Season Ticket Calculator
Work out your season ticket cost in seconds
Pick your route (or enter your weekly season price) and the number of days you commute. The calculator compares weekly, monthly, annual and flexi season costs, shows the annual saving, and recommends the cheapest option for your pattern. An annual season is priced at 40 weeks of a weekly season, so it saves about 13% versus paying monthly. Every regulated season fare is frozen until March 2027.
Season ticket calculator
Pick a route or enter your weekly season price, then see weekly, monthly, annual and flexi costs side by side - plus which option wins for your commute.
At five or more days a week year-round, an annual season is the cheapest per journey - about 13% under twelve monthly seasons. A monthly season is the pick if you want to avoid the upfront cost or commute less than 11 months a year.
Preset routes use verified Standard-class season fares (National Rail / Trainline, July 2026). All regulated season fares are frozen until March 2027. Annual = 40x a weekly season; a monthly season is about 3.84x weekly. National Rail guarantees a Flexi Season is at least 20% below the equivalent monthly season, so the flexi figure is the ceiling for your route rather than an average, and it is not sold for journeys wholly within London Zones 1 to 6. Travelcard and First Class seasons cost more.
How the calculation works
- Monthly season is priced at about 3.84 times a weekly season - roughly 8% cheaper than buying four-plus weekly seasons.
- Annual season is priced at 40 times a weekly season (not 52), so it undercuts twelve monthly seasons by about 13%.
- Flexi season gives 8 days of travel in any 28-day window, priced at least 20% below a monthly season. It is built for hybrid workers.
- These ratios are set nationally, so the calculator works for any operator - Greater Anglia, c2c, Southeastern, Northern and the rest - once you know the weekly price.
Preset route fares verified July 2026 against published National Rail / Trainline Standard-class season prices (rail only, no Travelcard). Regulated fares frozen until March 2027.
Flexi season tickets: what the calculator assumes
A Flexi Season buys 8 days of travel in any 28 days between two named stations, and you do not have to nominate the days in advance. It is the product built for hybrid commuters. National Rail guarantees it costs a minimum of 20% less than the equivalent monthly Season ticket, and that guarantee is what the flexi figure above is derived from.
Because 20% is the floor of the discount rather than a fixed rate, the flexi number the calculator shows is the most you should pay on your route, not an average. Your operator's actual Flexi Season price can be lower, so check it against the figure here before you buy.
- Not available inside London. Journeys wholly within the London Zonal Fare Area (Zones 1 to 6) cannot be bought as a Flexi Season. For a commute entirely inside the zones, compare the monthly and annual figures instead.
- Most Railcards do not apply, because a Flexi Season is already discounted. The exceptions are the 16-17 Saver and the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card, which both give 50% off.
- Smartcard or eTicket only - Flexi Seasons are not issued on paper.
- Refunds are calculated backwards. You get the difference between what you paid and the cost of an Anytime return for each day you actually used, minus an administration fee of no more than £10. With only one or two days left, a refund is often not available at all.
- Eight days is the cap. At four or more days a week a flexi runs out inside the 28-day window, which is why the recommendation above switches to a monthly season.
Flexi Season rules and the minimum 20% discount verified September 2026 against National Rail's Flexi Season ticket page.
Season ticket calculator by operator
Because the season ratios (monthly = 3.84 x weekly, annual = 40 x weekly) are set nationally, one calculator covers every train company. Pick a preset below if your route matches - c2c (London - Southend), Southeastern (London - Dartford) and Thameslink (London - St Albans) are all built-in presets - or choose "Enter my own weekly price" for any other route.
| Operator | Where it runs | Example preset route | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern | London to Brighton and Surrey | London - Brighton | £5,204 |
| Great Western Railway | London Paddington to Reading and the West | London - Reading | £5,856 |
| South Western Railway | London Waterloo to Surrey and the South West | London - Woking | £4,340 |
| Greater Anglia / Great Northern | London to Cambridge and East Anglia | London - Cambridge | £6,496 |
| Northern | Manchester, Leeds and the North | Manchester - Leeds | £3,308 |
| c2c | London Fenchurch Street to south Essex | London - Southend | £4,652 |
| Southeastern | London to Kent and south-east London | London - Dartford | £6,124 |
| Thameslink | Bedford, Luton and St Albans through London to Brighton | London - St Albans | £5,764 |
| ScotRail | Scotland | Enter your own weekly price | - |
Annual figures are the verified Standard-class season fares from the presets above (National Rail / Trainline, July 2026), rail only, no Travelcard. Frozen until March 2027.
