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. On Thameslink and Great Northern discounted Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available. Gatwick Express is not participating in the Rail Sale.
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 Great Rail Sale: Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Great Northern Railway, Grand Central, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, London North Eastern Railway, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, ScotRail, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, 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 14 January to Monday 20 January 2025. Tickets can be purchased for travel between Friday 17 January and Monday 31 March 2025. Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, this varies by operator.
How far in advance can I buy my Rail Sale ticket?
Tickets must be purchased at least 3 days prior to travel on Thameslink and Great Northern Railway and 5 days prior to travel for Southern Railway. This will vary for other operators. Check with your specific train operator for further details.
What tickets will be available as part of the Rail Sale?
The discount will be available on selected Advance tickets on Southern Railway. On Thameslink and Great Northern discounted Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available.
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 tickets can be bought online from ticket retailers and train companies operating in England, Wales and Scotland. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available.
On Southern, Thameslink or Great Northern Railway, you can buy your ticket at a ticket office and if you require assistance from station staff, please contact the train company you’re travelling with. You can find details on how to contact your train company here.
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. Advance 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 Tuesday 14 January to Monday 20 January 2025 for travel between Friday 17 January and Monday 31 March 2025.
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. Tickets must be purchased at least 3 days prior to travel on Thameslink and Great Northern Railway and 5 days prior to travel for Southern Railway.
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.
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. To buy Child tickets, please visit your train operating company or preferred ticket retailer. Child Rale Sale fares will be 50% of the Adult Rail Sale ticket price.
On selected journeys up to 4 children can travel for £2 each when they're travelling with an Adult who has a Rail Sale ticket.
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, then select 'buy' to head over to a ticket retailer and check the availability for your journey.
Can Rail Sale tickets be purchased in ticket offices?
The 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.
On Southern, Thameslink or Great Northern Railway, you can buy your ticket at a ticket office and if you require assistance from station staff, please contact the train company you’re travelling with. You can find details on how to contact your train company here.
How much does a Rail Sale ticket cost?
The Rail Sale is offering customers up to 50% off selected Advance tickets. On Thameslink and Great Northern discounted Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available.
Can you get a refund on a Rail Sale ticket?
Rail Sale Advance 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.
On Thameslink and Great Northen Railway, the Off-Peak Day Return tickets will be subject to the normal refund rules. Which means they can be refunded if they haven't been used for whatever reason, within 28 days of the expiry date of the ticket. However, the refund will be subject to a £5 administration fee, unless the reason for the refund is covered by Condition 30.1 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel.
Can I get a discounted Return ticket?
On Thameslink and Great Northern Railway discounted Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available, but Advance 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. You can find information on Delay Repay here.
I was sick so could not use my Rail Sale ticket, can I get a refund?
Rail Sale tickets on Southern are not refundable unless the service you are booked to travel on is delayed or cancelled.
On Thameslink and Great Northen Railway, the Off-Peak Day Return tickets will be subject to the normal refund rules. Which means they can be refunded if they haven't been used for whatever reason, within 28 days of the expiry date of the ticket. However, the refund will be subject to a £5 administration fee, unless the reason for the refund is covered by Condition 30.1 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel.
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.
Some rail historians don’t think the railways started in 1825, but either beforehand or in 1830 when the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened. Aren’t you celebrating a false premise?
There have been many milestones in the railway, both before and after 27 September 1825, all of which also deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. We have done so in a timeline curated by the National Railway Museum: https://railway200.co.uk/timeline/
Railway 200 is inspired by what is widely regarded as the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, when the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened on 27 September 1825. This year’s 200th anniversary simply continues a tradition that follows the centenary celebration in 1925 and the 150th anniversary in 1975 under British Rail. During our year-long programme we will be celebrating many other milestones and railway pioneers as part of rail’s revolutionary story. Our principal goal is to explore rail’s role in shaping people’s lives and livelihoods.