Travelling by train is an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly way to get around, especially for students balancing studies, work, and social activities. Catching the train is a great way to travel, making commuting between home, university, and beyond easy. You could even get some last-minute coursework done on the train!
Check out our tips for student train travel including potential discounts, the best times to travel and useful travel advice.
Planning your journey
Use our app
Download the Northern app for real-time updates, timetables, and ticket purchasing. This is perfect for last-minute changes to your schedule.
Timetables and service updates
Stay informed with the latest timetables and service updates to ensure your journey runs smoothly. This is particularly important around exam times and university holidays.
- Live departures and arrivals: Stay updated on the latest departure and arrival times, useful for coordinating with lectures or heading out for dinner with friends.
- Service disruptions: Get updates on any planned engineering works or unexpected disruptions to avoid delays.
Student friendly destinations
Find cheap train tickets
Use our app or website to find cheap student train tickets without booking fees! Save up to 65% when you buy train tickets in advance.
Another way to guarantee savings is to purchase an off-peak train ticket. You can use your Railcard to get the best savings. It's worth noting these are only available at specific times, and on specific routes but if you've got flexibility this is a great option. Plus, it means avoiding rush hour!
Railcards are one of the easiest ways to get a student discount on train travel – saving up to a 1/3 on train tickets for a whole year and only costing £30. Purchasing a Railcard is a no-brainer if you regularly commute to university or college using the train.
Great savings on student train travel with a railcard
Onboard facilities
Wi-Fi and charging points
Stay connected with free Wi-Fi available on our trains, and charging points for your devices – perfect for studying on the go or staying in touch with friends.
Accessibility
Northern is committed to making travel accessible for all students, including those with disabilities. Accessible seating, toilets, and step-free access are available on most trains and at many stations.
Taking your bike on the train
Northern encourages the use of bikes and provides limited spaces, free of charge, on our trains for cycle storage. Currently, our trains can only carry a maximum of two bikes per train, but we are exploring how to increase each train’s capacity for bikes, thereby making cycle-train usage a more viable option.
Refunds and compensation
We know that value for money is crucial so we've made sure there's a straightforward process for claiming refunds or compensation in case of delays or cancellations.
Use Delay Repay if your train is delayed by more than 15 minutes – you may be eligible for compensation under the Delay Repay scheme. Submitting a claim is simple and can be done online.
Whether you're heading into college or out with friends, catching the train is the perfect way to get around. There are plenty of ways for students to get discounts on train tickets. Here's some inspiration for things to do around the North that won't break your student bank!
Things to do for students
Frequently asked questions for students
Whilst Northern doesn't specifically offer a student train ticket, you can get a 1/3 off the price of rail travel with a 16-25 Railcard – otherwise known as the 'Student Railcard'. Older students can get a 26-30 Railcard for the same price of £30 for a year of discounted travel.
The cheapest train tickets usually come on sale around 12 weeks ahead of the date of travel, these are known as Advance train tickets and can save you up to 65%. Start your search early and you may well be able to find these cheap Advance tickets.
If your schedule allows, we'd recommend travelling outside of peak times. This means you can purchase an Off-Peak train ticket.
And using a Railcard will almost always pay itself off after a few journeys, so make sure you renew yours when it expires!
A 16-25 Railcard (or Student Railcard) as it's often known only costs £30 per year. Over a year you could save an average of £182.
** The average saving is based on the average savings made by 16-25 Railcard holders between April 2022 and March 2023, excluding the price of Railcard. Find out more benefits of a Student Railcard.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.