Split ticketing, also known as fare splitting, is the practice of purchasing multiple tickets for a single journey in order to pay less overall than buying one ticket for the complete journey. It takes advantage of quirks in the fare structures of different train companies to find cheaper fares than those officially offered for the full route. But is it ethical, legal, and worthwhile?
What is Split Ticketing?
Split ticketing involves breaking a train journey down into multiple legs and buying separate tickets for each leg instead of buying one ticket for the full journey. For example, instead of buying a ticket from London to Edinburgh, you could buy a ticket from London to York and another ticket from York to Edinburgh, if that works out cheaper than a single ticket. Train companies have complex fare structures, so sometimes a return journey split into multiple tickets can cost less than a standard return fare for the full journey.
Split ticketing takes advantage of the fact that sometimes a return journey split into multiple tickets with different train companies has a lower total cost than a standard return fare for the full journey offered by one company. The train companies essentially end up competing with each other on certain routes and leg combinations.
Is Split Ticketing Legal?
Yes, split ticketing is completely legal in the UK. There are no laws or regulations against breaking up a train journey and using multiple tickets. The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies, has confirmed that split ticketing is allowed. Passengers are entitled to use any strange quirks or loopholes in fare structures to pay the lowest price possible for their journey within the rules.
However, some train companies used to claim split ticketing was against their own individual terms and conditions. But a 2018 ruling by the UK Rail Settlement Plan stated train companies must permit use of split tickets. It confirmed that passengers have the legal right to split a journey and use multiple tickets as long as the train companies involved accept each other’s tickets, which almost all do.
The Benefits of Split Ticketing
The main benefit of split ticketing is saving money on train fares. Journey costs can often be substantially reduced by splitting a trip and taking advantage of inconsistencies between different train companies’ fares. Savings frequently range from 20% to 50% compared to standard fares for the full trip booked through one company.
For example, a return from Cardiff to Newcastle bought as one ticket costs around £120. But splitting the journey into multiple tickets with different companies cuts the cost to around £85, saving nearly 30%. These inconsistencies and loopholes enable large discounts by splitting tickets wisely.
Other benefits include:
- Split tickets allow more flexibility – passengers can take different routes for each leg
- There is no need to commit to specific trains until boarding as split tickets are usually flexible tickets
- It encourages competition between train companies, which may help reduce fares
The Potential Drawbacks
Split ticketing also has some potential disadvantages to consider:
- The process of split ticketing can be time consuming and complex – researching journey options and the best ticket combinations takes effort
- Split tickets require more planning as passengers need to carefully research fares in advance
- If trains are missed or changed, it can be tricky getting refunds or making changes across multiple tickets
- Split ticketing relies on inconsistencies and loopholes which train companies could eventually close
Is it Worth the Time and Effort?
Split ticketing nearly always saves money if planned carefully and correctly. The potential savings often make it worth the extra time and effort involved. Some key points:
- Savings vary but regularly reach 25-50% on UK train fares
- The process is more complex than buying one ticket but split ticketing websites simplify it
- It requires planning in advance as split tickets have restrictions
- Time spent planning is rewarded financially when splitting saves a large amount
Split ticketing is ideal for regular commuters on routes with inconsistencies as they can perfect ticket splits that work for their journey and save each time. It can be worth the effort even for one-off trips if the potential savings are big enough.
Is it Ethical?
Opinion is divided on whether split ticketing is ethical or not. Some of the key arguments include:
- For: Train companies set complex fares leading to these inconsistencies in the first place – passengers are just taking advantage of a confusing system
- For: It increases competition and pressure for fairer pricing from train companies
- Against: Split ticketing relies on loopholes in pricing meaning train companies lose revenue
- Against: Wealthier passengers benefit more as researching fares takes time and effort
Ultimately, there are reasonable arguments on both sides. Split ticketing sits in an ethical grey area. It challenges unfair pricing but relies on loopholes that train companies arguably did not intend. There are no laws against it but some may view it as against the spirit of a fair pricing model. Overall there is no clear consensus on the ethics.
How to Split Tickets
Split ticketing can seem complicated but these steps make it straightforward:
- Plan your journey, including the stations you will travel through
- Use a split ticketing website or app to identify potential ticket splits – input your full route and departure
- Compare the ticket combinations suggested and total cost vs standard fare
- Book the split tickets – you can do this directly or via the third party website
- Print tickets or download e-tickets for each leg of the journey
- When travelling, make sure to change trains and use new ticket for each leg
Top split ticketing websites include:
- Split My Fare
- Train Split
- Tickety Split
- Split Save
- Train Pal
These sites make split ticketing simple. Their algorithms identify cost saving ticket combinations in seconds. All you need to do is input your journey and departure time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a railcard beneficial with split ticketing?
Yes, railcards can be used to save even more money. Make sure to add your railcard when searching for tickets. Discounts will apply to all split tickets, maximizing savings.
Can you split an advance ticket?
No, advance tickets are already discounted so cannot be split further. But you can split legs of a journey onto advance tickets if it saves money.
Do split tickets allow seat reservations?
Usually yes, you can reserve seats by calling train companies after booking split tickets. But a few restrictions may apply depending on ticket types.
Can you split a return journey ticket?
Yes, return and single journeys can both be split across multiple tickets. Just search for split ticketing options for your return journey separately.
Is there a limit to how many tickets you can split a journey into?
No, there is no limit. A journey can be split into as many tickets as saves money. Typically 2-5 tickets covers most trips.
The Bottom Line
Split ticketing enables significant savings on UK train fares but requires planning and effort. It exploits loopholes in complex fare structures. Opinions differ on whether it is ethical or not. While some see it as a clever way to get cheaper trains and encourage competition, others argue it relies on unintended loopholes in pricing systems.
The consensus is that split ticketing exists in an ethical grey area. It challenges inconsistencies in pricing but depends on loopholes that train companies have not intentionally created. Overall there are good points on both sides of the debate.
For passengers, the bottom line is that split ticketing can save a lot of money if done carefully and correctly. While it involves extra effort, the substantial discounts available often make it very worthwhile, especially for regular commuters who can perfect profitable ticket split combinations.