Which season ticket wins by days per week
| Days/Week | Best Option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Daily off-peak | Season ticket not worth it |
| 2 days | Flexi season (8 in 28) | Designed for hybrid workers |
| 3 days | Flexi season or monthly | The crossover - compare both |
| 4 days | Monthly season | Flexi maxes out at 8 days |
| 5+ days | Annual season | Cheapest per journey, ~13% under monthly |
Spread the cost: season ticket loans
An annual season saves about 13% over paying monthly, but it is a large up-front payment. Many UK employers - the civil service, the NHS, Transport for London and a wide range of private firms - offer an interest-free season ticket loan: the employer buys the annual season and you repay it in 12 equal monthly deductions from your salary, interest-free.
- Monthly repayment is the annual price divided by 12 - the "/mo equivalent" figure the calculator shows next to the annual result, so you keep the annual discount while paying monthly.
- No tax to pay. A season ticket loan sits well under HMRC's £10,000 beneficial-loan threshold, so it is an exempt benefit: no benefit-in-kind charge and nothing to report on a P11D (HMRC booklet 480, Chapter 17).
- Check your employer's scheme. Terms vary: most run one loan at a time and recover any outstanding balance if you leave during the loan period.
Frequently asked questions
How is an annual season ticket price calculated?
An annual season ticket is priced at 40 times a weekly season, not 52. That built-in discount is why an annual season works out about 13% cheaper than buying twelve monthly seasons. A monthly season is priced at roughly 3.84 times a weekly season. These ratios are set nationally, so the calculator gives the same answer for any operator's route once you know the weekly price.
How much is a flexi season ticket compared to a monthly?
National Rail guarantees a Flexi Season is a minimum of 20% below the equivalent monthly Season ticket for the same route, and it gives you 8 days of travel in any 28 days. Because 20% is the floor of the discount, monthly minus 20% is the most you will pay, not an average: a London-Brighton monthly season is £499.60, so the flexi is £400 at most and often less. Flexi seasons suit hybrid workers commuting 2-3 days a week.
Is this a flexi season ticket calculator?
Yes. Pick your route or enter your weekly season price and the calculator shows the flexi figure alongside weekly, monthly and annual. The flexi number is derived from National Rail's published guarantee that a Flexi Season costs at least 20% less than the equivalent monthly Season ticket, so treat it as the ceiling for your route - the operator's actual price can be lower. A Flexi Season buys 8 days of travel in any 28 days between two named stations, and you do not have to nominate the days in advance.
Can anyone buy a flexi season ticket?
Almost, but there are two limits worth knowing before you rely on the flexi figure. Journeys wholly within the London Zonal Fare Area (Zones 1 to 6) are not available on a Flexi Season at all, so for a commute entirely inside the London zones the monthly and annual figures are the real comparison. And most Railcards cannot be used on a Flexi Season because it is already discounted - the exceptions are the 16-17 Saver and the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card, which both give 50% off. Flexi Seasons are issued on a Smartcard or as an eTicket, not on paper.
Is an annual season ticket worth it?
An annual season ticket is usually worth it if you commute 4-5 days a week for most of the year. It is the cheapest per-journey option and saves about 13% versus paying monthly. At 2-3 days a week a flexi season is typically cheaper, and at 1 day a week ordinary off-peak day returns beat any season ticket. Many UK employers offer interest-free season ticket loans that spread the annual cost over 12 salary payments.
Will season ticket prices go up in 2026?
No. England's regulated rail fares, which include Standard class season tickets, are frozen until March 2027 - the first freeze in 30 years. Buying an annual season now locks in the current price for 12 months. If fares had risen at the previously expected 5.8%, a £5,204 London-Brighton annual would have cost about £5,506.
Does this work as a c2c or Southeastern season ticket calculator?
Yes. c2c (London - Southend, £4,652 a year via Barking, rail only) and Southeastern (London - Dartford London Terminals, £6,124 a year) are both built-in presets, verified July 2026 against Trainline's published season fares. Season ticket ratios are set nationally, not by the operator: a monthly season is 3.84 times a weekly season and an annual season is 40 times a weekly, on c2c, Southeastern, Southern, Northern and every other train company. So this is a c2c season ticket calculator, a Southeastern season ticket calculator and a national rail season ticket calculator all at once. If your exact route is not a preset, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and type your operator's weekly season fare - the annual, monthly and flexi figures follow automatically.
Can I use this as a Southern season ticket calculator?
Yes. Southern runs London to Brighton, the Sussex coast and much of Surrey, and its Standard-class seasons follow the same national ratios as every other operator. The built-in London - Brighton preset is Southern's verified season: £130.10 a week, £499.60 a month and £5,204 a year (London Terminals, any permitted route, checked July 2026 against Trainline). Pick that preset for a Brighton commute, or choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and type your Southern weekly season fare for any other route - the monthly, annual and flexi figures follow automatically.
Does this work as a South Western Railway (SWR) season ticket calculator?
