• If you are travelling among the six fare zones of London: You apply the same rates as in the tube
• If you are not: It will depend on the ticket and the place where you are travelling.

• Single tickets let you go on a one-way journey.
• Return tickets let you go on a journey and come back later.
• Season tickets let you go on as many journeys as you like during a set time (for example, three months). They are useful for people who go to school or work everyday by train as they save buying lots of tickets, and are often cheaper too.
• In some places you can buy tickets that let you go on buses or ships as well as trains.
• At stations where there is a ticket office or a ticket machine, you should buy a ticket before you get on the train. In other places you should buy a ticket from the conductor on the train. You must always show your ticket if the conductor asks to see it.

• Travelcards offer the best value for money if you are travelling among London and surroundings.
• Family Travelcards can be used from 0930 Mondays to Fridays, (all day Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays), on the day of validity and for any journey that starts before 0430 on the following day.
• Ticket halls display a list of fares.
• If you know what you want why not use the ticket machines- they can save you time. Just follow the instructions. They usually give change, but please try to use the correct money if you can It helps to keep change for customers who really need it.
• Magnetic interference caused by some handbag clasps, security passes and keys may damage your tickets. Avoid delays by keeping them separately.
• All children under 5 travel free on the Underground. 5 to 15 years and ‘New Deal’ Photocard holders can travel at a reduced rate, but children aged 14 or 15 years need an ‘11-15’ or Child Photocard, or 14/15 CitizenCard.
• Adults and children need a Photocard to buy a Travelcard for seven days or longer.  Adults don't need a photocard to buy and use any adult rate Travelcard or Bus Pass charged to an Oyster card.
• To obtain your Photocard take a passport-size photo of yourself to any ticket office.
• Central London stations have ticket gates. You pass through them to enter and to leave the system. To pass through the gates simply insert your ticket (face upwards) into the slot on the front of the machine. Your ticket will pass through the machine and appear from a slot at the top. Take your ticket from the slot and the gates will open to let you through. If you have completed your journey (and your ticket is used up) the gates will open but the machine will retain your ticket.

     The following summary shows when you can buy rail tickets, and when you can use these tickets within the periods of time for which they are valid. When you are planning a journey, use this guide to help you to choose the best ticket for your needs. You can get advice and full details about the wide range of tickets available and when you can use them, from rail information staff. In addition, Railcards are available for some groups of passengers, which give discounts on many of the tickets mentioned here, particularly for leisure travel.

• Buy Anytime, Travel Anytime: You can buy fully flexible tickets at any time, with no limits on travel, and they let you travel at any time during the period they are valid. These include Open and some Day tickets. They're ideal for business travellers and anyone else who needs to travel at the busiest times, for example, rush hour.
  • Standard Open Single/Return &First Class Open Single/Return:
       Single: valid on the date shown on the ticket, with no time restrictions.
       Open Return*: valid one calendar month from ticket date, with no time restrictions.
       * Note: Availability does not apply to journeys within London & the South East and most local journeys, where Return tickets are only valid for travel on the date shown.
  • Standard Day Single/Return &First Class Day Single/Return:
       Single: valid on the date shown on the ticket, with no time restrictions.
       Day Return: valid on the date shown on the ticket, with no time restrictions.
    
