The ultimate train hack that saves you big

Table of Contents

The Art of Hacking Train Fares for a More Comfortable Journey

When I turned to my boyfriend and travel companion James, I told him we had to get off our train. We were an hour-and-a-half into a three-and-a-half-hour journey from London to Carlisle, and I had surprised him with the announcement. We were only at Crewe, and his face said it all.

You might be wondering: Why on earth did I make poor James lug his bags onto a cold platform in the middle of nowhere, when we could have just stayed put? The answer is simple. Because, little did James know, within an hour, we’d be sitting in bigger seats, sipping complimentary tea, and eating shortbread—all because I had secured us two first-class tickets without spending a fortune.

If you book trains often, you may already know about ‘split ticketing’—a technique where separate tickets for different parts of the same journey can work out cheaper than one through-ticket. Many booking sites, including Train Pal and Trainline, now find these splits for you and let you book them in one go. It’s a great way to save some cash on the ever-increasing price of rail fares.

However, even with split ticketing, the price of the same journey in first-class can still be unattainable, often adding more than £100 to the total. But this didn’t stop me from exploring further. What if I could split my ticket not only between destinations but also between classes? Was it possible to sit part of the way in standard and then switch to first-class? And, similar to standard tickets, were there legs that would end up being much cheaper to upgrade?

After some research, I discovered that an advance one-way journey from London to Carlisle (on December 20, 2024, at 12:33) would cost £52.90 in standard thanks to a split-ticket fare and a Two Together Railcard. First-class, however, came in at a whopping £113.40—even with the railcard applied—which was way out of my budget.

But this is where my theory came into play. I began checking what the first-class price from every stop on my journey between London to Carlisle was to see if any were worth the extra cost. I quickly realized that most journeys departing the capital came with a higher price tag, but if I was willing to start in standard and then change to first-class as I got closer to Carlisle, I could be in business.

That’s when I found a one-hour and 54-minute Crewe to Carlisle leg for just £37.25 in first-class with a Two Together Railcard. Even a standard ticket was only £11.30! I now needed to buy the standard ticket on the same train to get me to Crewe—but that’s when I saw how I could make it even cheaper.

Similar to flights, if you’re willing to add in a ‘layover’ at a train station, you can sometimes cut the price even further. The train between London and Crewe an hour earlier was even cheaper—just £23.60 each with a railcard. By accepting a 60-minute wait, I had shaved another £20 off per person.

In total, I managed to secure our entire journey for just £60.85 each—only £8 more than a standard straight trip—but with nearly two hours of it in first-class, complete with free food and drink. The only thing left to do was surprise James with my find.

The trip started like any other: we boarded our train at London Euston, where everything was running on time. We stashed our bags and had snacks in hand. James settled in and actually looked quite content until I told him we’d be disembarking at Crewe. He grumbled as we lugged our bags off the train, complaining that I had made us do this “just to shave a couple of quid off the ticket price.”

Then he complained incessantly for the entire hour waiting for our next train. No one had told me at that point we could have actually used the first-class lounge at Crewe during our wait, oops! But I knew I’d get the last laugh.

When our train finally pulled in, I said nothing. Instead, I waited for him to clock the subtle differences: the bigger seats, the complimentary drinks, the plug sockets by our seats, and just the overall nicer and quieter ambience. When the penny finally dropped and he realized, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mood swing so quickly.

He threw his arms in the air, punching the sky, and suddenly James was a changed man. A free cheese board, an onion bhaji, and a Bloody Mary later, and I was officially forgiven.

For me, watching his frown dissolve into delight was worth every second. And I loved feeling like I’d beaten the system. Plus, there was something genuinely fun about the process. I know most people don’t want to spend their evening cross-referencing train stops, but I’ll happily sit there for an hour with a cuppa and a spreadsheet if it means we can travel in comfort for less.

I did this last year at Christmas when the trains are always so busy, and so I’d definitely do it again this year for another festive treat. I can’t wait to start hacking the system once more.

My advice to you is if you’ve ever dreamed of going first-class but balked at the price, remember: you don’t have to do it all the way. If you’re someone who finds travelling stressful, stick to split-ticketing tools and look out for cheap first-class legs on the same train. But if you’re more flexible and up for a bit more adventure, piecing together a journey yourself can lead to even more savings.

After all, who doesn’t want more legroom, free snacks, peace and quiet, and yes, the smugness that comes with travelling in first-class?