Season tickets

Season tickets

If you make the same journey more than three times a week, you may find season tickets offer better value for money compared to buying daily tickets.

How long can a Season Ticket be valid for?

• Seven Days - You can use the train ticket at any time during any seven-day period for travel between the points shown on the ticket - the more you travel, the more you save!
• A month - Monthly season tickets offer great savings compared to buying four individual seven-day season tickets.
• Over one month - Season tickets can also be purchased for any duration between one month and one year.

What sort of journey can I buy a season ticket for?

Season tickets are available for most short- and medium-distance train journeys on the National Rail network. Season tickets are not generally available for long distance journeys, but maybe available where a train company chooses to offer them.

For very long journeys, an all line rail rover ticket can work out a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets, and gives the added bonus of unlimited train travel anywhere on the National Rail Network. They are available for periods of seven or 14 days - more information can be found on our Special Offers page.

London Travelcards

You can buy tickets that can be used on London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and National Rail Services within the London Travelcard area shown on the London Connections map.

Information about season tickets to London

• I'm only travelling within the London Travelcard area. If your journey is entirely within the London Travel Card area, season tickets offer unlimited travel within the chosen Travelcard Zones on the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, Croydon Tramlink and National Rail services for the period for which the ticket is valid. Travelcards are also valid on most London bus services on the London Bus network. The London Travelcard Map shows the London Travelcard Zones. Simply identify how many Zones you will be passing through on your journey - then look up the cost of Travelcard prices on the TfL website.
• I'm travelling from a station outside the London Travelcard area. If you start your journey from outside the Travelcard area, a Travelcard season ticket offers unlimited travel within all six London Travelcard Zones on the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, Croydon Tramlink and National Rail services for the period for which the ticket is valid. It also includes travel between the starting station and the boundary with the London Travelcard Area (Zone 6).This means you can travel on any train between your starting station and the boundary of the London Travelcard area (on the route shown on your Travelcard) and then travel anywhere within the London Travelcard area without restriction.

PLUSBUS - Combined rail and bus season tickets

You can now buy your train season ticket and your bus season ticket at the train station in just one easy transaction – saving you time and money. With a PLUSBUS season ticket, you don't have to drive in peak hour traffic, or hunt around for a parking space. Simply hop on any bus, show your PLUSBUS season ticket to the driver and away you go!

PLUSBUS season tickets are available to 170 towns and cities across Britain. They are valid for set periods to match your train season ticket - seven days; one month; three months and one year - and give you unlimited bus travel on all participating bus operators’ services around your origin, or destination town.

What's more, with a PLUSBUS season ticket, you can travel as much as you like during the evening and on weekends. Use PLUSBUS for your journeys to the shops, leisure attractions and to visit your friends!

When can I buy a ticket?

To avoid misuse of season tickets, they can only be purchased a short time before the intended period starts.

• If you are buying a new 7 Day Season Ticket or Travelcard, then you can do this on the start date. If the start date is a Monday (or Tuesday after a bank holiday), the season ticket may be issued from 0600 hours on the previous Sunday.
• If you are buying a new Season Ticket for 1 month or more, then if the start date is a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (also Tuesday after a bank holiday), the ticket may be issued from noon on the previous Friday. If the start date is another day, the ticket may be issued after noon on the previous day.
• If you are renewing your existing 7 Day Season ticket or Travelcard, then if the start date is a Sunday or Monday (or Tuesday after a bank holiday), the season ticket may be issued from noon on the previous Friday. If the start date is any other day, the ticket may be issued after noon on the previous day.
• If you are renewing your existing Season Tickets for 1 month or more, then the ticket may be issued anytime up to seven days in advance

Where can I buy a ticket?

• You can buy a season ticket at any staffed ticket office. If you are buying a monthly or longer season ticket for the first time, you'll need to complete an application form.
• You will need a recent passport-type photograph for the accompanying photo card
• To avoid the queues, it's best to avoid buying your ticket on weekday mornings
• If you already have a photocard, you may be able to buy seven-day season tickets at self-service ticket machines.

How can I pay for my season ticket?

It's easy to pay for your season ticket, with a range of options available. You can pay for your season ticket in the following ways:

• Personal cheque (presented with a valid cheque guarantee card)
• Employers cheque
• Rail travel vouchers
• A rail warrant issued by your employer
• American Express, Delta, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa or JCB credit or debit cards:
• Some train companies may also allow you to spread the cost of the season ticket by paying with Direct Debit – please ask when purchasing for more information.

Season tickets routes

Which train company or route can I use?

Unless the season ticket says it can only be used with a specific train company, it is valid on all train company services on the route and within the zones for which the ticket is issued.

Season tickets with 'Dual Route Availability'

If two railway lines run close to each other (for example, Bedford on the East Midlands Trains runs very close to Milton Keynes of the West Coast Mainline), it may possible to buy season tickets with dual route availability - i.e. valid on the London to Milton Keynes line and on the London to Bedford route.