Train tickets how to get a cheap one!

[DavidBattenburgh]

AIBU to think that there should be an app that if you add departure station and arrival station and state an open date or perhaps a date range that you can get the lowest price tickets displayed? Background is that I need to start visiting my elderly parents more often and support my siblings. I don't need the car when there, it's a 4 hour drive, I work from home and can work on the train. I can travel anytime on any date. I'm just trying to maximise my contact time for the cheapest outlay. I may as well work on the train and have quality time with parents. Any ideas anyone?

Off peak open returns used to be my cheapest way for train tickets but it's been many years since I've had to do it.

Look up Train Split. It works out cheap routes.

The Train Line does this for me. It'll show me the cheapest options for each time period, and which date is cheapest in the month if I look at monthly view. It will also tell me if there's a way to 'split' the tickets to make it cheaper.

Make sure you get a railcard if eligible!

I've come on to suggest Trainline too.

Make sure you get a railcard if eligible for one. On a trip that far it'll pay for itself in a trip or two, at most

Thanks for the suggestions unfortunately no railcard option for me. I do use Trainline however I was checking on my mobile ap and maybe I need to be desktop to see all the features.

Trainline app does the split ticket thing for you but I think the trick is buying tickets a certain number of weeks ahead and booking onto specific train times. I think it's 6-8 weeks so if you try different dates you might get different prices.