Train companies are slashing prices on thousands of tickets as part of a major Rail Sale.
Northern is offering half a million tickets for train journeys across the North of England for up to 50% off and LNER is offering savings on more than 400,000 tickets. Meanwhile, TransPennine Express has reduced prices on 250,000 tickets, with customers being able to save up to 50% off – and some fares are as low as £2.50.
Northern has slashed the price of select Advance Purchase tickets as part of the nationwide sale, which starts on Tuesday, January 14, and runs until Monday, January 20. Tickets are valid for travel between Sunday, January 19, and Monday, March 31, 2025, and are available from northernrailway.co.uk and ticket offices across the Northern network.
Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “The 500,000 Advance Purchase tickets we’re making available for the Rail Sale will be spread the length and breadth of our network. Northern already offers exceptional value for money – with the average price of a journey with Northern costing around £4 – and so we’re pleased to be able to offer these Rail Sale fares to our customers, making the train an even more attractive option.”
The Rail Sale is one of the first national events to mark the start of Railway 200 – a year-long campaign to celebrate the 200th anniversary of rail travel in the UK. It was on September 27, 1825, that George Stephenson’s steam-powered Locomotion No. 1 travelled 26 miles between Shildon, Darlington and Stockton.
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TransPennine Express (TPE) says customers can save up to 50% off selected advance and off-peak tickets. More than 250,000 discounted tickets will be available for travel across the TPE network in northern England and Scotland, for journeys between Tuesday, January 21, and Monday, March 31.
Passengers in Manchester could visit Sheffield for as little as £2.50, a journey from York to Scarborough could be as cheap as £4.70, and a ticket from Preston to Edinburgh could cost less than a tenner. Popular TPE journeys up for grabs include:
- Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central – £7.70
- York to Scarborough – £4.70
- Leeds to Manchester Airport – £5.90
- Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield – £2.50
- Doncaster to Cleethorpes – £3.40
- Leeds to Newcastle – £6.20
- Newcastle to Edinburgh – £3.90
- Preston to Edinburgh – £8.40
Customers will have from Tuesday, January 14, until Monday, January 20, to save on TPE fares. Darren Higgins, commercial director at TPE, said: “This is a great opportunity for our customers to get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across our network. We urge customers to book tickets early to avoid disappointment. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.” Tickets are available on the TransPennine Express website.
Elsewhere, LNER is offering savings on more than 400,000 selected Advance tickets. Customers can make savings of up to 50% and secure tickets between destinations such as York and Newcastle from as little as £7.85 and London and Edinburgh from just £26.15.
LNER serves more than 50 destinations on the East Coast route which stretches almost a thousand miles between London and the Scottish Highlands. Rail Sale journeys cover trips to and from various towns and cities, including Edinburgh, Newcastle, Doncaster, York and London.
Tickets are available to book, subject to availability, between January 14 and January 20, for travel Mondays to Thursdays between January 21 and March 31, 2025. Tickets must be booked seven days in advance of travel.
David Flesher, commercial director at LNER, said: “This year is set to be a very special one for both LNER and the rail industry. As we celebrate rail’s 200th anniversary, we’re delighted to be able to offer our customers the opportunity to visit destinations along our route, with more discounted tickets available than ever before. Whether that’s exploring the sights of Edinburgh, historic York or the bustling streets of London – now is the perfect chance to book tickets for your next adventure.”
Fares include:
London <> Leeds
- Standard Class – £17.85
- First Class – £44.20
London <> Doncaster
- Standard Class – £16.55
- First Class – £37.00
London <> Peterborough
- Standard Class – £9.20
- First Class – £17.05
London <> Newcastle
- Standard Class – £23.60
- First Class – £52.15
London <> Edinburgh
- Standard Class – £26.15
- First Class – £56.90
York <> Newcastle
- Standard Class – £7.85
- First Class – £12.30
Customers wanting to take advantage of the Rail Sale have until 11.59pm on January 20 2025 to book tickets and are advised to book early to avoid missing out via LNER.co.uk/RailSale.