Special Offers Discussion

[WesternLancer]

The Iconic tokens might be a different colour next time, but worth keeping if you don’t use them this time.

I live in a Reach area, but I will buy Yorkshire Post next week at Piccadilly; now the Reach tokens have finished.

The Reach tokens from various titles were all the same:

View attachment 199861

(I deliberately cropped the top)

I hope you enjoy your trips

That's clearer in that it states the final travel date on the token - which both the passenger and the ticket office staff would of course see when buying the ticket.

I got tokens from 3 different publications in Sheffield. All Iconic. All tokens same as that pictured in my post above.

I had unused tokens from 2020 when I think the covid lock down happened part way through the offer period! I kept them for quite a while unused just in case. I can't recall which year Northern recommenced this offer post lock down but it's probably somewhere in this thread!

 

[EYFanatic]

Something I have noticed about the last few times is that the offers always end on a Friday now when they used to be on a Sunday - change of policy?

 

[Kite159]

Something I have noticed about the last few times is that the offers always end on a Friday now when they used to be on a Sunday - change of policy?

They probably know more usage is done at weekends where leisure travel is higher. Enjoy it when it lasts, as I can see the offer changing from an all network ranger to flash sales of advance tickets (whilst the cheaper flexible tickets disappear as Northern take lessons from LNER)

 

[matt]

There is another interrail sale with 15% off until the end of March.

 

[WesternLancer]

I have just looked at the map and was alarmed to discover how few lines are actually Northern operated. Only the pink lines according to the map key. Seems all the PTE (or whatever they are called nowadays) are excluded. But I am inclined to believe it is all the solid coloured lines, or at least many of them.
Is it all of them or just some ?.

I picked up paper printed copies of that colour map and it’s actually clearer on the paper map than the off version. Folded glossy maps on the rack at a staffed station.

Fair play to northern for actually printing hard copies of a decent network map in this day and age.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I picked up paper printed copies of that colour map and it’s actually clearer on the paper map than the off version. Folded glossy maps on the rack at a staffed station.

Fair play to northern for actually printing hard copies of a decent network map in this day and age.

Agreed. These days we are expected to resort to viewing online something that might not be available sometimes or get changed on the quiet. No doubt often very convenient when it works BUT I have come across websites in my time that are very out of date so a paper map is not really at risk of being any more out of date BUT exists in my hand.

 

[WesternLancer]

Agreed. These days we are expected to resort to viewing online something that might not be available sometimes or get changed on the quiet. No doubt often very convenient when it works BUT I have come across websites in my time that are very out of date so a paper map is not really at risk of being any more out of date BUT exists in my hand.

agreed - I meant to say the reason for the better clarity is that the non northern lines on the paper version (eg Merseyrail) - seem to appear much fainter to the eye than they do on my computer screen when looking at the pdf - so it's clearer to infer that they are not Northern operated routes.
However, the key could be clearer.

The paper one is the same as the pdf I believe - at the moment anyway.

 

[Mikey C]

Just got an email from Greater Anglia, announcing the return of Hare Fares for travel between 11 March and 22 April 2026.

Hare Fares Train Tickets

This train ticket sale has now ended.Our sales are a surprise, so we don't reveal Hare Fares until they begin - keep an eye on our social media and newsletter for updates.Check if there's a Greater Anglia sale.

www.greateranglia.co.uk

 

[Kite159]

Just got an email from Greater Anglia, announcing the return of Hare Fares for travel between 11 March and 22 April 2026.

Hare Fares Train Tickets

This train ticket sale has now ended.Our sales are a surprise, so we don't reveal Hare Fares until they begin - keep an eye on our social media and newsletter for updates.Check if there's a Greater Anglia sale.

www.greateranglia.co.uk

Not as cheap as they once more, i.e. £40 between London & Norwich which can probably be beaten with splits if you have a railcard.

 

[Hophead]

Not as cheap as they once more, i.e. £40 between London & Norwich which can probably be beaten with splits if you have a railcard.

Book now, and you can almost certainly beat it with a pair of Advances and with a Railcard, if you're willing to trade flexibility, you can get a saving of about 40% on this offer. Since I have to make my way to Liverpool Street before I even start my Hare Fare journey, the savings with Advances are even more stark (Greater Anglia do offer very reasonable through fares from beyond their own network). These Hare Fares have, for me, lost pretty much all of their appeal.

