Commuter train tickets 2024
Commuting? We can help with that
Commuting with Trainline. It’s not teleport-to-work cool. But it’s close. We can help you find new ways to save and be in control of your commute. Our app gives you live times, real-time platform info and digital tickets all in one place for smoother travel.
Have it all with our app. Great journeys start with Trainline.
All the ways to commute 💼
We're in a new era of working, so why should your commute be set in stone? Spoiler: it isn't.
Travelling 3+ times a week?
Save 1/3 with a Weekly or a Monthly Season Ticket°. Just tap, scan and go with tickets on your phone.
Travelling twice a week?
Enter the Flexi Season - 8 Day Passes to use in 28 days. Just activate one the day you’re travelling.
Can’t plan ahead?
With no booking fee for same-day journeys in our app, you're more likely to see pigs fly than find cheaper tickets. Or we'll refund the difference.
Live tracker
Know exactly where your train is, with up-to-date info in the palm of your hand.
Disruption notifications
Is it our app that infuses you with that platform swagger? Well, with real-time updates right there in your pocket, we rather think it is.
Flexi Season tickets
Want more flexibility than a normal Season ticket? And to only pay for the days you travel? A Flexi Season ticket can be cheaper than buying a single or return ticket. Find out if a Flexi Season ticket could help you save.
Favourites
Save your regular commute to your app in “Favourites” and before you leave to catch your train check for real-time journey updates and so much more. If your train gets a few minutes behind schedule you’ll know with a tap.
SplitSave
SplitSave, our in-app feature, can save you money by ‘splitting’ your ticket into multiple legs. It’s the same train and destination – just an extra ticket or two to show the conductor. Great for those commuting 1 to 2 days a week.
Digital Railcards
If you’re commuting by train, you need a Railcard, no doubt about it. You can save 1/3 on any journey (over £12) with a 16-25 or 26-30 Railcard! It’s super simple to buy your digital Railcard with us, online or in our app.
I know what I'm after...
Search by ticket type, including Anytime train tickets, Season tickets, and Flexi Seasons
I know where I'm going...
Search by the area you’re travelling to, including London, the South East, and the Midlands
Commuter train travel tips
Check out our top tips for making your commute as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Make sure you download our app so you can try them all!
Skip the queues
There’s no need to visit the ticket machines or queue at the station, as digital tickets are available on most UK routes. Just scan and go!
Avoid travel at Peak times
If you can, plan your journey outside of Peak times – Monday to Friday mornings and late afternoons – as the trains are likely to be quieter then.
Get real-time info
Use our app and get journey updates when on the move, including live times, journey tracking and platform information.
Commuter train ticket types
Already know how many days you’ll be commuting to work but not sure which train ticket to buy? Tap a ticket type below to see some of the great savings you can make when booking commuter train tickets with us.
Commuting 1 to 2 days a week
If you’re a part-time commuter who needs to be in the office only once or twice a week, you can choose from a wide range of ticket types, based on the flexibility and affordability you need.
Anytime train tickets
An Anytime train ticket is a flexible ticket that allows you to travel at any time of the day. Know when you’re commuting but are not sure what time you’ll be returning? Buy an Anytime Day Return or Open Return ticket and you’ll be able to get on any train at any time of the day.
Learn more about Anytime train tickets.
Travel at any time
Avoid queuing at ticket machines
Enjoy flexibility to travel when you need
Off-Peak train tickets
If you can be flexible with your work times, Off-Peak train tickets could offer you big savings and help you avoid busier trains. You’ll still save whether you’re booking on the day or in advance.
Off-Peak train times differ based on the popularity of each route, the direction of travel, and the train company operating the route. To give you an idea, Peak times are normally around 06:30 to 09:30 and then from around 16:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday. There’s also Super Off-Peak, which is normally between 10:00 to 15:30 and from 19:15 onwards, Monday to Friday.
Learn more about Off-Peak train tickets.
Avoid busier trains
Buy on the day in our app with no fee or book in advance
Buy a £30 Railcard to save 1/3 on your travel
Advance train tickets
Advance train tickets are Single tickets that go on sale well before the day of travel, perfect if you want to save money and already know when you’ll be travelling.
You can check the Advance train ticket release dates for some UK train companies and set up your Ticket Alert, so we can tell you when the tickets you want become available.
Learn more about Advance train tickets.
