We share tips for how to plan a budget holiday by cutting the cost of your train tickets — plus find out how to get our Holidays From £9.50
IT’S all well and good saving money with a staycation but not if it is cancelled out by expensive train tickets.
Rail fares have just been hiked by an average of 3.4 per cent. It’s the biggest rise in five years, adding hundreds of pounds to annual travel costs.
Of course, you might be able to travel to your UK holiday by car but sometimes travelling by train is best.
To help cut the cost of your tickets, we’ve teamed up with to bring you these top tips:
- Book well in advance. Network Rail releases its timetable 12 weeks ahead, so ticket firms usually start selling tickets then too. This is when you can bag a bargain.
Booking roughly four months in advance could shave around £100 off the price of a journey from London to Edinburgh.
Sign up to the Trainline’s ticket-alert service and it will tell you when cheap advance tickets go on sale. - Slash kids’ fares with a railcard. If you’re a regular traveller you can save up to 60 per cent on children’s tickets and get a third off for adults with the Family & Friends railcard. The card covers up to four adults when travelling with up to four children aged five to 15. It costs £30 for the year or £70 for three years. Network Rail offers a range of railcards which should cut a third off a ticket for regular travellers. They cost between £20 and £30 per year.
- Go off-peak and in a group. Those travelling at busier times – between 6.30am and 9.30am and 3.30pm and 6.30pm – will pay inflated prices. Avoid peak times and you’ll see it reflected in your ticket price. Some rail companies offer a third off for groups of three to nine adults travelling together on off-peak tickets.
- Split your tickets. Paying for long train journeys with one ticket might not always be the cheapest option. You could save hundreds of pounds by splitting tickets. For example, a one-way super off-peak ticket from Bath Spa to Leeds costs £118.10. But if you split your ticket by travelling from Bath Spa to Burton-on-Trent (£66.50) and then from Burton-on-Trent to Leeds (£20.70), you pay £87.20 — saving you £30.90. You often won’t need to change trains and National Rail lets you split your ticket as long as the train calls at the station you buy the tickets for.
- Look for cheap tickets. Check the National Rail website first as it’s a good way to get an overview of routes and times. Then check RedSpottedHanky and the Trainline websites to see if there are cheaper fares.
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Reader's Tip
OLIVER HILL from London, says: “Check prices on more than one comparison site when you are booking flights for a holiday.
“You may be able to get a much cheaper deal elsewhere.
“Browse deals on Skyscanner, Kayak and Momondo.”
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
1 day to go until The Sun's Holidays From £9.50
TOMORROW sees the return of everyone’s favourite breaks.
We have sent millions of Sun readers on holiday over an impressive 28 years and you too could join in the fun.
Plus, this January we have new locations, more dates and more availability than ever before.
Not been on one of our brilliant bargain breaks before? Then what are you waiting for?
There are an incredible 326 holiday parks to choose from, all across the UK as well as in several top European destinations such as France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and even Croatia, and holidays run from February to November 2018.
You can book a three-night weekend break or for those of you who are able to go Monday to Friday, you can take advantage of our special midweek offer and get four nights for the price of three!
Want to make sure you get first dibs on the best parks and dates when Hols from £9.50 launches?
Of course you do! Then make sure you’re signed up to Sun Savers — our brilliant rewards club.
It’s easy to join and it’s the only way to get early access to booking for Hols from £9.50.
Sign up today to make sure you are ready for our launch tomorrow.
All you need to do is sign up to Sun Savers using the app or at , then collect NINE Sun Savers codes from tomorrow when the promotion launches.
You will need to opt in to the promotion from Saturday by clicking “start collecting” in the offers section and then collect your nine codes consecutively — one every day — to unlock 24-hour early booking on Sunday, January 14.
The best holidays are snapped up quickly, so make sure you get in there early to get your dream break.
Download the Sun Savers app today or visit to register. Already a member? Update your app in the App Store.
The best holidays go quickly, so make sure you get in there early!
You can still collect tokens or codewords instead, if you prefer, but you will need TEN and will not have access to early booking.
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Sun tomorrow for your first Sun Savers code as well as our 52-page brochure which includes full park listings and our special four-page pullout guide.
Remember you will need to start collecting every day from tomorrow to get early booking on Sunday, January 14 so don’t miss out.
Here are ten reasons to try a brilliant holiday from £9.50.
- We have been sending Sun readers on holiday for 28 years.
- We’re the biggest operator of short breaks in the UK.
- Choose from 326 great parks.
- Pay-only-£9.50 dates at 293 parks.
- Stay in the UK or head to parks in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Croatia.
- More than 48 million Sun readers have holidayed with us. That many people can’t be wrong!
