If you are a public transport user, particularly, rail transport, it may be in your best interest to start buying split ticket fares. If you are a long distance commuter, then you should definitely keep reading too! Here are 5 reasons why split ticket fares are the future of rail transport:
- The same journey, just more tickets
With split ticketing, train users are able to split their fares into multiple tickets, but still on the same journey. For example, if you are travelling from A to C, this is what it will say on the ticket. However, if you split your fare, you get tickets from A to B and B to C, which is the same journey, just with additional tickets.
If your original journey did have connections or stops, then of course you would have to change trains, but there is no need to get off the train if your journey is direct, given that it is the same train service on the tickets and that the train stops at the stations on your ticket.
You are even able to reserve seats if the train offers seat reservations, but this may only be applicable to a part of your journey. You may find that you have to change seats halfway through, so it is always best to check what it says on your ticket about seats.
- Cost-effective
Split fares tend to be cheaper than direct tickets since you aren’t paying the premium in having a simplified ticket. Additionally, if your journey runs through peak and off-peak times, with a single ticket, you end up paying the peak fare.
On the other hand, if you split your journey, you end up paying the peak fare on one ticket, and the off-peak fare on the other, essentially saving you some money. If you want to save money on your rail fares, split ticketing is the ideal solution!
- Becoming mainstream
Although split tickets are not a new concept at all, they were not common either. Nowadays, split ticketing has become mainstream. You can expect to see numerous split ticketing sites and tools that help passengers find split fares at cheap prices, saving you the hassle of finding individual tickets yourself. Not only are split ticket fares popular with rail passengers, they are also in demand with general public transport users, such as coaches.
- It’s completely legal
There is no stipulation that states that rail passengers and ticket providers are not allowed to purchase and offer split ticket fares. It is completely legal under the National Conditions of Travel which is applicable to all rail companies that operate on the national rail network. Therefore, you can rest assured that your split tickets are legitimate – just keep in mind that the train must call at the station(s) that are stated on your tickets.
- Useful for long-distance travel
Perhaps the most advantageous part of split ticketing is reserved for long distance travellers. It is not a surprise that long distance rail fares tend to lean on the expensive side, so for those who travel long distances often, split ticketing is a useful way to save money on your transport fares!
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