Great British Rail Sale
Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions apply to the Great British Rail Sale, a promotion coordinated by ATOC Ltd on behalf of participating Train Companies for the Promotional Period.
- Over 3 million promotional Great British Rail Sale Tickets will be available on selected journeys across the National Rail network (in England, Wales & Scotland) for the Promotional Period.
- The Promotional Period will start on 6 January 2026 and will end when all Great British Rail Sale Tickets have been sold or on 12 January 2026, whichever is sooner, for travel
between 13 January 2026 and 25 March 2026. The number of Great British Rail Sale Tickets available during the Promotional Period is limited and subject to Availability.
- Great British Rail Sale Tickets are selected Advance or Off-Peak tickets with fares discounted by individual participating Train Companies, up to 50% off the equivalent full
price Advance ticket fare. Where a participating Train Company does not offer Advance tickets, selected Off-Peak ticket fares may be offered as an alternative. Great British Rail
Sale Tickets are not available on all routes or all journeys and may not represent the lowest available fare for a particular journey.
- Great British Rail Sale tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days in advance of the date of travel. This varies per operator.
- The Great British Rail Sale is promoted via the Great British Rail Sale website and Great British Rail Sale Tickets are available to purchase via participating Train Companies and ticket retailers for the Promotional Period. This is an online sale, please
contact the relevant participating Train companies if you require assistance or have specific accessibility requirements.
Selected Routes, Limited Availability and Exclusions
- The number of Great British Rail Sale tickets offered by each participating Train Company will vary and are limited in number.
- Tickets are not available on all routes and at some peak times and are not offered by all Train Companies.
- Availability is subject to specific travel exclusions across some routes due to engineering improvement works. For more details of engineering works please refer to participating Train Company websites.
- Railcard discounts do not apply to Great British Rail Sale Tickets, and no other discounts can be used in conjunction with Great British Rail Sale Tickets.
- Child tickets can be purchased in the Great British Rail Sale from participating Train Companies and ticket retailers.
General
- ATOC Ltd reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions without notice and to take appropriate action to close the offer or withdraw the Great British Rail Sale Tickets from sale at any time.
- Usual Train Company terms and conditions of purchase, National Rail Conditions of Travel, Advance and Off-Peak ticket terms and conditions apply.
- The promoter of the The Great British Rail Sale is ATOC Ltd on behalf of participating Train Companies. ATOC Limited is a company registered in England and Wales under company no. 03069033, whose registered office is at: First Floor North, 1 Puddle Dock, London, England, EC4V 3DS.
FAQs
What is the Great British Rail Sale?
Train operating companies are working together to offer up to 50% off selected Advance and Off-Peak tickets on over 3 million journeys. The discounted fares will be available from
participating train operating companies and ticket retailers. Where a participating train company doesn’t offer Advance tickets, selected Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an
alternative.
Where can I travel with Great British Rail Sale tickets?
Great British Rail Sale tickets are available on a wide selection of routes across England, Wales and to/from Scotland. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes are available.
The following train operating companies will be offering discounted tickets as part of the Great British Rail Sale: Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Grand Central, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, London North Eastern Railway,
Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, and West Midlands Railway.
When will the Great British Rail Sale tickets go on sale?
Great British Rail Sale tickets will go on sale from Tuesday 6 January to Monday 12 January 2026. Tickets can be purchased for travel between Tuesday 13 January and Wednesday 25
March 2026. Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, this varies by operator.
How far in advance can I buy my Great British Rail Sale ticket?
Tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, but will vary by operator. Check with your specific train operator for further details.
What tickets will be available as part of the Great British Rail Sale?
The discount will be available on selected Advance and Off-Peak tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, selected Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative. Customers should visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british- rail-sale/ to see what
discounts are available for the location they wish to visit.
Where can I buy Great British Rail Sale tickets?
Great British Rail Sale tickets can be bought online from ticket retailers and train companies operating in England, Wales and Scotland. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes are available. If you would prefer to buy your ticket at a ticket office or
require assistance from station staff, please contact the train company you’re travelling with to find out the purchasing options available. You can find details on how to contact your train company here.
How do I find out which tickets are available as part of the Great British Rail Sale?
Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes are available. Tickets are limited in number and subject to availability. Once you find a route, select ‘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!
How many Great British Rail Sale tickets will be made available?
Over 3 million Great British Rail Sale tickets will be on sale between Tuesday 6 January to Monday 12 January 2026 for travel between Tuesday 13 January and Wednesday 25 March 2026.
