Train tickets

Massive 8% train fare hikes have been announced for January, yet Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has hidden tricks that can more than halve the cost

The ticketing system in this country is ridiculous: two singles are often cheaper than a return, and long journeys cost less than shorter ones on the same route. Much of the system makes no sense at all.

So, if you're trying to find the cheapest train ticket, you need to throw logic out of the window, and learn the tricks to beat the system.

Get early booking discounts, late

It's well known cheaper fares are available if you book tickets early, yet you probably don't realise just how late you can book to STILL get a discounted 'early' fare. I once got an advance ticket while I was on the way to the station!

The golden rule is never assume it's too late to try for an advance ticket.

Split your tickets not the journey

The BIG savings come from split ticketing; buying tickets for the separate parts of your journey, rather than the whole trip. You may end up with four, six or more tickets instead of two, but you'll travel on exactly the same trains, and it's perfectly legal.

Split ticketing works particularly well on journeys to or from large cities, as fares on commuter routes tend to be higher. For example, splitting a London to Penzance journey at Plymouth reduced the fare from £257 to an astonishing £48. Remember that's on the SAME train at the SAME time – only the tickets have changed.

For a full step-by-step guide to spilt ticketing, and a list of routes this works well on, see the "Cheap Train Tickets" guide in the useful links section.

Spend £72+ a year? Get a railcard

Annual railcards for those aged 16-25 and over 60 cost £24 and cut a third off most adult off-peak tickets, so they're worth it if you spend over £72 a year on eligible journeys. Plus, there's a cheaper £18 railcard for those with disabilities.

There's also the Family & Friends Railcard which gives one to four adults travelling with between one and four kids, hugely discounted fares. And until Sun 30 November you can get it for £18 by using the code EXPERT18 - 25% cheaper than usual.

For full details on how to get the Family & Friends railcard for less, read the "Special Trains Promotions" daily updated list in the useful links section.

Look for hidden promotions

Lots of train companies have hidden promotions, either for printing your own ticket, registering on their website or more. Often the key is timing it right. These can include £1 London to Manchester fares.

Use the 'useful links' section for a full daily updated list of legit vouchers and codes to save £££s.