Slash Train Fares: Christmas Travel Hack Revealed

Passengers seeking to reduce their travel expenses this Christmas can leverage a 'splitting tickets' loophole, as revealed by travel expert Simon Calder. This strategy involves purchasing multiple tickets for different segments of a journey, which collectively costs less than a single ticket for the entire route. For instance, a trip from London to Bristol, which might cost £137.50 as one ticket, can be reduced to £91 by booking separate tickets to an intermediate station like Didcot Parkway, while remaining on the same train.

Further research indicates substantial savings are achievable on various routes. A Bristol to Sheffield journey could see a 38% reduction in cost by utilizing this splitting technique. Similarly, a London King's Cross to Edinburgh trip can be cheaper when split at Berwick-upon-Tweed. These savings are particularly timely for those planning holiday travel, with specific examples highlighted for December 22nd journeys. The Rail Delivery Group acknowledges efforts to simplify fares and offer value, though individual operators like LNER caution that ticket splitting might lead to less comfortable journeys.

In separate but related travel news, a rule change effective December 14th will enable contactless payments at Stansted Airport station, resolving a long-standing issue that led to many travellers incurring fines. This update, alongside similar implementations at 49 other stations in the south-east of England, aims to streamline the passenger experience and provide more convenient ticketing options across the network.