 

[Tim456]

Not as cheap as they once more, i.e. £40 between London & Norwich which can probably be beaten with splits if you have a railcard.

If I remember correctly, when GA first started Hare fares promotions London to Norwich was £24 and that was what a couple of years ago? I was surprised to see it’s now £40 which I guess is still good value if you don’t have a railcard.

 

[Hophead]

If I remember correctly, when GA first started Hare fares promotions London to Norwich was £24 and that was what a couple of years ago? I was surprised to see it’s now £40 which I guess is still good value if you don’t have a railcard.

Pretty sure it was £20 the first couple of rounds. They've gradually increased in price ever since.

 

[bspahh]

A Hare Fare return from Cambridge North to Liverpool Street is pretty good value at £15. I'm not so keen on one from Ely to Liverpool Street for £40 when an off peak Ely-Cambridge North return is £6

 

[Kite159]

.

A Hare Fare return from Cambridge North to Liverpool Street is pretty good value at £15. I'm not so keen on one from Ely to Liverpool Street for £40 when an off peak Ely-Cambridge North return is £6

And would be valid on the Great Northern & XC services as well if the connection between London & Cambridge with the Norwich train is a bit ropey (although if I was going to use Greater Anglia between Cambridge & London it would be the 755 to Stansted Airport for a (hopeful) 745 on a Stansted Connect working.

 

[cool110]

Merseyrail are giving away free return tickets to Chester for Cheshire Day (30th of March)

https://www.merseyrail.org/tickets-passes/chester-free-ticket-promotion/

 

[Llandudno]

Merseyrail are giving away free return tickets to Chester for Cheshire Day (30th of March)

https://www.merseyrail.org/tickets-passes/chester-free-ticket-promotion/

I wonder if some people might use the free ticket to a station en-route to Chester…?

Probably wouldn’t get away with it at a station with a ticket barrier like any of Liverpool City Centre stations but most of the others are open?

 

[A S Leib]

Groups of between 1 adult and 1 child and 2 adults and 4 children can buy a £60 ScotRail Family Pass for seven consecutive days of unlimited off-peak ScotRail travel (from 09:15 weekdays / anytime weekends), starting the pass from 3-13 April and available to buy online, at stations, or on board if starting from stations without ticket offices, from now until 13 April.

 

[Steddenm]

Just had the following in an email from ScotRail:

Make this Easter unforgettable with the ScotRail Family Pass.



For just £60, up to 2 adults and 4 children can enjoy 7 consecutive days of unlimited travel across Scotland. Start your pass any day between 3 and 13 April 2026 – perfect for the school break.



Why it’s great:

• Unlimited travel on ScotRail services
• One great price for the whole family
• Travel after 09:15 Mon–Fri and anytime at weekends

On sale from today, until 13 April 2026. Buy online, at staffed stations, or on board where no ticket office is available.



Spend less and explore more this Easter.

 

[ABB125]

Is it a requirement that you must have at least one child? You couldn't, for example, just be two adults travelling on the family pass?

 

[Mag_seven]

Is it a requirement that you must have at least one child? You couldn't, for example, just be two adults travelling on the family pass?

There is a minimum requirement of one adult and one child:

Who can use the ScotRail Family Pass?
The ScotRail Family Pass is available for a minimum of one adult and one child travelling.

There is a maximum of two adults and four children.

ScotRail Family Pass

The ScotRail Family Pass is back for Easter!For just £60, up to two adults and four children can enjoy 7 days of unlimited train travel across Scotland.You can start your 7 days of consecutive travel any day between 3 and 13 April 2026 - so it’s perfect for the school break.And the best part...

www.scotrail.co.uk

 

[teaspoon]

Groups of between 1 adult and 1 child and 2 adults and 4 children can buy a £60 ScotRail Family Pass for seven consecutive days of unlimited off-peak ScotRail travel (from 09:15 weekdays / anytime weekends), starting the pass from 3-13 April and available to buy online, at stations, or on board if starting from stations without ticket offices, from now until 13 April.

It was £50 in October, which was a steal - £60 is still good value though.

It's now available as an mTicket - previously it was from ticket offices only.