Do I have to buy my tickets in advance or will there be some available on the day I wish to travel?
You must buy them in advance. Great British Rail Sale tickets must be purchased at least 3-7 days prior to travel, but this varies by operator.
I have a Great British Rail Sale ticket; will I be able to pay for a First Class upgrade?
On some train operators you may be able to pay for a First Class upgrade. Please check the terms and conditions on your train company’s website for more information.
Are there any train operating companies I will not be able to use my discounted ticket on?
You must use your Great British Rail Sale tickets on the train services shown on the ticket or for the journey you booked.
What is the maximum number of Great British Rail Sale tickets I can buy?
You can buy as many as you want. The tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Why can’t I find any tickets for my chosen journey in the Great British Rail Sale?
Great British Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes.
I can’t find any Great British Rail Sale tickets, are they all gone?
Great British Rail Sale tickets are not available on all routes and are limited and subject to availability and exclusions. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on your train company’s or ticket retailer’s website, it could be that the journey you’re looking for is either already sold out
or not included in the sale. 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.
Do you have a full list of which routes and journeys have up to 50% off?
Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes are included in the Great British Rail Sale.
I found the Great British Rail Sale tickets I wanted on the Great British Rail Sale website, but I can’t find them on the train company website, why is this?
If you’re unable to find the train ticket you’re looking for on the train company or 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 ticket retailer’s Website.
Can I use my Great British Rail Sale ticket to commute?
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.
Will I be able to use my Railcard to get 1/3 off Great British Rail Sale tickets?
No, there is no additional discount available with Railcard.
Are Child rate Rail Sale tickets available?
Yes. To buy Child tickets, please visit your train operating company or preferred ticket Retailer.
Can I use my Great British Rail Sale ticket on any other service if my chosen train is disrupted or cancelled?
If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or 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, normal refund policy applies. Please contact your train company or where the ticket was purchased for more information.
How do I reserve a seat for my journey?
Great British Rail Sale tickets may be 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, your 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.
How were the Great British Rail Sale routes picked?
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.
Are there Great British Rail Sale tickets available on commuter trains?
Yes, there are some tickets available on services people use to commute to work. 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. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-
british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes are available, then select ‘buy’ to head over to a ticket retailer and check the availability for your journey.
Can Great British Rail Sale tickets be purchased in ticket offices?
The Great British Rail Sale is mainly available online from ticket retailers and train companies
operating in England. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/great-british-rail-sale/ to find out which routes
are available.
If you would prefer to buy your ticket at a ticket office or require assistance from station staff, please contact the train company you’re travelling with to find out the purchasing options available. You can find details on how to contact your train company here.
How much does a Great British Rail Sale ticket cost?
The Great British Rail Sale is offering customers up to 50% off selected Advance and Off-Peak tickets. Where a participating train company does not offer Advance tickets, selected Off-Peak tickets may be offered as an alternative.
Can you get a refund on a Great British Rail Sale ticket?
Great British Rail Sale tickets are valid only for the date and train shown on your ticket or for the journey you booked and are non-refundable unless you are unable to travel due to a delay or cancellation. You can, however, change the time or date of your journey any time before your first reserved train departs via the train operating company or ticket retailer you purchased your ticket from. Any difference in fare and an administration fee will be payable prior to travel.
Can I get a discounted Return ticket?
There are some Return tickets available, but most Great British Rail Sale tickets are Single tickets. If you wish to make a there and back journey, you can search for a Single ticket for each leg of your journey on a train operator or preferred ticket retailer’s website.
Can you get Delay Repay on a Great British Rail Sale ticket?
Customers can apply for Delay Repay in times of disruption when their journeys have been delayed to the extent that they become eligible to do so. If you choose not to travel at the last minute in the event of train delays, you should apply for Delay Repay. You can find information on Delay Repay here.
I was sick so could not use my Great British Rail Sale ticket, can I get a refund?
Great British Rail Sale tickets are not refundable unless the service you are booked to travel on is delayed or cancelled.
My Great British Rail Sale ticket has been disrupted by strikes, what should I do?
If you purchased your ticket before strikes were announced, you may be able to use your ticket on an alternative day (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If the ticket is for a train that is scheduled for a strike day, and that service is not cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, but you prefer not to travel, you should contact your ticket retailer. Please contact the train company you are travelling with for more information.
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