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2012

Train companies and football clubs join forces to save fans time and money

24/01/2011

It can be easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly for football fans to travel to see their team play this year, thanks to a new partnership between The Football League and train companies.

The League has joined forces with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to set up a three point plan to help fans save time and money, as well as reducing their carbon footprint when travelling to away day fixtures:

Fans can use this link to a comprehensive list of all 92 clubs in the Premier and Football League, with details of the grounds and how to get there by train.
Spreading the word about the ticket discounts on offer will help fans make considerable savings on their journey. For example, the Family and Friends Railcard gets passengers a third off adult prices and 60% discount on child fares. Or if fans can plan their journey in advance, they can make the use of the 800,000 cheap Advance tickets sold every week. Train companies have also set up a Best Value Fares website with all the latest fare deals.
The more fans who leave their cars to take the train, the greater the environmental benefit – rail emits less than 1% of total UK CO2 levels and has a demonstrably lower carbon footprint compared to both car – which is responsible for 14% – and air.

ATOC and The Football League will be meeting regularly to see how to further improve information and journeys for fans.

Gavin Megaw, Director of Marketing and Communications at The Football League, said: “In the current economic climate and with the environment representing such an important issue, travelling by train invariably offers an easier, cheaper and greener form of transport for our fans.”

Edward Welsh, Director of Corporate Affairs at ATOC, said: “A trip to watch your team play is a great day out for families and friends, and train companies are pleased to be working with The Football League to make sure fans can get to the match quickly and easily, and for the best possible value.

“Operators know that these are tough times for many, but by using Railcards and booking in advance, a family trip to the match can be a lot more affordable than people think, particularly when they can also take advantage of schemes run by League clubs such as Kids for a Quid.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

There are a range of Railcards available, all offering at least a third off most train fares, including Family and Friends Railcard, 16-25 Railcard, and Senior Railcard. In some regions there are also local Railcards that offer discounts on local journeys. Check train company websites for details.
Visit www.bestvaluefares.co.uk for the latest fare deals and attraction offers.
Train operators release Advance fares around 12 weeks before the date of travel, though the dates can vary slightly. For full information on the dates different operators are selling Advance fares for, visit http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/booking_horizons.html
Research carried out by the University of Southampton last year found that four out of five trips on a sample selection of routes work out cheaper by rail than by car, in light of the rising cost of petrol. The research, commissioned by ATOC, found that when booking train tickets in advance, car travel is on average up to twice as expensive as rail travel for a family of four with a Family and Friends Railcard. Even for rail tickets bought on the day of travel, car travel is 40% more expensive than rail for a family of four with a Railcard.