 

[A S Leib]

It was £50 in October, which was a steal - £60 is still good value though.

The Spirit of Scotland travelpass is £130.50 for one adult for 8 days in 15 with a railcard; the added flexibility and length in days and buses, trams / subways, Avanti, TPE, LNER and CrossCountry (and, west of Glasgow, Sleeper?) validity doesn't make up for that cost if you can use the Family Pass over Easter.

I'm also surprised that the BritRail Scotland pass is roughly the same cost as the one available for domestic passengers, at €240 for the 8 in 15 days one (or €286 for an 8 days in a month GB Interrail pass).

 

[gazthomas]

15% off Interrail's Global Pass if purchased before the end of March 2026

Interrail Global Pass for Europe

The Interrail Global Pass is the fun and cheap way to see more of Europe. Travel to up to 33 countries with one train Pass!

www.interrail.eu

 

[Roger B]

15% off Interrail's Global Pass if purchased before the end of March 2026

Interrail Global Pass for Europe

The Interrail Global Pass is the fun and cheap way to see more of Europe. Travel to up to 33 countries with one train Pass!

www.interrail.eu

If I were to buy one of these, would it allow me to travel in the UK during the period covered by the interrail pass, or would I have to purchase additional tickets for travel in the UK?

 

[bspahh]

If I were to buy one of these, would it allow me to travel in the UK during the period covered by the interrail pass, or would I have to purchase additional tickets for travel in the UK?

You can use UK trains for two of the days of the pass. Those days don't have to be at the start and end of the trip.
https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-an-interrail-pass.htm#You_are_allowed_2_outbound/inbound_days has more detail

 

[Oxfordblues]

Sign outside a pub: "Special offer! Buy two pints for the price of three and get one pint absolutely free of charge." You can't beat that!

 

[Roger B]

You can use UK trains for two of the days of the pass. Those days don't have to be at the start and end of the trip.

Hm, thanks.

So that's around £155 for a four day pass, including two days travel in the UK.

Pretty good alongside a peak-time return from Manchester to/from London being a ridiculous £257.

Any time restrictions - necessity to have seating reservations?

 

[bspahh]

Hm, thanks.

So that's around £155 for a four day pass, including two days travel in the UK.

Pretty good alongside a peak-time return from Manchester to/from London being a ridiculous £257.

Any time restrictions - necessity to have seating reservations?

You can reserve seats for UK trains, but you don't have to. Reservations are free. You used to be able to do it at www.gwr.com but there have been some recent changes. You might need to phone GWR, or go to a ticket office.

You need a reservation for the Eurostar trains. Sometimes those will not be available when you can still book a normal ticket. Seat61 has more detail on all of this.

 

[styles]

Hm, thanks.

So that's around £155 for a four day pass, including two days travel in the UK.

Pretty good alongside a peak-time return from Manchester to/from London being a ridiculous £257.

Any time restrictions - necessity to have seating reservations?

You don't need to make reservations on most GB trains, but it's generally a good idea, especially for busy services like those along the west coast from London to West Midlands/NW England/Scotland. This will ensure you get seats and that they're next to each other if there's multiple travellers together. Plus you can reserve table seats which you may want as they're more spacious etc.

There are a couple of operators where it's a very good idea to reserve because they sell out fast and don't take standing passengers. Lumo is one example, though frankly you'll get a seat on an LNER or Avanti service easier and they're more frequent, and arguably more comfortable.

But yes in general they're excellent value for money, especially with the flexibility they afford.

 

[185143]

You don't need to make reservations on most GB trains, but it's generally a good idea, especially for busy services like those along the west coast from London to West Midlands/NW England/Scotland. This will ensure you get seats and that they're next to each other if there's multiple travellers together. Plus you can reserve table seats which you may want as they're more spacious etc.

There are a couple of operators where it's a very good idea to reserve because they sell out fast and don't take standing passengers. Lumo is one example, though frankly you'll get a seat on an LNER or Avanti service easier and they're more frequent, and arguably more comfortable.

But yes in general they're excellent value for money, especially with the flexibility they afford.

Lumo definitely  do take standing passengers, I've stood from Newcastle to Edinburgh before now.

Though I'd strongly recommend making a reservation on one to avoid having to do exactly that!