In most cases, purchasing Northern train tickets online is cheaper than buying them at the station. Booking your tickets in advance also means you’ll pay less to travel to your destination. You can purchase tickets on our website or via our mobile app.
Download the Northern app for Apple and Android devices here:
Online ticket booking provides the convenience of planning and booking your journey from the comfort of your sofa, removing the need to stand in long queues at the railway station. Digital ticketing also eliminates the need for paper tickets, which helps in reducing carbon footprint and promoting sustainability.
When should I ideally buy a train ticket?
In general, specially priced Advance Tickets can be purchased up to 6 weeks or more in advance, and sometimes until the day you travel on many routes, on a first come, first served basis. If you have less than 12 weeks before you travel, it's usually best to book as soon as possible, as the longer you wait, the pricier the tickets tend to get.
For off-peak travel, tickets can be purchased up to and including the day you wish to travel, with the best deals sometimes available on certain days and routes. Commuter rush hour is considered weekdays between 16.01 and 18.29. We discuss this in more detail in the following article about the best time to buy train tickets.
Every train company has its own deadlines for Advance ticket purchases, which can be checked on the
National Rail Enquiries website. Some train companies allow customers to make a seat reservation up to 10 minutes before departure, subject to availability.
Save money and book in advance
With rapidly rising fuel costs, travelling anywhere by car is becoming more and more expensive, not to mention the lack of free parking in many destinations. This makes the train a cost-effective option, over both long and short distances. If you can book your tickets well in advance, or take advantage of travel cards and season tickets, train travel saves you even more money.
Why not compare your train vs car journey with our Cost, Time and Carbon Footprint Calculator? It can help you to make informed choices about your travel and compare your train journey to the same journey via car to see how you can save pennies, time and reduce your carbon footprint.
Look out for flash sales and offers
Take advantage of our flash sales and offers for the best way to secure the cheapest train tickets available online for our trains. Get notified of these by signing up for our newsletter.
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.