As you may have read in the first blog post, we encountered a little debacle during our first trip by train. We bought tickets to Birmingham at the ticket machine in Coventry Station, but they were only valid for Avanti West Coast trains. We then hopped on a London Northwestern Railway train, not realising we had wrong tickets. When the conductress passed by and checked our tickets, she told us the bad news… I think you could see the surprise on our faces because she let us go without a penalty. Bless her soul!

I’m very positive that if the conductress didn’t pass by that day, we would still be buying wrong train tickets… Not that we are stupid. As Belgian students, we are used to a very different railway system. Only one government-owned train company operates throughout Belgium, which means you can buy tickets to your preferred destination and hop on any train wherever whenever that day.

A beginner’s guide to train travel in the UK

In short, since 1995, Britain’s rail network has been run by over 20 private train companies. The companies do work together as National Rail, with co-ordinated fares, ticketing and information.

Three types of fares exist:

  • Anytime fares are valid any time, any day, any train, any operator. They are expensive and aimed at business travellers.  
  • Off-peak fares are valid on any train, any time except in the Monday-Friday business peaks. The exact time restriction varies by route and destination. They are much more affordable.
  • Advance fares are only valid on the specific train you’ve booked, no refunds, limited or no change of travel plans. They are usually the cheapest option.

If you would like to know more about the British railway network, I recommend visiting this website. It gave me a pretty good understanding, but some mysteries remain – to be honest.

Saving money

Travelling by train in the UK can be fairly expensive and us students are always on the look to save money, right? Booking your train tickets in advance is a great way to save money. The earlier you book, the more likely you’ll find a cheap fare. 

Another money saver is the Railcard. With this card, people aged 16 between 25 and eligible mature students enjoy 34% off most rail fares. The 16-25 Railcard costs £ 30 a year but pays for itself in just 2-3 train journeys. A great deal if you’re planning to do a few trips by train. 

Good news for all international students out there: we can also purchase a Railcard! One thing to keep in mind is that you should always be able to show your Railcard. Conductors do ask for it! 

Railcard app

The best app

Although the National Rail Enquiries has its own smartphone app, I and many other (local) students prefer the Trainline app. Within the app, you can search real-time departure times and prices for train journeys, save your favourite journeys and directly book tickets. If you book tickets on your laptop with your account, they’ll also appear in the app. Very handy! Last but not least, the app comes in many different currencies and languages – even Dutch. That’s the weird language you’ll see in the pictures below. 

Trainline app