Great Value Train Travel
Days out can be expensive, especially if you’re bringing the whole family along, but they shouldn’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re travelling southbound towards London or heading up north along our route, there are plenty of things you can do on a budget. Here’s a few handy tips to save your hard-earned money and some inspiration for your next adventure, broken down into categories – attractions, food and travel. If you are looking for more inspiration and offers, sign up to our newsletter!
1. Free Events
Many events and attractions offer free entry, especially in the summer holidays, which is perfect for families with younger children to fill your summer with fun. You can usually find free entry at attractions such as museums and annual events. You can enjoy free entry at many attractions - from the Hands on History Museum in Hull, home to a genuine 2,600 year old Egyptian mummy, to the Mudchute Park & Farm in East London. Hull’s Freedom Festival is another free option and if you’re after some sightseeing, why not head to London’s Sky Garden for fantastic birds-eye views of the city below.
2. 2FOR1 when you travel by train
With an offer for everyone, take advantage of exclusive, discounted or free entry when you travel by train. Choose from over 150 top UK attractions, including restaurants, theatres, exhibitions and much more. From the London Eye and Wembley Stadium to Kew Gardens and the Tower of London, there is so much choice to suit everybody. It’s easy to do – simply choose your attraction from the Days Out Guide, download and print a voucher, travel by train and present your voucher along with your valid train tickets at your chosen attraction.
3. Book in advance
Whether that is your chosen activity, attraction or travel, you will find cheaper prices when booking in advance. Many attractions offer a more discounted price on their website than admission price on arrival, so it may be best to plan your days out ahead. Some attractions offer free readmission for a year once your first ticket has been purchased – a great discount to make the most of. The Deep in Hull and Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms.
1. Markets
There are so many food markets up and down the country that can make brilliant additions to your days out. From Borough Market and Camden Market in London, to Hull’s Trinity Market and Beverley Market, you won’t be short of locations along the Hull Trains route. Food markets showcase local, independent traders and a mixture or permanent residencies and alternating street food stalls who provide a diverse range of fresh, tasty food and drink.
2. Picnics
There are plenty of open, green spaces around the UK that are perfect for picnics. Bring your own food and drink to enjoy at your leisure. No need to splurge at a restaurant. Just a stones-throw from London’s Notting Hill, Holland Park is a lovely place for a picnic. Covering 54 acres of land, there is plenty to discover here, including the scenic Japanese Kyoto Garden. Or, why not spend a day at the races? Minus the entry fee to family enclosure areas which usually offer the cheapest admission fee, you can normally bring your own food and drink for the day. There are 60 race courses across the UK, find your nearest here.
3. Kids Eat Free
Look out for restaurants that offer “Kids Eat Free” or “Kids Eat for £1” discounts. Eating out shouldn’t have to break the bank and entertaining kids can be an expensive business so getting discounted food can really make a difference to your days out. As you can imagine, these offers are ever-changing in terms of validity and availability, so do check your restaurant of choice beforehand. These include Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Sizzling Pubs to name just a few. These discount opportunities apply normally when the child is accompanied by a paying adult.
1. Cheap Ticket Alerts
A handy tool for when you want to be alerted for when tickets for travel go on sale outside of our 12-week booking horizon. Our cheap ticket alerts will let you know when Advance tickets are available to purchase at the cheapest price. Don’t forget to sign up for personal, cheap ticket alerts for your chosen date of travel, outside of the available booking date.
2. Travel in London
London transport doesn’t have to be expensive and there are a few tips you can use to keep these costs down. Planning your day ahead of time will allow you to know exactly where you need to be throughout your day. In some cases, you might not need to travel by public transport to get from attraction to attraction, and sometimes walking is the quicker option. Central London is closer than you might think, with locations such as Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Oxford Circus being within a close proximity to each other. In times when you do need to travel by tube, having an Oyster card can be a cheaper option than paying with contactless, paper single tickets or travelcards. Even better, you can enjoy even more discounts and offers at attractions, restaurants and shops with a Visitor Oyster card, which you do have to purchase online arriving into London. With daily travel fare caps, you will never go over a certain amount per day, depending on the London Zones your ticket is valid in. Alternatively, enjoy travel in London’s city centre by bus where a single fare is £1.50. This is a great option if you want to see the city and save your money at the same time.
