view of london bridge on the river thames from the shard

Cheap Train Tickets to London

Get the best ticket prices to London with our split ticket search

Cheap Trains to London

"When a man is tired of London he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” Samuel Johnson

On this page, we will provide useful tips to use when finding cheaper Train Tickets to London.

Tip 1 Find cheaper fares by booking your train ticket in advance
To get the best fare for your train, don't wait until the day of departure but instead book an advance ticket up to 12 weeks in advance when released by the Train Operating Companies. Lower priced Advance Tickets for trains to London can often sell out; we recommend searching for your journey in advance, as early as possible. If you can't book your ticket until the last minute, you can sometimes buy Advance Fares until an hour before departure.

Take in a match at The Emirates, see the majestic Buckingham Palace, or pretend you've met a celebrity at Madame Tussauds. London is an excellent destination for those looking to see the sights and go to some of the UK's favourite attractions, and it's a popular place to go on business.

Tip 2 Avoid paying a booking fee on your tickets
Some ticket retailers charge a fee for every journey you book; Trainline charges up to £1.50. With SplitMyFare, there is no booking fee to pay, only if you save money by splitting your ticket will we charge 10% of the saving made. If you don’t make a split ticket saving, we won't charge a fee.
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Tip 3 Claim a refund when there is a delay to your train
There is no guarantee your train will be on time if there is a delay you can claim money back through Delay Repay, whatever the reason. While Delay Repay policy differs across operators, refunds usually are available on delays over 15 minutes. Check the policy of the operator you are travelling with and apply through compensation through them.

Take a walk through St. James's Park or have a night out at the Haymarket Theatre Royal. If you’re a bit of a bookworm, there are plenty to read at the British Library; it has the most catalogued items in the world!

With over 65 million visitors in 2015 and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, England’s capital is a city worth visiting. It is one of the world’s premier financial centres and a great University destination, but London is not just all about work and money. The city is a melting pot of different cultures and has many tourist attractions, including some of Britain’s most significant landmarks.

Tip 4 Stay away from popular routes to busy destinations if possible.
Demand determines the price of train tickets, one way to save money is by staying away from busier city centre stations. Stopping at a quieter station just outside the city centre can help you find cheap train tickets to London.

There are many ways to navigate around London if you're a tourist; there are the Underground, Overground, bus system, river services and even bicycles for rent. If you're coming from a nearby city, bringing your car may not be the best idea as London traffic is often congested. The public transport system is so vast that it connects you to almost every corner of the city, handy if you want to do a spot of shopping.

Tip 5 If you're travelling in a group, book together.
When you're taking the same train in a group of 3 to 9 people, you can get 1/3 of the price off your ticket during off-peak hours by booking together. The discount is automatically applied when you are eligible. To avoid the many paper tickets there may be if you split your ticket choose to collect e-Tickets instead.

For those who love history and royalty, the Tower of London is a great place to visit; it originally served as a residence for the Royals before becoming a prison. You can reach the Tower by taking the Underground and getting off at the Tower Hill Station, or the Fenchurch Street station if you take the Overground. From the Tower, you can quickly reach one of London's most famous landmarks, Tower Bridge. The London Eye is on the Thames River's south bank, just across the bridge, near Waterloo station. The eye provides the best view of the city.

Top London Tours and Attractions

Tip 6 Compare the price of single and return Tickets
If you are taking a round trip to London, rather than going one-way, it can be worth comparing the price of a return and two single tickets. Often one option can work out much cheaper, at SplitMyFare, we find the cheapest combination of tickets for you.

A visit to London would not be complete without seeing Big Ben, it is currently closed for renovation but is still a must-see landmark during your trip. Located near the Palace of Westminster and Houses of Parliament, the clock tower housing the Great Bell of Big Ben is hard to miss. Buckingham Palace provides an excellent photo opportunity; the Queen's residence is just a 5-10 minute walk from Green Park station. If you are a fan of Art, visiting the Tate Modern in Southwark is a must and entry is free.

Tip 7 Take a slower train
If you don’t mind taking a little longer to reach your destination, a great way to save money can be to go on a slower train, which involves changes. If a slower train is cheaper, we will automatically show you this option. If you need to reach your destination as quick as possible, you can also choose to see the fastest journeys.
Tip 8 Compare the cost of Standard and First-Class tickets
Due to fluctuations in demand for different ticket types, it can be worth comparing the standard and first-class tickets' cost. If demand for First-Class tickets is low, operators may reduce them to a similar price or even cheaper than Standard-Class.
Tip 9 Use Railcards if you Travel regularly
If you only take the train a few times a year, it can still help to buy a Railcard. You can save up to 1/3 off your journey, get free entry to attractions, and other discounts. The Two Together Railcard gives a couple travelling together 1/3 off tickets and costs £30 a year. The Family and Friends Railcard gives 60% off fares for children and 1/3 off adult fares for up to four adults and four kids. Disabled passengers can get discounts on their tickets with the Disabled Persons Railcard, it costs £30 per year and gives 1/3 off most tickets. Over 60s can use the senior railcard; it offers 1/3 off tickets, you can buy a 3-year card for £70. Other railcards include the Network, 16-25, and 26-30 Railcard. You can find more details on the Railcard website; you can pruchase cards at any National Rail Ticket Office.
Tip 10 Be flexible about when you travel
Look at different dates and times for travel if you don’t need to go on a specific train. Our booking engine makes comparing other travel options easy; you can make significant savings by looking at alternatives. It can also help to travel on a weekday, rather than a weekend.

Main Train Stations in London

The biggest and busiest stations in London are the following; if you are travelling into London, you will likely arrive at one of these: When searching for your journeys with our fare finder, you can select London (All Stations), and we will find the best and lowest priced station in London for your arrival. If you are looking to get to an Airport, you can also get there by train from some of these stations.

Popular Routes to London

London can be easily reached from anywhere in the UK, whether you are travelling from elsewhere in England or from Scotland or Wales. If you are travelling to the UK from overseas, you could tie in your trip to London by visiting one of many other fantastic destinations in the UK. If you travel from Edinburgh to London for example, you will get fantastic coastline views on your journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get the cheapest train tickets to London?

You can get the cheapest train tickets to London by splitting your ticket with us, savings of up to 90% are available.

What is the cheapest way to travel to London?

The train is still the cheapest way to travel to London, use our tips above to save more money.

Is Clapham Junction a London terminal?

Clapham Junction is a railway terminal in London on both the South Western Main Line and Brighton Main Line.

How many train stations are there in London?

There are 12 major train stations around the central area of London.