Ministers have confirmed the Great British Rail Sale will run from Tuesday 6 to Monday 12 January 2026, offering discounted advance and off‑peak fares across thousands of routes. Tickets purchased in the sale can be used for travel from 13 January to 25 March 2026. The Department for Transport (DfT) says more than three million tickets will be made available and that savings on many routes will exceed 50%. The announcement follows the government’s decision to freeze regulated rail fares for 2026, described by HM Treasury and DfT as the first such freeze in 30 years.
Illustrative deals highlighted by DfT include £10 Portsmouth to London Waterloo and £1.20 Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport during the sale window; the department also points to steep reductions on selected longer‑distance services such as Exeter to London Waterloo. Nearly all operators are expected to participate, with coverage across Britain.
Officials state this is the fourth year of the initiative. Last year’s sale generated over one million ticket purchases, brought in more than £9 million of revenue for the rail industry, and delivered average savings of around £8 per journey for participating passengers.
The fare freeze, announced on 23 November 2025, applies to regulated fares in England, including season tickets, peak commuter returns and off‑peak inter‑city returns. Treasury and DfT materials cite indicative annual savings for flexi‑season users of £315 from Milton Keynes to London, £173 from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds.
Ministers frame both measures as part of wider rail reform. The government intends to establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a publicly owned organisation that brings track and train under a single ‘directing mind’, modernises ticketing with tap‑in/tap‑out and a one‑stop app, and simplifies accountability. DfT materials also reference consolidation of 17 organisations into the new structure.
The Railways Bill, introduced in the Commons on 5 November 2025, provides the legislative basis for GBR. The bill passed second reading on 9 December 2025 and proceeds to Public Bill Committee scrutiny from 20 January 2026, with the Committee expected to report by 12 February 2026. Government guidance indicates GBR could be operational roughly 12 months after Royal Assent.
Ahead of GBR’s creation, services are moving into public ownership as contracts expire. South Western Railway, c2c and Greater Anglia transferred during 2025. West Midlands Trains is due to transfer on 1 February 2026, followed by Govia Thameslink Railway on 31 May 2026. The DfT expects transfers under its control to be completed by the end of 2027.
For passengers, the sale inventory is limited and concentrates on advance and off‑peak products. Change and refund conditions vary by operator, and availability will differ by route and time of day. DfT confirms participation by nearly all train companies, with offers spanning the length and breadth of Britain.
Industry bodies have welcomed discounted winter fares as demand stimulus for leisure and commuter travel. The Rail Delivery Group describes the sale as an opportunity to draw more people to rail and support local economies, while VisitBritain highlights potential tourism benefits during a quieter period for domestic travel.
Key dates are now fixed: sale purchases can be made from 6 to 12 January 2026 for journeys between 13 January and 25 March 2026. In Parliament, line‑by‑line scrutiny of the Railways Bill begins on 20 January 2026, with a report to the House expected by 12 February 2026. Operator transfers continue through early 2026 subject to contract expiries and statutory process.