Exchange tickets in our app up to 15 mins before departure
Advance train tickets are non-refundable
You'll be able to reserve a seat on some routes
Split train tickets
If you’re commuting once or twice a week, you may find that Single and Return tickets are the best option for you. Want to save money? Use our app SplitSave feature – splitting your journey into sections and buying separate train tickets for each is sometimes cheaper than buying a single ticket.
Learn more about split train tickets.
Choose digital tickets where available to just scan and go
Buy on the day in our app with no fee or book in advance
You'll be able to reserve a seat on some routes
Setting up your personalised departure board
Save your regular journeys to your app in “favourites” and before you head out on the commute check your personalised departure board for:
- real-time journey updates including delays, cancellations and platform information
- quickly buy tickets with convenient payment options including Apple Pay and Google Pay
- use SplitSave and Railcards to find the cheapest fare for your journey
The choice is yours, and the power is literally in your hands.
How to add your commute to favourites in 6 super simple steps:
iOS
- Open the Trainline app
- Select “favourites” and tap "upgrade"
- Enter your journey type, home station, and destination
- Tap the days and add your usual commute times
- Pop in your ticket type, travel preferences, and Railcard information
- Tap "complete" and you've finished setting up your personalised departure board for your commute
Android
- Open the Trainline app
- Select “favourites” and tap "Let's go"
- Enter your journey type, home station, and destination
- Tap the days and add your usual commute times
- Pop in your ticket type, travel preferences, and Railcard information
- Tap "complete" and you've finished setting up your personalised departure board for your commute
Digital Railcards
Did you know you could buy your Railcard direct from us? We're an official retailer of digital Railcards from National Rail. So, forget about trudging to the station with your passport photo – it’s super-easy to buy yours online or in our app.
Under thirty? You could be saving 1/3 on any journeys (over £12) with a 16-25 or 26-30 digital Railcard! Londoners can save 1/3 on TfL too.
National Railcards offer up to 1/3 discount on your train tickets. Most Railcards cost £30 for the whole year and you can use your Railcard when buying tickets from us to get the best discounts. Here are the most useful ones for commuters:
Network
Railcard
£30
For travellers in the South East of England
For up to four adults and four children aged 5-15
Children get 60% off
Great for:
Commuters and Londoners
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use on any of your devices. No download codes needed!
16-25
Railcard
For ages 16-25
Great for:
Teenagers, students, graduates, and young professionals
1- or 3-year validity available
Save £20 with a 3-year Railcard
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use on any of your devices. No download codes needed!
26-30
Railcard
£30
For ages 26-30
Great for:
Millennials, graduates, and young professionals
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use on any of your devices. No download codes needed!
16-17
Saver
£30
For ages 16-17
Passengers get 50% discount on most tickets, including seasons
Great for:
School and college students
Commuting 3 or more days a week
If you’re making the same journey 3 or more days a week, you're probably better off getting a Season ticket – it allows you unlimited travel between two nominated stations on any day with complete flexibility. Some are also available to buy as digital Season tickets. Depending on the validity period you’re interested in, you can choose from different types of Season tickets:
Weekly Season Tickets
A Weekly Season Ticket allows you seven days of unlimited travel between two stations and it’s often cheaper than buying four daily return train tickets.
Learn more about Weekly Season Tickets.
Monthly Season Tickets
A Monthly Season Ticket allows you a month of unlimited travel between the stations shown on your ticket. This type of Season ticket can be cheaper than buying four Weekly Season Tickets.
Learn more about Monthly Season Tickets.
Annual Season Tickets
An Annual Season Ticket allows you a year of unlimited travel between two stations. It’s often cheaper than buying Monthly or Weekly Season Tickets throughout the year.
Learn more about Annual Season Tickets.
We sell Season tickets for the following train companies:
Cost comparison for commuting 3 or more days a week
See the price difference and savings for travelling with a Season ticket compared to Day Return tickets for an example commute from Reading to London Paddington.
| Season ticket type | Price | Saving |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | £133.60 | Save £87.20 compared to 4 Anytime Day Return tickets |
| Monthly | £512.70 | Save £21.70 compared to 4 Weekly Season Tickets |
| Annual | £5,340 | Save £812.40 compared to 12 Monthly Season Tickets |
Prices correct as of December 2023.
Need more flexibility?
