Savings tricks: how to get cheap train tickets

After looking at railcard deals last week, we explore more ways to save money on your train travel, including 'ticket splitting' which could cut more than 10pc off your rail fare

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Following the launch of the Two Together railcard last week our previous piece looked at the different discount cards available. For an annual cost of around £30, the five railcards on offer Two Together , 16-25 , Family Friends , Senior and Disabled Persons claim to save you more than £100 on rail fares, if you are a frequent traveller. For more on exactly how these cards work and who benefits, go to telegraph.co.uk/railcards .

This week, we explore other ways to get the best deals on rail fares, with tricks that could save you substantial sums.

Rail fares are grouped into three types of ticket. Advance must be booked in advance for a specific train journey; anytime can be used on any train without a time restriction, and off-peak , which is for quieter periods. The last of these tickets can be restricted to a time, day and route of travel.

Anytime is the most expensive ticket type as it has no time restrictions and is usually valid for several months. These tickets are often more than double the price of advance tickets. For example, a standard ticket from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley is £100 off-peak or £50 advance , while an anytime ticket costs £130. This journey exemplifies the different prices between each ticket, so if you are able to book a train for a specific time, or travel during the quieter periods of the day, do so if you want to save money.