Which train ticket is right for me?
Whether you’re making your daily commute, travelling with your kids or heading in to town for the day; you’ve got plenty of options. Here are just a few of the different ticket types you can go for:
- Anytime: If you’re not sure when you’ll be travelling or you want to enjoy the freedom to travel at any time of day, an Anytime ticket could be the right choice for you.
- Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak: Travelling outside of the busiest hours of the day not only gives you a better chance of finding a seat – it saves you money too.
- Season tickets: Regular travellers use Season tickets to save money and reduce time queuing up for tickets.
- Extra discounts: You can save even more money with Railcards, GroupSave tickets and PlusBus bus and train discount passes
Find out more about the different train tickets available.
How do I buy train tickets?
Everyone has their preferences. We offer several booking options to cater to yours.
- Online: It’s quick, easy and safe to buy train tickets online using our journey planner. You can choose your delivery method, and we won’t charge you a pesky booking fee
- Ticket office: If you’d prefer to speak to someone about your railway ticket, booking at a ticket office is the way to go. We have staffed ticket offices at our larger stations
- Ticket machines: As well as collecting tickets bought online, you can use our self-service ticket machines to buy train tickets using cash or a credit or debit card
- Contactless: If you’re travelling in and around London, you can tap your contactless payment card or device on the move and we’ll charge you the best pay-as-you-go fare available on the day
Learn more about the different ways to pay.
Can I get a refund on my train ticket?
Sometimes train schedules are disrupted, and travel plans change. Thankfully, there are different ways you can get your money back:
- If you buy a ticket online or from one of our stations, ask for a refund from the station ticket office
- If you buy a paper ticket online and don’t collect it, you can get a full refund with our money back guarantee
- If you buy a ticket from us and don’t use it because your train is delayed or cancelled, you can return it and get a full refund. If you do use a ticket but are delayed by 15 minutes or more, we can offer you compensation through the Delay Repay scheme
- If you no longer need your season ticket or can’t use it due to illness, you can also apply for a refund. We’ll offer you the difference between how much it would have cost you up to the point you stopped travelling and the amount you paid overall for your ticket, minus a £5 admin fee
Get more details on train ticket refunds.
National Rail conditions of travel
Read the full guide on your rights and restrictions on the National Rail website.