Rail sale frequently asked questions

Participating train companies, working together in partnership, are offering up to 50% off selected Advance tickets on over 1 million journeys from participating retailers. Where a participating train company doesn’t offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.

The following train companies will be taking part in the Great British Rail Sale:

• Southeastern
• London North Eastern Railway
• Avanti West Coast
• Greater Anglia
• South Western Railway
• Great Western Railway
• Northern
• C2C
• Chiltern
• London Northwestern Railway Railway
• Cross Country
• East Midlands Railway
• West Midlands Railway
• Southern
• Thameslink
• Great Northern
• TransPennine Express
• Grand Central
• Hull Trains

Great British Rail Sale tickets will be available from 10:00 on 19 April – 23:59 on 2 May 2022 for travel between 25 April until 27 May 2022. Tickets must be purchased a minimum of one day in advance of the date of travel.

The discount will be available on selected Advance tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative. Customers should visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to see what discounts are available for the location they wish to visit.

Great British Rail Sale tickets will be available from train companies operating in England, excluding London Overground, TfL Rail, Merseyrail, Lumo, Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express and Stansted Express. They will be available to purchase from participating train companies and retailers.

Use National Rail’s online tool at nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which routes are available. Tickets are limited in number and subject to availability. Once you find a route, click 'buy' to head over to a ticket retailer and check the availability for your journey. Act quickly because when they’re gone, they’re gone.

The discount will be available on selected Advance tickets of all DfT Franchised Train Operators in England, Grand Central and Hull Trains. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.

Over 1 million Great British Rail Sale tickets will be available to buy from 19 April until 2 May 2022, for travel between 25 April and 27 May 2022.

The Great British Rail Sale tickets will need to be booked at least 1 day in advance. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

Some train operators may offer First Class upgrades for a fee. Please check the terms and conditions on your train company’s website for more information.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket or for the journey and train company you booked.

Great British Rail Sale tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis but will not be limited to one per person.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes or from all train companies. Tickets are subject to availability so act quickly because when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes, are limited and subject to availability and exclusions. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the retailer’s website, it could be that the journey you’re looking for is either already sold out or not included in the sale.

Please use the ‘Journey Search’ or ‘Inspire Me’ button on the National Rail online tool at nationalrail.co.uk/railsale to find out which trains and locations are included in the Great British Rail sale.

When you visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale you will be able to search for Great British Rail Sale fares that will be available to buy from 19 April until 2 May for travel between 25 April until 27 May.

If you’re unable to find the train ticket you’re looking for on the train company (or train ticket retailer’s) website it may have already sold out. Great British Rail Sale tickets will be advertised as Rail Sale in the journey planner of your train company or train ticket retailer’s website.

Yes, your ticket can be used for whatever journey purpose you wish, but you are only able to travel on the date and train shown on your ticket or for the journey you booked.

Railcard customers will be able to save an additional 1/3 off a Great British Rail Sale ticket.

If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or is delayed and you still decide to travel, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If you choose not to travel a refund will be offered on completely unused tickets and you will not be charged an administration fee.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are issued with reservation tickets which must be carried when travelling. If the train company does not offer seat reservations on the train you are travelling on, the reservation ticket will specify the date and time of travel. In these cases, you may sit in any available seat on the specified train, appropriate to the class of your ticket.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket or for the journey you booked.

Great British Rail Sale tickets will be available on train companies operating in England, excluding London Overground, TfL Rail, Merseyrail, Lumo, Gatwick Express, Stansted Express and Heathrow Express. Great British Rail Sale tickets are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are available on a wide selection of routes across England. Use National Rail’s online tool to find which routes are available. The number of Rail Sale Tickets offered by each participating Train Company will vary and are limited in number so act quickly because when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Great British Rail Sale tickets are available on the trains and routes that have more capacity to ensure rail travel is more enjoyable for everyone.

To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity.

To ensure customers have the best possible experience when they travel by train, discounts have been made available on trains and routes that have more capacity. Use National Rail's online tool to find which routes are available then click 'buy' to head over to a ticket retailer to search and check availability for your chosen journey.

The Great British Rail sale is available online. Please contact your ticket retailer if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements.