Cheap UK train tickets may feel like gold dust at times but it turns out there’s one railway ticket type you can buy year-round and it costs just 10p
UK train tickets can be excruciatingly expensive, with some return fares having known to reach around £200-£300 between the likes of London and Manchester. So it’s surprising to discover that there’s one railway ticket you can buy for just 10p, and it could prove handy if you’ve got family visiting, or you’re looking to cut down some of your daily commute.
However, there is a catch; despite it being valid for 25 rail companies, you can’t actually use this 10p ticket on any trains.
The 10p ‘Platform Ticket’ gives you access to – as the name suggests – the station’s platforms. So if you live somewhere where cutting through the station could help shave a few minutes off your walk home, it could prove to be a useful tool, especially as it saves you having to then pay for a train ticket you’re not going to use each time. (If you are looking to try to save on a train journey, then you may want to consider train splitting when you book).
The idea is that the 10p ticket can also be purchased if you want to accompany someone on the platform, such as a family member or friend waiting for a train, or if you’re a ‘railway enthusiast’ who wants to watch the trains go by, or simply tick another station off the bucket list.
However, do take note that not all train stations offer these tickets – your station manager or ticket office staff will be able to advise.
National Rail explains: “If customers are not travelling by train but wish to access the station platform – for example where there are ticket barriers in operation and they wish to assist someone onto the train or if they are a railway enthusiast – they may need to buy a Platform Ticket, depending on the discretion of staff.
“Not all train companies still issue Platform Tickets but where they are still sold they cost ten pence (10p) and can only be purchased from the station ticket office. There is no charge to assist a disabled passenger to a train.
READ MORE: Brit lad books Airbnb stay in someone’s garage – and sums it up in 2 wordsREAD MORE: Where is hot and sunny in June – 7 destinations less than 5 hours from the UK
“At other stations without barriers, unstaffed stations or at stations managed by certain train companies a Platform Ticket may not be required and customers are advised to check with the ticket office, where possible, before entering the platform. Each train company will advise their retail staff of their policy on Platform Tickets.”
It’s worth noting that your platform ticket will only be valid for the station where it is issued. According to the National Rail website, it’s also invalid if you’re “asked to leave the platform for whatever reason by a member of staff”.
You can find out more about Platform Tickets on nationalrail.co.uk.
