UK Trains Overview

UK Trains - Where to Buy a British Rail Ticket and How to Pay

 First ScotRail Ticket Office at Aviemore, Scotland

Courtesy of ATOC

If all this has you reeling, don't worry. The National Rail Enquiries website includes an excellent trip planning tool and staff at the manned railway stations can suggest best fares.

You can buy a UK train ticket for most off-peak journeys minutes before you board, but some discount tickets are available in advance for longer journeys so it's a good idea to check the National Rail Enquiries online tool to see the range of fares available. If you see a really cheap, advance fare and you're sure you will take that trip - buy it online or at the ticket office. The cheapest fares don't last long.

Buy a Standard Open, Cheap Day Return or Saver ticket:

Online: Choose journey and fare and let the National Rail Enquiry tool guide you to a train company to buy your ticket, using a credit or debit card. You'll get an email with a confirmation number.Print and save it.

Get your ticket:

By mail if purchased four or five days in advance from a UK address. At a fastTicket machine at the station. Bring the credit card you used to pay for the ticket, along with the confirmation number you've printed out and saved, and follow the directions on the machine. At a manned ticket booth. If fastTicketing isn't available at the station, or if there's no time for mail, present credit card and confirmation at a manned ticket window.At the station: Tickets are available on the day or in advance from manned ticket windows at mainline stations or from ticket dispensing and fastTicket machines.

Smaller stations may not be manned all the time. If you board at an unmanned station, you can buy a ticket on the train. But make sure because if staff is available and you board without a ticket, you may be fined or have to pay the highest available round-trip fare.

Insider Tip: National Rail Enquiries' How to Get There is a list of key UK visitor attractions, cathedrals, parks and zoos with links to more websites for detailed addresses and maps.

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