- Book online for instant confirmation.
- We guarantee the best price on your holiday or will refund the difference plus £10 (T&Cs at ).
- We have something for everyone, from spas and golf courses to live entertainment and amusements.
- With dates from February to November, you are sure to find a holiday to suit you.
- Price per person based on four sharing. Subject to availability. Code collect. T&Cs and date restrictions apply.
Holiday Q&A
WHAT IS SUN SAVERS?
Sun Savers is our new rewards club.
To register download the Sun Savers app or go online at .
You can get free cash just for buying your favourite paper.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect Sun Savers codes and once you have collected 28 we will give you £5 cash.
Plus, great extra benefits such as early booking access to Hols from £9.50.
WHY SHOULD I BOOK MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50 THROUGH SUN SAVERS?
Sun Savers is super-simple and the only way to get early access to booking your holiday so you can get first dibs on the best dates and parks.
WHEN DOES HOLS FROM £9.50 START?
The promotion will be running in-paper from tomorrow, Saturday, January 6 to Tuesday, January 30.
Your codes will only count towards your Holiday from £9.50 from Saturday, January 6.
Once signed up to Sun Savers click offers and “start collecting” in the Hols from £9.50 promotion from Saturday, January 6.
HOW MANY SUN SAVERS CODES WILL I NEED TO BOOK MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50?
You will need to scan a total of NINE Sun Savers codes consecutively from Saturday, January 6 to unlock booking on Sunday, January 14 – that’s one less than people collecting in-paper tokens!
HOW DO I GET EARLY ACCESS TO HOLS FROM £9.50?
In order to get priority access to Hols from £9.50, make sure you scan your nine codes consecutively from the first day of the promotion (Saturday, January 6).
This means you will get early access to booking on Sunday, January 14.
Those collecting in-paper tokens will not be able to book until Monday, January 15.
I RECEIVED A HOLS FROM £9.50 BONUS CODE IN THE POST/VIA MY EMAIL BUT IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO ADD IT ON THE APP/WEBSITE?
Bonus codes cannot be scanned until the first day of the promotion, which is tomorrow, Saturday, January 6.
You can add it any day from then until the end of the promotion (Tuesday, January 30). As well as scanning your bonus code (only if you received one) you will also need to grab your Sun Savers code from inside the paper tomorrow.
DO I HAVE TO COLLECT WITH SUN SAVERS FOR MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50?
No, you can still collect tokens and codewords but you will need to collect ten and you won’t get early access to booking.
How to make the most of our deals
HERE are ten top tips for finding your perfect Sun holiday.
- Book a midweek break and enjoy four fantastic nights for the price of three.
- Go midweek, off peak, for the most amazing value of all.
- If possible, avoid weekends. Demand is highest at weekends and so are prices.
- Avoid school holidays if you can, as these are always the most popular dates of all.
- Always select FOUR parks and FOUR dates.
- Choose areas with lots of amazing parks, such as East Anglia and Cornwall.
- Tick the “any park in area” box to virtually guarantee a holiday on your chosen dates.
- Go early in the year, as spring dates offer the most incredible choice and value for money.
- Choose “NO EXTRAS” dates or dates with free passes. There is loads of availability and the most amazing deals.
- Get early access and book online with Sun Savers.
Toddle off for a fantastic family break
LIVELY toddlers Lemuel and Ivan Giddings get into the swing of their Sun Holidays as they keep their proud parents on their toes.
Full-time mum Jamie, 26, says her two youngsters couldn’t get enough of their second brilliant bargain break.
“The boys thought it was magical staying in the caravan,” explains Jamie, who grew up enjoying amazing Sun Holidays with her family. “We were always going on these breaks.
“So when we were looking for somewhere to take Lemuel and Ivan it was an obvious choice. There are so many incredible parks on offer and the quality is superb.
“The boys were so excited to be in the caravan. They thought that was the big adventure. They didn’t realise there was a whole park to explore. Once we got them outdoors they had the time of their lives. There is just so much for them to do.”
For dad, Tom, also 26, and a multi-tradesman, it means quality time with Lemuel, three, and Ivan, two next month. He says: “Jamie has really good memories from when she went on Sun Holidays with her family. Now they are working for us.”
The family from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, have been to the Parkdean Resorts Newquay Holiday Park in Cornwall and the nearby Hendra Holiday Park. Now they are looking forward to collecting the latest Sun Holiday codes when they kick-off in tomorrow’s paper.
Jamie adds: “We’ll definitely be going on more Sun Holidays. The boys can’t wait for another adventure!”
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
What is Sun Savers? Here's everything you need to know about our new rewards club
MOST READ IN MONEY
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!