With UK train fares at an all-time high, commuters and staycationersalike are going to great lengths in their efforts to keep costs down.
For some, that means booking travel months in advance, while others make the most of split ticket loopholes like the ‘Didcot Dodge’ or ‘Chester Cheat’.
But these aren’t the only ways to spend less when you next take to the rails.
A savvy Metro reader recently got in touch to share a trick we’re we’re calling the Southwest Swerve, which can save you upwards of £50 when taking multiple journeys on consecutive days.
While an off-peak return ticket from Birmingham to Penzance will set you back £208.30, if you travel from Birmingham to Worcester (around £10 each way) first, you can then get a Freedom of the Southwest Rail Rover ticket for £135.50.
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This gives you unlimited off-peak travel for three days over the next week (or eight days over the next two weeks if you opt for the £188.50 option) throughout the whole of Devon and Cornwall, extending between Worcester, Weymouth, Cardiff and Swindon and including the likes of Bristol, Salisbury and Southampton.
So in this example, you’re saving £52.80 just on the ticket to Penzance, as well as getting two extra days out added into the bargain. And to make the Swerve even sweeter still, Railcard discounts also apply.
The best thing about this trick however, is that it doesn’t just work for this route.
There are 45 different Ranger or Rover unlimited travel tickets available across the National Rail network – and some even include bus services – so you can tailor your trip around which suits you.
Ranger and Rover tickets explained
- Hop on and off as much as you like within a certain area and for a designated length of time
- Create your own route
- Typically available to use on multiple operators
- Railcard discounts apply
Say you’re going from Manchester to Aberystwyth for the day: a standard off-peak return costs £88.10, but if you go via Shrewsbury (trains between Manchester and Shrewsbury start from £11.80 each way) and purchase a North Wales Rover All Zones ticket for £45, you’ve saved at least £20.
Or perhaps you live in Edinburgh but will be working in Glasgow over the next few days: instead of buying three off-peak returns and three Subway day tickets totalling £63.75, get a Central Scotland Rover for £57. Not only will that cover your work travel, you can also venture around the Central Belt as much as you want over the three-day period.
The possibilities are pretty much endless depending on your schedule and location, and some even allow you to go first class or get money off child tickets.
And although the Southwest Swerve (alongside its nationwide counterparts) may feel sneaky, rest assured that it’s perfectly above board – you’re merely working a little harder to find a legitimate way to travel smarter.
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