If you're planning a trip across the UK, booking cheap train tickets can help you save money.
Whether you're traveling for work or leisure, there are several ways to find budget-friendly train fares. By using our service, you can easily compare train ticket prices, find the best deals, and plan your journey with ease. In this guide, we'll explore some tips and tricks to help you find cheap train tickets with EMR.
How to Buy Cheap Train Tickets
Find the cheapest train ticket for your journey
Below we have outlined the best ways you can save money on your train tickets. We're committed to delivering great service at an affordable price, we have used our expertise to compile a list of money-saving tactics, have learned about different train ticket types and compared journey times to find the cheapest train fare for you.
As well as our own routes you can also book your cheap train tickets and save money with EMR on all other routes across the country.
Looking for cheap rail tickets, but not sure which ticket type is best for you? Choose the right train ticket with the help of our guide below.
Find the right train ticket and start travelling today
From Advance and Off-Peak to Season tickets and Ranger & Rover fares, find the best ticket option for your journey. Simply click each train ticket type to learn more about it and plan your trip with us.
Daily train tickets
Off Peak & Super Off Peak Train Tickets
Season tickets
Weekly, Monthly or Annual Season Tickets
Other train ticket types
How to buy cheap train tickets
Generally, train fares tend to increase as the day of travel approaches, which is why booking Advance tickets is a great way to find cheap train tickets. Our Journey Planner can help you find live train times, ticket prices, and route stops. And don't forget to use your Railcard for everyday savings of up to 1/3 off train travel.
Below we have outlined some simple steps to help you save money on your train journey today;
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Use our online journey planner: Easily search for your journey using our journey planner, including your departure and destination stations.
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Buy rail tickets in advance: Select the date and time of your journey, booking tickets in advance can save you even more money on your trip.
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Sign up for advance ticket alerts: If your date of travel isn’t available yet, why not sign up to our Ticket Alert service. Enter your details and we will send you an email when your date is available to book, ensuring you are able to purchase as far in advance as possible to secure the cheapest fare.
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Use a railcard: To save up to 1/3 off train fares on most routes - if you don't have a railcard it is worth finding out if you're eligible for a railcard here.
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Group savings: Don’t forget that if you're traveling in a group you could secure even more savings with our group train tickets.
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Travel Off-Peak: If possible, it’s recommended to travel during off-peak and super off-peak times of the day as rail fares are likely to be cheaper. Trains should also be quieter so you can enjoy a more relaxing journey.
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Season tickets: If you’re a frequent traveller, a Season Ticket could save you plenty on the cost of your train tickets.
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Flexi Season tickets: If you only travel once or twice a week, a Flexi Season ticket could be a great way to get cheaper rail travel.
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Singles vs returns: When booking your rail ticket, it’s worth checking whether two singles are cheaper than a return ticket as this can sometimes be true.
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Be flexible with travel times: Secure up to 50% off your train tickets with Secret Fare from Seatfrog. If you can be flexible with travel times, this is a great option.
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Make the most of any offers: Look out for any offers being provided to bag further savings. At EMR, you can sign up with our partner Complete Savings they provide access to a range of discounts and cashback opportunities.
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Avoid paying extra fees: Other providers may charge a booking fee but when purchasing rail tickets direct with EMR, you won’t pay any booking fees.
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Cheap First Class tickets: Looking for cheap rail tickets but don’t want to compromise on comfort? What if we told you the price of a First Class ticket could be less that you’d expect! Depending on when you want to travel and if you book well in advance, you may find that the difference between a Standard and First Class ticket isn’t much at all. At EMR, we have also teamed up with Seatfrog so you can get a First Class upgrade from as little as £13.
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Sale periods: To get even cheaper train tickets, keep an eye out for any sale periods such as summer or winter sales.
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EMR App: Get the best price train tickets, check journey information in real time and save with no booking fees on the free EMR train app.
Ways to save with cheap rail fare options
There are lots of ways to save money on your train ticket booking by following our cheap train fare options and tips below.
Everyday Savings with Railcard
Discounts
Using a Railcard to book cheap train tickets is the quickest way to save up to 1/3 on your journey. If you don't currently have a Railcard, you can discover the benefits of a Railcard and your eligibility on our dedicated Railcards page.
Avoid
Peak Times for Cheapest Train Tickets
When looking for the cheapest train tickets available on your travel dates, traveling off-peak where possible is an excellent way to save money on your train fares and secure cheaper train tickets. Peak times tend to be before 10 am and between 4-6pm when we see a surge in commuter traffic on our services.
