Smart Tips to Travel Free on UK Trains Like Ed Wise!

Ed Wise, 29, has discovered a clever way to travel by train for free! How does he do it? By looking closely at train schedules and guessing when trains will be delayed. When delays happen, he knows he can get his money back. In 2023, he managed to get back all the money he spent on train tickets for journeys with Avanti West Coast—and he saved more than ₹1,06,000!

Ed, who helps write a newsletter about money called Bunce, says careful planning is the key. He thinks commuters in the UK often pay too much for train travel. After coming back from Italy, where train tickets were much cheaper, he was frustrated with how costly and unpredictable the UK trains can be.

Here’s how he gets his money back: Avanti West Coast gives refunds based on how late a train is. If a train is late by 15 minutes, you get 25% back; if it’s late by 30 minutes, you get 50% back; and if it’s late by an hour or more, you can get a full refund! Ed uses things like planned strikes, engineering works, and bad weather to help him figure out when trains might be late. He noticed strikes can cause chaos a few days before and after they happen—so he watches for those announcements to catch a ride for free!