Attractions
1. Free Events
Many events and attractions offer free entry, especially in the summer holidays, which is perfect for families with younger children to fill your summer with fun. You can usually find free entry at attractions such as museums and annual events. You can enjoy free entry at many attractions - from the Hands on History Museum in Hull, home to a genuine 2,600 year old Egyptian mummy, to the Mudchute Park & Farm in East London. Hull’s Freedom Festival is another free option and if you’re after some sightseeing, why not head to London’s Sky Garden for fantastic birds-eye views of the city below.
2. 2FOR1 when you travel by train
With an offer for everyone, take advantage of exclusive, discounted or free entry when you travel by train. Choose from over 150 top UK attractions, including restaurants, theatres, exhibitions and much more. From the London Eye and Wembley Stadium to Kew Gardens and the Tower of London, there is so much choice to suit everybody. It’s easy to do – simply choose your attraction from the Days Out Guide, download and print a voucher, travel by train and present your voucher along with your valid train tickets at your chosen attraction.
Whether that is your chosen activity, attraction or travel, you will find cheaper prices when booking in advance. Many attractions offer a more discounted price on their website than admission price on arrival, so it may be best to plan your days out ahead. Some attractions offer free readmission for a year once your first ticket has been purchased – a great discount to make the most of. The Deep in Hull and Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms.
Food
1. Markets
There are so many food markets up and down the country that can make brilliant additions to your days out. From Borough Market and Camden Market in London, to Hull’s Trinity Market and Beverley Market, you won’t be short of locations along the Hull Trains route. Food markets showcase local, independent traders and a mixture or permanent residencies and alternating street food stalls who provide a diverse range of fresh, tasty food and drink.
2. Picnics
There are plenty of open, green spaces around the UK that are perfect for picnics. Bring your own food and drink to enjoy at your leisure. No need to splurge at a restaurant. Just a stones-throw from London’s Notting Hill, Holland Park is a lovely place for a picnic. Covering 54 acres of land, there is plenty to discover here, including the scenic Japanese Kyoto Garden. Or, why not spend a day at the races? Minus the entry fee to family enclosure areas which usually offer the cheapest admission fee, you can normally bring your own food and drink for the day. There are 60 race courses across the UK, find your nearest here.
3. Kids Eat Free
Look out for restaurants that offer “Kids Eat Free” or “Kids Eat for £1” discounts. Eating out shouldn’t have to break the bank and entertaining kids can be an expensive business so getting discounted food can really make a difference to your days out. As you can imagine, these offers are ever-changing in terms of validity and availability, so do check your restaurant of choice beforehand. These include Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Sizzling Pubs to name just a few. These discount opportunities apply normally when the child is accompanied by a paying adult.
Travel
1. Cheap Ticket Alerts
A handy tool for when you want to be alerted for when tickets for travel go on sale outside of our 12-week booking horizon. Our cheap ticket alerts will let you know when Advance tickets are available to purchase at the cheapest price. Don’t forget to sign up for personal, cheap ticket alerts for your chosen date of travel, outside of the available booking date.
2. Travel in London
London transport doesn’t have to be expensive and there are a few tips you can use to keep these costs down. Planning your day ahead of time will allow you to know exactly where you need to be throughout your day. In some cases, you might not need to travel by public transport to get from attraction to attraction, and sometimes walking is the quicker option. Central London is closer than you might think, with locations such as Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Oxford Circus being within a close proximity to each other. In times when you do need to travel by tube, having an Oyster card can be a cheaper option than paying with contactless, paper single tickets or travelcards. Even better, you can enjoy even more discounts and offers at attractions, restaurants and shops with a Visitor Oyster card, which you do have to purchase online arriving into London. With daily travel fare caps, you will never go over a certain amount per day, depending on the London Zones your ticket is valid in. Alternatively, enjoy travel in London’s city centre by bus where a single fare is £1.50. This is a great option if you want to see the city and save your money at the same time.
