London, January 7, 2026, 07:36 GMT
- Up to 50% off more than 3 million Advance and Off-Peak train tickets, with bookings open through Jan. 12
- Travel window runs from Jan. 13 to March 25, with operators including Greater Anglia and LNER flagging headline fares such as £6 Norwich–London and £27.85 London–Edinburgh
- Discounts are limited on selected routes and generally require booking several days ahead, operators say
Britain’s Great British Rail Sale has opened with discounts of up to 50% on more than 3 million selected train tickets, with cut-price fares available to buy until Jan. 12 for travel between Jan. 13 and March 25, according to National Rail. 1
The promotion targets winter and early spring travel as ministers try to blunt household cost pressures. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the sale brings “further discounts for passengers”, while Rail Delivery Group chief Jacqueline Starr called it “even more reasons to choose rail”, Rail Business Daily reported. 2
The discounts apply to selected “Advance” and “Off-Peak” tickets — typically cheaper fares sold for specific trains or for quieter times outside the busiest periods. National Rail said tickets are limited, must be bought at least three to seven days before travel depending on operator, and discounts are focused on routes with more spare capacity. 3
Greater Anglia said it is offering fares from £3, including Norwich to London Liverpool Street from £6 and Cambridge to London from £4, for travel in the same Jan. 13 to March 25 window. “We hope these Great British Rail Sale deals will entice even more people to make the train their first choice for travel,” Commercial Director Martin Moran said. 4
London North Eastern Railway said it is putting 1 million discounted tickets into the sale, including London to Edinburgh from £27.85 and York to Newcastle from £8.35. “We are always looking for ways to make it more affordable for our customers to travel by rail,” Commercial Director David Flesher said. 5
The sale spans most major operators, with Southeastern saying it has more than 1 million discounted tickets on its routes and noting that railcard discounts do not apply. Southeastern said its sale tickets are available on selected routes and generally require booking at least seven days in advance. 6
Consumer group Which? said the discounts can reach as much as 76% on some fares, citing the Department for Transport, but warned that the cheapest quotas on individual routes are limited and can sell out quickly. It noted that Advance tickets tie passengers to a set train, while Off-Peak tickets usually allow more flexibility within restricted travel times. 7
But the discounts come with strings: operators say availability varies by route and day, and tickets may be non-refundable unless a service is delayed or cancelled. Avanti West Coast said its promotional fares are quota-controlled, valid only on the booked service and, if changed, can trigger an administration fee and any fare difference. 8
