Advertisement

New online map reveals cheapest possible way to complete train journeys in UK

Faremap: the site is ideal for people who are curious about rail pricing: Faremap
Faremap: the site is ideal for people who are curious about rail pricing: Faremap

A new online map has been created which shows the cheapest way to complete train journeys – rather than the quickest.

Faremap, the work of software engineer Jake Cracknell, is designed to help passengers save money while also exposing the “bizarre” pricing structures imposed by rail operators.

The free tool allows people to see how split-fare journeys can dramatically reduce the overall cost, while also revealing how far you can get from your home station on a specific budget.

Mr Cracknell, 24, from Hatfield, said: “If you want the absolute cheapest and you don’t care how inconvenient it is then this is the site.

Faremap advises avoiding London completely when travelling from New Cross Gate to Reading (Faremap)
Faremap advises avoiding London completely when travelling from New Cross Gate to Reading (Faremap)

“What many sites don’t do is say it costs £20 to get here but it will only cost £15 if you go to the station near it.

“For example, St Albans to Richmond is almost double the price of St Albans to Kingston, which requires changing at Richmond.”

He added: “I basically wanted to reverse engineer how the hell these companies are coming up with these prices.”

The cheapest route from London King's Cross to Newcastle involves eight changes (Faremap)
The cheapest route from London King's Cross to Newcastle involves eight changes (Faremap)

A ticket bought on the day from London King’s Cross to Newcastle will cost £153. Faremap suggests an alternative route which costs £93.80 – but involves eight changes. It advises travelling via Hatfield, Peterborough, Radcliffe, Hucknall, Thurnscoe, York, Thirsk and Sunderland in order to save £60.

For Clapham Junction to Bank, a well-trodden commuter path in the capital, the map suggests taking the London Overground to Clapham High Street and then the Northern line. This saves £1.60 on the more commonly-used option of national rail services to Waterloo, followed by the Tube to Bank.

Faremap shows the cheapest route from London Euston to Birmingham New Street involves two changes (Faremap)
Faremap shows the cheapest route from London Euston to Birmingham New Street involves two changes (Faremap)

Mr Cracknell, who spent between 300 and 500 hours creating the site, added: “It will be a good resource for people who are curious about rail pricing, or those who just really want to save money.

“Perhaps if everyone starts using long-winded split-ticket journeys then it will force train companies to do something to sort out prices.”

The site currently covers London and the rest of England, Wales and Scotland, although it does not yet include information on return fares or season tickets.