If you’re commuting to work only twice a week, a Flexi Season ticket is the perfect flexible ticket option for you.
A Flexi Season ticket is a new type of flexible Season ticket and comes as a bundle of 8 Day Passes that need to be used within 28 days. Each Day Pass allows unlimited travel for 1 day between two named stations; you don't need to specify which days you'll be travelling in advance, giving you more flexibility to travel when you want and need.
Find out more about Flexi Season tickets.
Travel at any time
Avoid queueing at ticket machines
Pay for the days you need to commute
Cost comparison for commuting 2 or 3 days a week
Have a look at our tables below for some examples of how much you could save in a year if you're travelling 2 or 3 days a week and buy multiple Flexi Season tickets compared to daily tickets.
| Route | Travelling 2 days a week |
| Woking to London | over £250 |
| York to Leeds | over £200 |
| Southampton Central to Winchester | over £60 |
| Stafford to Birmingham | over £160 |
| Liverpool to Manchester | over £220 |
| Route | Travelling 3 days a week |
| St Albans City to London | over £200 |
| Bromsgrove to Birmingham | over £120 |
| Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Temple Meads | over £90 |
| Chelmsford to Stratford | over £330 |
Source: UK Government
Commuter train tickets by region
Know when and where you’ll be travelling but not sure which train ticket to buy? You’ve come to the right place. Browse the most popular commuter train routes you can book with us, by regions around the UK.
Commuting to London by train
Check out some of the most popular train commutes to London you can book with us.
Commuting in the South East by train
Commuting in the South East of England? Have a look at the most popular routes you can book with us.
Commuting in the Midlands by train
Find the most popular train commutes in the Midlands, including fastest time, Weekly Season Ticket prices and more.
Commuting in East Anglia by train
Learn more about the most popular commutes in East Anglia, including fastest time, Weekly Season Ticket prices and more.
Commuting in the North West by train
Commuting in the North West of England? Check out the most popular commutes, how fast you can get there and how much you can save.
Commuting in Yorkshire and the North East by train
Learn more about the most popular routes in Yorkshire and the North East of England, including fastest time, Weekly Season Ticket prices and more.
Commuting in Wales by train
Commuting in Wales? Have a look at the most popular Welsh routes you can book with us.
Commuting in Scotland by train
Check out some of the most popular train commutes in Scotland you can book with us.
Commuting with UK high-speed trains
If you’re commuting from Kent to London and want to get there the fastest way possible, why not travel with a high-speed train? There are five lines in the UK which allow for high-speed rail travel. On four out of five lines, the maximum speed is 125 mph, while the purpose-built HS1 line allows for speeds of up to 186 mph.
Completed in 2007, the High Speed 1 (HS1) line connects London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel. HS1 is used by both Eurostar services and Southeastern’s Javelin trains, which ferry London-bound commuters from Kent at speeds of up to 140 mph. HS1 calls at stations in East London and Kent, including St Pancras, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.
Learn more about travelling with high-speed trains in the UK.
Heading out on your bike?
If you’re a commuter, taking your bike on the train is usually the cheapest and greenest way to travel. In general, you can travel with your bike on all trains free of charge. UK train companies allow full-sized bikes on trains during Off-Peak hours and fully folding bikes with wheels up to 85cm at any time. Depending on which train company you’re travelling with, you might need to reserve a space for your bike.
Find out more about taking bikes on trains in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I save money on commuting?
Why are tickets for the journey I want to book not on sale yet?
How do I change my ticket or request a refund online?
I want to take my bike on the train, how do I book?
Want to know more about train travel in the UK?
We’ve told you everything you need to know about commuting by train in the UK, but if you want to find out more about train companies in the UK or travel in certain regions, we’ve got all the helpful guides you need.
*Refund subject to conditions. UK based customers only. Valid for in-app purchases only, if a lower price than the price on Trainline is found for on the day purchase for the same train (same journey and restrictions, date and time, class, train operator, number and type of passengers and Railcard(s) used if applicable excluding contactless fares) departing from the UK. Subject to contacting us within 5 days of booking with photo evidence containing the information listed. Refund to means of payment used for booking.
°Average saving based on Weekly, Monthly and Annual Season tickets compared to five Anytime Day Return tickets bought per week, with an allowance for 28 days annual leave. Subject to availability. Adult fare only. Excludes coach. Excludes booking fee.