Book Group Train
Tickets to Secure Train Discounts
Groups traveling with East Midlands Railway can save money and find cheap train tickets by booking one of our group tickets. For more information on our group tickets and securing train discounts please visit our dedicated group ticket page.
Enjoy Season Ticket
Savings
Regular traveller? You can save money with one of our season tickets. Weekly, monthly, annual and custom length season tickets are the perfect way to save money on a journey you regularly take and guaranteeing the cheapest rail fare. Alternatively, try Flexi Seasons for even more flexibility.
Book in
Advance Today for Cheapest Rail Fares
If you're planning a train journey before the day of travel, booking advance train tickets is a great way you can save money and book the cheapest train tickets. Advance fare discounts are automatically applied for the cheapest rail tickets available to book today. Visit our journey planner to book your tickets up to 12 weeks in advance and save.
Business Travel
Discounted Train Fares
Work for a business whose employees regularly travel by train? You could save by registering for a free business account. Our business ticket options are designed to make travel as easy and cost-effective as possible through our dedicated platform for discounted travel fares.
Buy Cheap Family Train Tickets
If you are travelling as a family, securing the cheapest train tickets is easy when you know how. We recommend you buy a Family & Friends Railcard which gives you a third off for up to four adults along with 60% off for up to four kids.
Download our EMR App for the best deals
Get the cheapest train tickets in real-time via the EMR app and save with no booking fees – saving time and money on your favourite train journeys.
Discounted Secret Fare Tickets
Save up to 50% off train tickets with Secret Fare from Seatfrog. Select a flexible travel time window – morning, afternoon or evening – and receive your confirmed tickets and allocated time slot 24 hours before departure.
Last Minutes Tickets
If you’re travelling last minute and need cheap train tickets, we’ve got you covered. For more information, head over to our guide on how to secure last minute tickets.
Cheap Popular UK Train Journeys
There are so many places all across the UK and Europe that you can travel to cheaply by train. Here are some of our most popular destinations to visit by train. Click to find out more.
- Cheap train tickets to London
- Cheap train tickets to Liverpool
- Cheap train tickets to Manchester
- Cheap train tickets to Norwich
- Cheap train tickets to Nottingham
- Cheap train tickets to Derby
- Cheap train tickets to Leicester
- Cheap train tickets to Lincoln
- Cheap train tickets to Sheffield
Cheap Train Tickets to Europe
If you're looking to travel to Europe on a budget, booking cheap train tickets can be a great option. Simply take an EMR train to London St Pancras and hop on the Eurostar to travel to different European destinations in comfort without the stress of a busy airport.
Book cheap train tickets to Europe
Cheap train tickets FAQs
To get the cheapest train tickets, you should book your tickets up to 12 weeks before your journey.
You can save up to 60% off your ticket price by booking your train tickets in advance.
The cheapest day to travel by train can vary depending on the route and time of day. Despite the day, the cheapest train tickets are available when you travel during off-peak rather than peak times – which are usually between 10:00 and 16:00, or after 19:00.
It's also a good idea to book your tickets in advance as prices can increase the closer you get to your travel date.
When looking for the cheapest rail fares, it is always best to book you your train tickets in advance and not last minute. Train tickets are available 12 weeks before departure dates – find out more about cheapest advance train tickets here.
If you are looking for cheap last minute train tickets, download the EMR App for the best route and ticket price options available one your day of travel.
There are several ways to make your train fare cheaper. One of the best ways is to book your tickets in advance. Generally, train companies release their tickets around 12 weeks before the travel date, so booking as early as possible can help you find the cheapest fares.
Another option is to travel during off-peak times. Train fares tend to be more expensive during peak hours, so if you can be flexible with your travel times and opt for off-peak trains, you may be able to save money.
You can also consider using a Railcard to get discounts on your train fares. Railcards are available for a variety of groups, including students, seniors, and families, and can help you save up to a third off your train fares.
In most cases, it is cheaper to buy train tickets online thanks to advances ticket prices and other savvy ways to save through online promotions. Additionally, buying tickets online can be more convenient as you can easily compare prices and choose the best option for your budget and travel plans. Plus, you can often save time by booking in advance and printing your tickets at home or downloading them to your mobile device.
Yes. You can book journeys and save money on rail fares across the entire rail network through the EMR website.
Several rail ticket providers apply booking fees at the checkout stage but if you book direct via the EMR website or app, you won’t ever pay booking fees, making your journey as cheap as possible.
A Railway smart card is an alternative to traditional disposable paper tickets. Similar to a debit or credit card your Railway Smartcard allows you to store information such as your season ticket and then easily top the smart card up again when it is time to renew. Find out more here and order your free Smartcard here .
