Loophole exploited by Train Split results in cheaper ticket prices
If you’ve ever stared in disbelief at the sky-high price printed on your train ticket, a website called Train Split might be just what you’ve been looking for.
The site uses an algorithm to exploit a little-known rail ticketing loophole, enabling anyone to benefit from ticket prices substantially lower than those advertised.
Passengers can save pounds by ‘splitting’ their rail tickets. Instead of buying one ticket to a particular destination, they buy the ticket in several smaller chunks. That collection of tickets often works out cheaper than simply buying a standard return.
It’s a totally legal money-saver, the only condition is that the train you’re on must stop at the stations where the various legs of your journey begin and end.
The trouble is, working out how to split a train journey in order to make a saving can be difficult and time-consuming.
That’s where Train Split, a website created by computer programmer Nick Brown, rail enthusiast Mike Richardson and business partner George Sikking, comes in – using its specialised algorithm to work out the savings for you.
When you add in the details of your planned journey, the site will display the cheapest ticket available to you – whether that be an advanced purchase or, if applicable, a split ticket. Passengers can then buy the tickets directly from the site.
Mr Richardson told The Sunday Times: “The idea is to take insider knowledge and make it available to the general traveller, so they don’t have to work anything out themselves.”
