Train tickets can reach dizzying costs in the UK, with travellers going to great lengths to save cash.
One Londoner recently went viral when he swapped a £130 train ticket from Manchester to London with £57 flights — going via Reykjavik, in Iceland.
So it’s no surprise that rail travellers are coming up with inventive ways to keep costs down (and thankfully, not every hack requires your passport).
One such hack is utilising split-tickets, which is when you buy tickets for individual segments of a journey, rather than one, straight through ticket — which is often more expensive.
There are many instances of how split-ticketing can save you cash across the UK network. Here at Metro, we’ve already talked you through the so-called Didcot Dodge, which saves money on the journey from Bristol Temple Meads to London.
Sign up to The Getaway newsletter
Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here.
Instead of purchasing one direct ticket for £138.70, travellers buy one ticket from the capital to Didcot Parkway (£43), and then a second ticket onwards to Bristol (£43.80), saving £54.90.
And now, there’s another hack you need on your radar, which we’re lovingly calling the Chester Cheat.
This one is handy for any commuters who regularly travel between Shrewsbury to Liverpool.
If you buy a single ticket from Shrewsbury to Liverpool, it’ll set you back £35.40. We checked prices for May 28 at 8.27am, but the standard single is the same cost no matter the time of day.
However, if you use the Chester Cheat, you would buy a ticket from Shrewsbury to Chester for £11.40 (on the same 8.27am train), and then a second ticket from Chester to Liverpool (jumping on the 9.31am train) for £9.25.
The split-ticket means you’ll pay just £20.65, which is £14.75 cheaper than the direct train, giving travellers a 40% saving.
What’s perhaps even more baffling, is that the change at Chester is something you would need to do regardless — even with a direct, more expensive, ticket.
Yes, it feels illegal, but it’s all completely above board, and there are even website such as TrainSplit or SplitTicketing that can help you work out the cheapest routes.
But, make sure you shop around to find the best deal – and if your split ticket involves changing trains, make sure you have enough time to switch.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
