Driving home for Christmas? These rail fares will make you reconsider!

• UK’s largest rail operator has released Advance Fares for the festive period
• Previously only available on Southern Rail, the operator has extended the offering to Thameslink – saving people up to 45% compared to buying on the day

As the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is encouraging savvy consumers to save money with Advance Tickets, which have now been released for all of December.

Already available on Southern, the rail operator has extended its advance offering to Thameslink too, giving savings on journeys from Brighton all the way up to Cambridge.

Road traffic in the lead up to Christmas can waste valuable time and fuel. Not only is taking the train a greener way to travel, it’s more sociable and gives people an excuse to break into the festive treats early!

Southern offers adult tickets as low at £5.50 on selected routes, with this price available for a journey from London Victoria to Worthing or Chichester ahead of Christmas Eve. But customers need to be quick as tickets at these prices are limited.

Advance Fares are up for grabs on even more GTR routes, with Thameslink now part of the offering.

This means students heading home from Brighton to Stevenage for the holidays can get there for just £12.30 with their railcard – and thanks to the far-reaching Thameslink network, that’s a journey time of under two hours with no changes. Plenty of time to get through a Christmas movie.

The rail operator has over 65,000 Advance Fares on sale every week, so it really is best to plan ahead to get the best savings. Tickets bought in advance could save as much as 45% compared with buying on the day.

Dominic Morrow, Head of Marketing at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “Christmas can be a very expensive time of year and we know this winter is going to be tough for many households. If you know when and where you’ll be travelling, Advance Fares are an easy way to cut costs on rail travel. After two years of Christmases plagued by Covid – it’s great that so many people will be able to see their loved ones this winter; and getting the train is the perfect way to unwind and get into the festive spirit.”

With a rail network stretching over 11 counties, those travelling with GTR this winter can also take advantage of festive activities at destinations easily reachable by train. Choose from Christmas markets in Hertfordshire, to the pantomime production of Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. Family fun can be had at Tulleys Christmas Experience, or book tickets for the Anglesey Abbey Winter Lights experience to dazzle children and adults alike.

Find out more and book online at Find out more via the Southern or Thameslink websites.

ENDS

About deals and offers

• Advance Fares are now available up until Christmas Eve and between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at Thameslink and Southern. Engineering works could affect whether Advance Fares are available on certain routes. More information on: Planned Changes to Train Times | Thameslink (thameslinkrailway.com) and Planned Changes to Train Times | Southern Railway
• A journey from Brighton to Cambridge in the week can cost £46.70 when tickets are purchased on the day of travel. Advance Fares for the same journey cost £21.10
• A journey from London Victoria to Eastbourne can cost £37.60 when tickets are purchased on the day of travel. Advance Fares for the same journey cost £5.50
• Railcards typically save customers a third on top of other discounts. Find out more at https://www.railcard.co.uk
• Families travelling by train this Christmas can benefit from the Kids for £2 offer, which is available on most GTR routes. This enables up to four children to travel for just £2 each with a fare-paying adult