
Cheaper Train Season Tickets
How to cut the cost of commuting
Commuting to work is expensive, with many paying £1,000s for rail, tube or metro tickets each year. And fares will increase by up to 2.8% from January 2020, following a 3.2% hike last January, meaning it's vital to go for the cheapest ticket possible – it can save you £100s each year.
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Season tickets usually win on price
Across the country, whether you're Oyster-carding from Orpington or training from Tiverton, you could save a decent chunk of cash by getting an annual season ticket rather than buying 12 monthly ones or – even worse – weekly travelcards.
"Surely I won't save that much? I'm still using the same train line, just as often," you may say. But this is actually the best way to cut your commuting costs, often slashing the cost of travel by £100s each year.
How much can an annual ticket save?
This table shows a few examples of how much you could save by buying an annual season ticket when commuting into some of the UK's major cities...
Monthly versus annual season tickets
City/Town | JOURNEY | MONTHLY TICKET COST | ANNUAL TICKET COST | SAVINGS/YR |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belfast | Carrickfergus to Belfast Great Victoria Street | £98.50 | £945.60 (1) | £236.40 |
Birmingham | Rugby to Birmingham New Street (2) | £152.50 | £1,588 | £242 |
Cardiff | Barry Island to Cardiff Queen Street | £72.60 | £756 | £115.20 |
Glasgow | Greenock West to Glasgow Central | £167.90 | £1,748 | £266.80 |
London | Crystal Palace to Oxford Circus | £158.30 | £1,648 | £251.60 |
London | Colchester to Liverpool Street | £505.40 | £5,264 | £800.08 |
London | Guildford to Tottenham Court Road (3) | £443.20 | £4,616 | £702.40 |
Manchester | Hazel Grove to Manchester Piccadilly | £103 | £1,072 | £164 |
Table correct as of December 2018 but based on prices from 2 January 2019. (1) Based on paying for annual aLink smartcard upfront. Monthly direct debit option costs £1,004.70 – more than paying upfront, but still less than buying 12 monthly tickets. (2) Only valid via Coventry. (3) Only valid via Clandon or Woking and based on ticket including London travelcard for zones 1-6. |
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Four ways to spread the cost of a season ticket
It's hardly a secret that buying 'in bulk' usually saves on commuting costs, but the main problem is that many people can't get the cash together to be able to afford paying a one-off sum of what is often £1,000s in just one month. Luckily, there are several ways around this, and they don't all cost the earth. Here are five ways you can spread the cost of buying a season ticket. Read through until you find one that suits you.
What if I can't use any of these methods?
If you can't use any of these methods, then sadly, you won't be able to save this time around.
But it's worth looking at your finances and doing a proper budget. Is there anywhere you can cut back in order to be able to save for next year? Or, if you've a low eligibility score for the credit cards, could you take steps to improve your credit score so you could get one in the future? Our Credit Scores guide has the lowdown.
For more information on cutting the cost of train travel, read the Cheap Train Tickets guide.
Commuting Q&As

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