How did we work this out?

We took a random sample of transactions made on thetrainline which included a range of ticket types & national routes.

We compared prices paid on thetrainline (including the booking fee) with the cheapest fare available for that journey if bought at the station on the day of travel.

The average saving made by customers buying in advance on thetrainline was 43%

More people are saving

Since our first advertising campaign last autumn, the average saving made by our customers has increased, and more people are now making a saving on their train tickets at thetrainline.

Advance fares are not available on every route, but they are available on the vast majority of our most popular routes.

Savings are available on Advance fares only, but thetrainline makes it easy to find cheaper tickets and make savings: the cheapest available ticket for a journey is highlighted in orange and we have some handy tools to make finding cheap tickets quicker and easier – see below for details.

We're here to make buying tickets online easier, cheaper and faster so have developed a few handy tools and tips to help you find cheap tickets.

Buy in advance

Look out for Advance fares to make savings. These cheaper, single tickets can't be bought on the day of travel but are available online 12 weeks in advance. Don't forget, great savings can still be made even the day before you travel and you can pick up your ticket from a self service ticket machine at the station just 2 hours after you buy online.

Click here for a list of stations where you can pick up your ticket.

Ticket Alert

Let us do the searching. Just tell us when you want to travel and the moment we know cheap advance tickets are available to buy we'll drop you an email.

Click here for Ticket Alert

Best Fare Finder

This handy new tool helps you find cheap tickets faster. Simply select your destination and when you're thinking of travelling and we'll show you where cheap tickets are available around these times.

Click here for Best Fare Finder

For more tips on how to find cheap tickets Click here

• The advert was shot in Wellington Station, New Zealand. Why? Because sheep in the UK don't have woolly coats in the summer.

• 40 sheep spent a month training with the sheep handler from the film 'Babe', they were taught among other things how to baa on demand, step out of taxis and read newspapers.

• Sheep will do anything for a biscuit - No computer generated imagery was used to manipulate their actions. Instead they all left the commercial with full tummies (and slightly boosted egos!)