Following the announcement that rail fares are set to rise by a whopping 6 percent in 2023, commuters, we’ve (finally) got some much better news. Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – ie Britain’s biggest train company – is now offering tickets at a significantly reduced price on several days of the week.
GTR runs Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services. However, the lower prices will only be available on select Southern routes, namely those that run between London’s Victoria, Clapham Junction and East Croydon stations, as well as trains running south out of Three Bridges station in West Sussex.
So how do you get hold of these cut-price tickets? Well, you’ll need to be travelling at peak times (before 10am or between 4.30pm and 7.01pm) on either Mondays or Fridays. You’ll also need to book your ticket in advance – and that’s where you get the discount. Advance bookings save 15 percent on the on-the-day ticket price.
Previously, GTR has only offered advance tickets for off-peak fares. The idea is to try and get commuters back into work on weekdays that have become less busy since the pandemic and the advent of WFH culture. Tickets bought on the day will cost the same as before.
And cut-price tickets isn’t all is GTR offering. It’s also launching a loyalty scheme where customers will be able to collect points to spend on stuff like coffee, cinema and days out.
Both of GTR’s new initiatives are currently trials – you can find out more here.
Stay in the loop: sign up to Out There, our free newsletter about all the best stuff to do across the UK.