap train tickets right here on tpexpress.co.uk and book without a booking fee.
Read on as we guide you through our top tips for buying cheap train tickets:
Did you know you can book train tickets up to 24 weeks before you travel? Booking advance tickets is one of the best ways to save money on your rail fares, as booking nice and early could save you over 50%*.
Get a guaranteed 1/3 off train tickets with a Railcard. Available for 1 or 3 years, there’s a railcard for nearly everyone – students, families, jobseekers and more, so you can get where you want to go for less.
Do you travel a lot with a partner? Get the Two Together Railcard.
You might be eligible for a railcard if you’re in full-time education or under the age of 30. We even provide a whopping 50% discount on our Advance tickets for those with a 16-25 Railcard - most retailers only save you 33%. Find more information on Railcards.
Use a provider which doesn’t charge booking or credit card fees when buying your tickets. Many providers will add these fees onto the cost of your tickets, so always check before you buy.
At TransPennine Express, we don’t charge these add-on fees, so you can make savings on booking fees when buying your train tickets directly with us. We can book trains for travel anywhere in Great Britain, even if it's not on our network.
Train ticket prices vary throughout the day, so if you're flexible with what time you can travel, you can choose your train based on which offers the cheapest train tickets. If you have the flexibility with your travel plans, always check trains an hour or two either side of your ideal time to see if you can save money.
If you travel off-peak you can secure cheaper tickets than during peak times, whilst super off-peak tickets are even cheaper, but they do have tighter time restrictions.
On certain routes, you might find that two advance single tickets could work out cheaper than a return ticket. Before buying a return ticket, always have a quick look to see if single tickets could make you savings.
When you regularly travel along the same route, a season ticket is one of the best ways to secure the cheapest train tickets. You’ll also save time as well as money as there’s no need to buy a ticket every time you travel.
You can buy season tickets on a Smartcard in stations or on our website – they can also be topped up online.
You can choose to buy a season ticket for seven days, a calendar month or any time between one and 12 months.
We give discounts to groups of three or more travelling together. Find out more.
Want to travel on First Class? On TransPennine Express services you can upgrade your Standard Class ticket to First Class ticket on the day for £10-20 (depending on the distance travelled). This upgrade is available on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays with our Weekend First offer.
Please ask the conductor to find out how much the upgrade is for your journey.
From Leeds to Manchester for £10
From Manchester to York for £10
From Sheffield to Manchester for £10
From Liverpool to Leeds for £10
From Manchester to Newcastle for £15
From Manchester to Edinburgh for £20
Simply find an unreserved First Class seat and pay the Conductor for your upgrade.
Please note there are no child or Railcard discounts available on Weekend First.
View our most popular routes and see where you can travel with TransPennine Express.
Follow the steps below to help you save money.
If you're regularly travelling with family and friends, why not get a Family & Friends railcard. You can save 1/3 on adult train tickets and you'll get 60% off kids tickets.
If you're heading off to university or just want to go and explore. Get a 16-25 railcard and you can enjoy half price advance purchase tickets when booking direct with us.
You can save over 50% if you book your first class ticket in advance. You can also upgrade on the day or use the Seatfrog app to bid for a last-minute upgrade.
If you're making the same journey regularly, the best way to save money is to buy a season ticket. They are available for 7 days, 1 calendar month and any period between 1-12 months.
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