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Last updated:3 days ago
Train companies affected:National Rail

Season Tickets

The more you travel, the more you save!

If you make the same journey regularly, a Season ticket could save you money.

About Season tickets

Season tickets offer unlimited travel between 2 stations. If you make the same journey regularly, a Season ticket or Flexi Season ticket might be better value for money than daily tickets.

Season tickets are available to buy weekly, monthly and annually – as well as any period from 1 month and 1 day up to 1 year. You can travel as much as you like within your chosen time. They are available for both Standard Class and First Class travel.

If you travel less regularly, a Flexi Season ticket, which gives you 8 days of travel in 28 days, might be right for you.

The price of your Season ticket will vary, depending on your journey, the route you want to take and the class of travel. Use our Season Ticket Calculator to see how much you could save.

If your journey includes travelling in London, see Season tickets in London below, or you can find out how to buy a Season Ticket than includes a London Travelcard on our Oyster, Contactless and Travelcards page.

Buying a Season ticket

You can buy a Season ticket online or at any staffed National Rail ticket office. If you are buying a Season ticket for the first time, you may need to have a Photocard created. Photocards do not have an expiry date and can be reused when a Season ticket expires.

Season tickets on smartcards

Where smartcards are available you can add your Season ticket to your card. Visit our Smart Tickets page or check the Interactive Smart Ticket map for more information.

Season ticket restrictions

Season tickets are available for most short and medium distance journeys on the National Rail network. Season tickets are not generally available for long distance journeys, but may be available where a train company chooses to offer them.

Unless the Season ticket says it can only be used on a specific train company’s services, it is valid on all services on the route and within the Zones for which the ticket is issued.

Season tickets with dual route availability

If 2 railway lines run close or on geographically parallel routes it may be possible to buy a specially priced Season ticket with dual route availability. For example, you can request a Season ticket from Farnborough to London to also be available to use from Aldershot.

Season tickets in London

If your regular journey is between 2 National Rail stations within Zones 1 to 6, for example East Croydon and London Victoria, you can buy a Season ticket for travel exclusively on that route. For greater flexibility, for example if you also wish to travel elsewhere within London, you might want to buy a Travelcard.

For travel only within the London Travelcard area

If your journey is entirely within the London Travelcard area, a Travelcard Season ticket offers unlimited travel in the Zones and period for which it is valid, on National Rail and Transport for London rail services, London Underground, DLR, London Buses and, if valid in Zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, London Trams.

The Travelcard area and Travelcard Zones are shown on the London Rail and Tube services map. For Travelcard Season ticket prices use our Season Ticket Calculator. You can also view the full range of zonal fares on the Transport for London website.

Travelcards for 7 days or longer can only be added to your Oyster or train company smartcard – they are not available as paper tickets. Using Oyster or contactless pay as you go from Monday to Sunday will not cost any more than a 7-Day Travelcard for the same period, thanks to the weekly price cap. Find out more about price caps here.

For travel from a station outside the London Travelcard area

If you start your commute from a station outside the Travelcard area, your Travelcard Season ticket offers unlimited travel in the period for which it is valid, between your starting station and the Zone 6 boundary of the Travelcard area (on the route shown on your Travelcard). It also gives you unlimited travel within your chosen Zones on National Rail and Transport for London rail services, London Underground, DLR, London Buses, and, if valid in Zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, London Trams. Travelcard Season tickets can be issued for a minimum of 2 adjacent Zones and must include Zone 6.

Further information on Season tickets

Full details can be found in the Season ticket terms and conditions.

More on Ticket Types

Season tickets not right for you? Find out about different ticket types below.

FAQs

Season tickets are already heavily discounted, so most Railcard discounts are not available.

The following child discounts are available:

  • Children aged 5 to 15 – receive a 50% discount on Season tickets and Travelcards, for both First Class and Standard Class travel

  • 16-17 Saver – if you are aged 16 or 17 years old, you can purchase a 16-17 Saver to get 50% discount on Adult rate Season tickets, for both First Class and Standard Class travel

  • 7-Day Season tickets/Travelcards – if you turn 16 during the validity of the ticket, the 50% discount will remain valid

  • Monthly or longer Season tickets or Travelcards – if you have a child rate Season ticket and you turn 16 during its period of validity, the discounted fare is still allowed – up to a maximum of 4 months after your 16th birthday. However, once you have turned 16 you must pay the full adult fare when you buy a new Season ticket or Travelcard.

If you choose not to travel with your Season ticket because of delays or cancellations to a service on a day your ticket is valid, the train company that caused the delay may be able to offer compensation. In the first instance, you should contact that train company, or check their Passenger’s Charter. 

The way delay compensation is calculated is different if you have a Season ticket. Customers can apply to see if they’re eligible for Delay Repay in times of disruption. You can find more information on compensation and Delay Repay here.

If you no longer need your Season ticket, it can be returned to the original retailer to be refunded. All Season tickets must still be within their period of validity to be refunded (exceptions for sickness do not apply on evidence of non-use). You should be aware that the Season ticket will need to be surrendered, so a refund should only be requested once you have finished using it.

Any refund is calculated from the date after the Season ticket was returned, and will be the difference between the price you paid and the cost of a ticket or tickets for the period for which you have actually used the ticket, up to and including the date a refund is requested. There may also be an administration charge of no more than £10. Because of the discounts on longer term Season tickets, refunds are not made pro rata to the periods before and after surrender, and annual Season tickets may have no cash value after 10 months and 12 days.

For Season tickets held on a smartcard or mobile device, contact the original retailer for advice.