Could Taking a Slower Train Save You Money?

5 out of 6 travellers chose alternative journeys

When searching for train tickets, most of us naturally look for the quickest way to get from A to B. But sometimes there’s another option: a slower alternative journey that could cost considerably less.

TrainSplit can surface alternative journey options alongside the usual results, highlighted by the turtle icon.

We recently looked at six real journeys booked by TrainSplit customers and found that five out of six had chosen one of these slower alternative journeys. When we checked the same journeys on Trainline and TrainPal, those particular alternative options weren’t available in our searches.

That matters because the price differences could be substantial.

For example, a customer booked Milton Keynes Central to Cheadle Hulme for £40.56 with TrainSplit, while the comparable options we found were £156.39 on Trainline and £141.86 on TrainPal. 

Real TrainSplit bookings compared

We took six journeys actually booked by TrainSplit customers and compared the fares with options available through Trainline and TrainPal when we checked on 7 August 2026.

The results show just how much difference being flexible about your journey can sometimes make.

Milton Keynes Central to Cheadle Hulme

One customer booked a return journey from Milton Keynes Central to Cheadle Hulme for £40.56 with TrainSplit.

When we checked comparable options, we found fares of £156.39 on Trainline and £141.86 on TrainPal. 

That means the TrainSplit option was around 74% cheaper than the Trainline fare in our comparison.

Macclesfield to London Euston

Another customer booked a single journey from Macclesfield to London Euston for £14.82 with TrainSplit.

Comparable options available when we checked were £48.39 on Trainline and £46.50 on TrainPal. 

That’s around 69% less than the Trainline fare we found.

Manchester Airport to Bedford

A customer travelling from Manchester Airport to Bedford with a Senior Railcard paid £13.95 with TrainSplit.

When we compared the journey, we found options at £45.19 on Trainline and £31.19 on TrainPal. 

Again, the TrainSplit customer had chosen a slower alternative journey.

Why were these TrainSplit journeys cheaper?

There’s an important point behind these comparisons.

They aren’t necessarily identical journeys on exactly the same trains.

In five of the six examples, the customer had booked a slower alternative journey through TrainSplit.

That might mean a different route, departure time or combination of trains, and it could mean arriving at your destination later.

But that’s also where an important money-saving opportunity can be found.

If you have flexibility over your journey, the fastest train isn’t necessarily the option that offers the best value.

Look out for the turtle 

When you search with TrainSplit, look out for the turtle icon. It highlights a slower alternative journey that gives you another way to reach your destination.

In five of the six real customer bookings we compared, these alternative journeys weren’t shown in our equivalent searches on Trainline or TrainPal.

The trade-off is straightforward: the journey may take longer, but it could also cost considerably less.

If you’re not in a rush, that makes the turtle worth checking before you book.

Split tickets could help you save too

Alternative journeys aren’t the only way TrainSplit searches for savings.

TrainSplit also searches for split tickets.

Split ticketing works by using multiple tickets to cover different sections of your journey rather than buying one ticket covering the entire route, where doing so can reduce the overall fare.

You don’t have to work out where to split your tickets yourself. TrainSplit searches for suitable combinations and shows you the tickets and itinerary you need for the journey.

That means an option found through TrainSplit could involve split tickets, an alternative journey, or a combination of the two.

Don’t forget to add your Railcard

If you have an eligible Railcard, make sure you add it when searching for your journey.

Some of the real customer bookings in our comparison included Railcards.

For example, a customer travelling return from Wallasey Village to Watford Junction with a 26–30 Railcard paid £39.45 with TrainSplit.

When we checked comparable options, we found fares of £90.84 on Trainline and £84.41 on TrainPal. 

Adding your Railcard from the start means you can see applicable Railcard discounts alongside the journey and split-ticket options available to you.

Faster or cheaper? The choice is yours

There isn’t a right answer for every journey.

Sometimes getting there quickly matters more than the price.

But if you’re heading out for the day, visiting family, travelling to university, going to a festival or gig, or simply have some flexibility in your plans, it’s worth looking beyond the fastest result.

What makes these examples particularly interesting is that they weren’t searches we created specifically to find unusually cheap fares.

They started with journeys that real TrainSplit customers had already chosen to book.

And in five out of six cases, the customer had chosen a slower alternative journey.

That suggests some travellers are already making a simple trade-off:

A little more time on the train in exchange for more money left in their pocket.

Three things to check before booking your next train

Before you book, it’s worth remembering:

1. Don’t automatically choose the fastest journey. Compare the journey time with the price and see whether an alternative works for you.
2. Look out for the turtle 🐢. It indicates a slower alternative journey in TrainSplit search results.
3. Add your Railcard and check for split tickets. TrainSplit can search for applicable Railcard discounts and split-ticket opportunities as part of your journey search.

The cheapest journey won’t always be the quickest.

But if you have time to spare, taking a little longer to get there could mean spending considerably less on getting there.

See what you could save

Search for your next journey with TrainSplit and compare the options before you book.

Comparison fares were checked on 7 August 2026 and were correct at the time of checking. Rail fares and availability can change, so prices shown may not be available at a later date. Where the exact service was unavailable on a comparison site, the closest comparable available journey was used.