Money saving tips # 4: Train tickets

For most students the train is the way to get home for the weekend. Trains aren't cheap, just like any other means of public transport, but there are a few tips and tricks to bag yourself cheaper tickets.

1. Get a rail card.
•  As a student you can nab yourself a 16-25 raiilcard costing £28 a year.and bagging you a whole third off most journeys.
• However....Natwest usually give them away with their student bank accounts BUT these are usually only given to existing customers so if you don't have a bank account with them currently, it might be worth opening and account with them now just to qualify for their free rail card when the time comes.
2. Don't buy your tickets on the day at the station
• You will save a fortune buying in advance, advance tickets are usually released 12 weeks in advance although I have never booked that far ahead, I usually go for about a week in advance. I would however, recommend booking as far in advance as you can.
3. Shop around
• Have a look online there are loads of websites offering discount rail tickets. Some good ones are...
• The train line- Their app is great, so easy to use. I have never used their e-ticket option but I have never heard anything bad about it either. The only down side of the trainline is they have a booking fee (£1 on the app and £1.50 online)
• Redspottedhankey - basically the same as the train line, they recently released an app BUT these little beauties don't charge you a booking fee! 
• Both of the websites allow you to choose what kind of seats you like 
4. Book your journey as 2 singles not a return.
• 2 singles in almost always cheaper although this does restrict the times you can travel
5. Don't travel at peak times
• Who would want to travel at rush hour anyway, stay in bed and get the later train (or get up stupidly early and get the earlier train). It does tend to be cheaper to travel off-peak
6. Split your journey
• If you travel from London to Edinburgh check if it is cheaper to change train somewhere, splitting your journey up into smaller ones might seem like a pain in the ass but it could save you a small fortune. There are apps and websites about that can do this for you.

My train journey - With rail card

Bangor-Crewe =£6.90

Crewe-Bangor=£6.90

It takes about 2 hours to get home for me, I just get on the train and relax all the way to Crewe  sometimes I have to change at Chester but I usually travel with Virgin trains so go direct to Crewe.

Keep it scrimpy
Laura.