A new type of train ticket has been launched by Great Western Railway (GWR) in an experiment to see if it’s popular, offering a discounted rate for long weekends away from London.
In post-pandemic times, Sundays have become particularly busy on the railways, so, to free up services on that day, customers using the Long Weekender tickets will depart at any time on a Friday or Saturday, and return at any time on a Monday.
The Long Weekender will be initially trialled on routes from London Paddington to the wider Bristol area and South Wales, and GWR says that they offer savings of more than 60% compared to peak Anytime return fares. GWR added that if the trial of the Long Weekender proves successful, it will be extended to other parts of the network.
Example fares from GWR
| Destination Station | Weekender | Anytime Return | Peak Saving |
| Chippenham | £69 | £195 | 65% |
| Bath Spa | £79 | £222.40 | 64% |
| Bristol Temple Meads | £79 | £238.80 | 67% |
| Cardiff Central | £99 | £264.80 | 63% |
Worth noting that a trip this Sat/Sun from London to Bristol Temple Meads came in at £77.40, which is less than the £79 the Long Weekender would have cost and with the option to return on the Sunday. So it doesn’t seem that good a deal until you look at peak fares on the Friday and Monday. The main advantage of the Long Weekender is that it can be used during the rush-hour mornings, and that can save a considerable amount of money on a journey if you have to travel early, or at least open up the option of travelling earlier if you had expected to wait until off-peak times start.
The Long Weekender tickets can only be booked from the GWR website.
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