  • Cheap Day Single/Return:
       In many areas Cheap Day Single and Return tickets are available for certain local journeys and are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket only. On some journeys there is no peak travel restriction and they can be used at any time of the day.
  • Saver Single/Return:
       Savers can be used on any day of the week. In the case of some journeys they can be used at any time of the day. Savers are valid for Outward travel on the date on the ticket and Return travel on the same day or any day within one calendar month.
• Buy Anytime, Travel Restricted: You can often buy cheaper tickets by accepting some limits on when you can travel. Look out for tickets such as SuperSavers, Savers, Cheap Day Returns and, in London and the South East, AwayBreaks.
  • Cheap Day Single/Return:
       Cheap Day Single and Return tickets are available for certain local journeys and are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket only. In most cases travel is not permitted on Monday to Friday at peak times.
  • Saver Single/Return:
       Savers can be used on any day of the week. Tickets may carry train restrictions Monday to Friday, at peak times. Savers are valid for Outward travel on the date on the ticket and Return travel on the same day or any day within one calendar month.
  • SuperSaver Single/Return:
       SuperSavers are available on a few routes and can be used for travel only on 'off-peak' days. (Normally these days are Sunday to Thursday, and Saturdays outside the summer holiday period, but certain additional dates at Bank Holidays and around Christmas/New Year are also 'peak days'). Tickets may carry train restrictions Monday to Thursday, at peak times. SuperSavers are valid for Outward travel on the date shown on the ticket and Return travel on the same day or other 'off-peak' days within one calendar month.
  • Network AwayBreak:
       Network AwayBreaks can be used for certain journeys within London &the South East. Tickets are valid for Outward travel on the date shown on the ticket and Return travel within five days (inclusive of Outward date). In most cases travel is not allowed on Monday to Friday at peak times.
• Buy In Advance, Travel Anytime: On a few routes, you can buy tickets in advance which let you travel at any time during the period they are valid.
  • On a few journeys, there are tickets available that must be bought at least one day before travel, which allow travel at any time.
• Buy In Advance, Specified Trains: You can buy bargain tickets, in advance, on many routes. Many of these tickets include a free seat reservation but they are only available in limited numbers, and at certain times, on specific trains. If you can plan your journey and buy your ticket at least one day in advance (or for some advance tickets, several days in advance), these tickets are excellent value for money.
  • SuperAdvance Single/Return:
       SuperAdvance tickets must be booked in advance and are available in limited numbers for selected journeys only. Tickets are valid for Outward travel on the date and train shown on the ticket ONLY; Return travel must be within one month of the Outward date on the ticket. The Return journey must be booked at the same time as the Outward journey. Bookings include a free compulsory seat reservation for Outward and Return journeys.
       SuperAdvance tickets must be booked usually no later than 1800 on the day before Outward travel subject to availability.
  • APEX Single/Return:
       APEX tickets must be booked in advance and are available in limited numbers for selected journeys only. Tickets are valid for Outward travel on the date and train shown on the ticket ONLY; Return travel must be within one month of the Outward date, on the date and train shown on the ticket. The Return journey must be booked at the same time as the Outward journey. Bookings include a free compulsory seat reservation for Outward and Return journeys. On most routes where APEX tickets are available, they must be booked at least seven days before travel (at least two days in advance for ScotRail Apex).
• Multi-journey: You can buy Season Tickets and multi-modal tickets that give you unlimited travel on certain routes and in certain areas. Season Tickets are valid for seven days, or for any period from a month to a year.
  • Multi-journey:
    Season tickets are available for seven days or any period between one month and a year. Season Tickets and Travelcards usually save you money compared to buying daily tickets, and can be used at weekends. Some Season Tickets carry time of day travel restrictions. In some areas multi-modal tickets (such as PlusBus Season Tickets) are available which include travel on other local public transport services.
• Special Tickets: Many Train Companies offer other tickets, including special bargain tickets, which may be more suitable for your journey needs. You can: visit staffed stations and rail-appointed travel agents; contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 (NOTE: Calls may be recorded for quality purposes); or visit Train Company Internet sites for more information - see our Train Operating Companies index.
     You can get discounts on many services if there are 10 or more of you travelling together, when you book in advance. You can also get smaller group discount tickets (ask for GroupSave) on some services, if less than 10 of you are travelling.
     The All-Line Rover ticket gives you excellent value for money for seven or 14 days of unlimited National Rail network travel throughout Great Britain. You can also get regional Rover tickets in some areas, ideal for leisure touring by rail.
     The above list is a summary of ticket choices. You can get full information on tickets, when you can use them and other conditions that apply to them from rail information websites and information staff.
     Train Companies frequently offer other special bargain tickets and discounts which may be more suitable for your journey needs, some of which are only valid on the services of one Train Company. In addition, the following tickets are also available.
  • Business-Inclusive Tickets:
    Tickets (often First Class) are available for selected journeys that combine travel with features like car parking, meals/refreshments and travel in London Underground Zone One.
  • Rover/Ranger Tickets:
    National and regional touring tickets (often linked with other public transport) are available in selected areas or throughout Great Britain. The All-Line Rover offers exceptional value for money and is valid for 7 or 14 days for First Class or Standard Class travel, see Rovers details.
  • Group Travel:
    On many services when ten or more fare-paying passengers travel together as a party to the same destination, the total cost of the appropriate Standard fare (other than APEX and SuperAdvance) is normally reduced by 25%. There is limited accommodation for Group Travel so book early. First Class Group Travel fares may be available on application to Train Companies. Discount tickets (often called GroupSave) for smaller groups are also available on some services.
    • GroupSave: Tickets available for groups of up to 4. There are 2 versions, the Adult Only GroupSave and the Adult & Child GroupSave

BBC - London Travel Information | National Rail Enquiries