Yes. South Western Railway runs London Waterloo to Surrey, Hampshire and the South West. Two SWR routes are built-in presets, both verified July 2026 against Trainline's London Terminals seasons: London - Woking (£108.50 a week, £4,340 a year) and London - Guildford (£120.10 a week, £4,804 a year). For any other SWR route - Basingstoke, Winchester, Portsmouth or Southampton - choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and the season ratios (monthly = 3.84x weekly, annual = 40x weekly) do the rest.
Can I use this as a Great Western Railway (GWR) season ticket calculator?
Yes. Great Western Railway runs London Paddington to the Thames Valley and the West. The built-in London - Reading preset is GWR's verified London Terminals season: £146.50 a week, £562.20 a month and £5,856 a year (checked July 2026 against Trainline, rail only - the Elizabeth line and Travelcard versions cost more). For Slough, Maidenhead, Didcot, Swindon, Bath or Bristol, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and enter your GWR weekly season fare.
Does this work as a Northern season ticket calculator?
Yes. Northern runs regional routes across the North of England, and its Standard-class seasons follow the same national ratios as every operator. Three Northern routes are built-in presets, all verified July 2026 against Trainline's Northern-only seasons: Manchester - Leeds (£82.70 a week, £3,308 a year), Manchester - Liverpool (£71.00 a week, £2,840 a year) and Leeds - York (£59.10 a week, £2,364 a year). These are the Northern-only fares, which are cheaper than the any-permitted-route versions. For any other Northern route, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and the season ratios (monthly = 3.84x weekly, annual = 40x weekly) do the rest.
Can I use this as a Greater Anglia season ticket calculator?
Yes. Greater Anglia runs London Liverpool Street to Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. The built-in London - Colchester preset is Greater Anglia's verified London Terminals season: £167.50 a week, £643.20 a month and £6,700 a year (rail only, checked July 2026 against Trainline). For Chelmsford, Witham, Ipswich, Norwich or any other Greater Anglia route, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and enter your weekly season fare - the monthly, annual and flexi figures follow automatically.
Does this work as a Southeastern season ticket calculator?
Yes. Southeastern runs London to Kent and south-east London - Dartford, Gravesend, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Orpington, Bromley and the high-speed route to Ashford and Ramsgate. The built-in London - Dartford preset is Southeastern's verified London Terminals season: £153.10 a week, £588.00 a month and £6,124 a year (rail only, checked July 2026 against Trainline - the high-speed and Travelcard versions cost more). Season ratios are set nationally, not by the operator, so a monthly season is 3.84 times a weekly and an annual is 40 times a weekly on every Southeastern route. For Sevenoaks, Gravesend, Orpington, Tonbridge or Ashford, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and type your Southeastern weekly season fare - the monthly, annual and flexi figures follow automatically.
Does this work as a Thameslink or Great Northern season ticket calculator?
Yes. Thameslink and Great Northern (both part of Govia Thameslink Railway) run the cross-London core and the routes north to St Albans, Luton, Bedford, Stevenage, Peterborough and Cambridge. Two of their routes are built-in presets, both verified July 2026 against Trainline's London Terminals seasons: London - St Albans (Thameslink, £144.10 a week, £5,764 a year) and London - Cambridge (Great Northern, £162.40 a week, £6,496 a year). Because the season ratios (monthly = 3.84x weekly, annual = 40x weekly) are set nationally, one calculator covers both operators. For Luton, Bedford, Hitchin, Stevenage, Peterborough or any other Thameslink or Great Northern route, choose 'Enter my own weekly price' and the ratios do the rest.
Can I spread the annual cost with a season ticket loan?
Yes. Many UK employers offer interest-free season ticket loans: the employer buys the annual season up front and you repay it in 12 equal monthly deductions from your salary, with no interest. The monthly repayment is simply the annual price divided by 12 - the '/mo equivalent' figure shown next to the annual result above. Because a season ticket loan sits well under HMRC's £10,000 beneficial-loan threshold, it is a tax-exempt benefit: there is no benefit-in-kind charge and nothing to report on a P11D (HMRC booklet 480, Chapter 17). A loan lets you keep the annual season's roughly 13% saving over paying monthly without paying the full amount up front.
Which operator runs my commuter route?
The preset routes cover the main commuter operators: Southern (London-Brighton), Great Western Railway (London-Reading), South Western Railway (London-Woking and London-Guildford), Greater Anglia and Great Northern (London-Cambridge), Thameslink (London-St Albans), Northern (Manchester-Leeds, Manchester-Liverpool, Leeds-York), c2c (London-Southend) and Southeastern (London-Dartford). ScotRail and any other route are covered by choosing 'Enter my own weekly price' - the season ratios are identical whichever operator you use.
Go deeper
See full breakeven tables for 8 commuter routes on the Season Tickets guide, the annual season ticket cost by route, or check what the 2026 freeze saves you with the fare freeze savings calculator.