A huge rail sale has gone live with thousands of train journeys around the UK slashed in price by up to 50%.
Almost all UK train operators are taking part in the sale, which falls around the 200th anniversary of UK Rail.
There are more discounted tickets available than ever before, from short jaunts to neighbouring cities like Leeds and Sheffield to further-flung trips like Edinburgh and London.
It’s hoped that this huge rail sale will encourage more people to travel by train, and comes as the Government continues its overhaul of the railways.
Millions of train tickets are available at half the price, between 14 January and 20 January.
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The sale applies to select advance and off-peak fares on travel between 17 January and 31 March 2025.
These offers won’t last long, and only apply to a limited number of tickets, so you’ll want to move fast to snap up a bargain.
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It’s reported that last year’s rail sale saved passengers £5.8 million in total.
Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander, said: “I’m launching the biggest ever rail sale so more passengers can get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across the country.
“Whether you’re planning a getaway or wanting to visit friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions on all sorts of journeys.
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Train tickets slashed by up to 50% in huge Rail Sale across the UK. Credit: Unsplash, Fraser Cottrell
“Make the most of this sale, get your tickets while you can!”
The 2025 rail sale comes on the 200th anniversary of the first steam-powered passenger train with celebrations expected throughout the year as part of Railway 200.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said: “This year, as we celebrate 200 years of railways in the UK, we’re reminded that rail travel is about much more than simply getting from A to B – it’s about bringing people, communities and opportunities together.
“Over 2 centuries, rail has become a vital part of the UK, shaping the economy and lives of millions.
“The year’s rail sale will offer over 2 million discounted advance fares starting on 14 January 2025, which is a great way to save on your travel and celebrate 200 years of railway connections.”
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Next step – making that train between Manchester and London a bit more affordable every day of the year…
Treehouse Hotel Manchester finally announces opening date – and it’s soon
Daisy Jackson
One of the most hotly-anticipated new hotel openings in Manchester, Treehouse Hotel, has finally confirmed its launch date.
The major new opening has been slowly transforming the brutalist tower at the end of Deansgate, formerly long-standing hotel the Renaissance, into a ‘whimsical, forest-inspired’ accommodation.
Once it opens, Treehouse Hotel will bring 224 guest rooms, including nine suites and three accessible rooms, to Manchester.
Also opening on the ground floor of the huge building will be Pip, by acclaimed local chef Mary-Ellen McTague, showcasing a low-waste cooking approach with seasonally sourced ingredients.
Just announced too as part of Treehouse Hotel Manchester is Sister Moon by Sam Grainger, a 14th-floor Southeast Asian dining destination set to open later in 2025.
Work has been ongoing at the site for several years now, with an initial launch date pencilled in for summer 2023.
But things are finally coming together and Treehouse Hotel Manchester has now announced it will open the doors to its ‘playful and free-spirited’ hotel on Wednesday 19 March.
This ‘one-of-a-kind’ addition to Manchester’s thriving hotel scene follows SH Hotels & Resorts (soon to be Starwood Hotels) launch of its first Treehouse property in London in 2019.
A glimpse inside the rooms at Treehouse Hotel Manchester. Credit: Brad Matthews
The new hotel aims to provide a ‘unique retreat for visitors seeking both comfort and an element of adventure’.
Its interiors will blend the enchanting charm of a forest with the hotel’s signature ‘perfectly imperfect’ design ethos.
And they’ve called upon some of the North West’s most celebrated culinary names to craft the dining and drinking options, Pip and the newly-announced Sister Moon.
Also up on the 14th floor will be The Nest in Treehouse, a space with sweeping city views and a lively atmosphere.
Pip Restaurant will open at the new Treehouse Hotel. Credit: Supplied
And up on the top of the hotel will be The Hideout, an intimate rooftop lounge and terrace, with Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford leading a series of events across the hotel.
Treehouse Hotel Manchester will have on-site facilities that include a 43-seat Flix screening room, a state-of-the-art Playground gym, and meeting rooms named after trees.
There’s nothing like a bit of shrubbery to break up the grey-scale skyscraper landscape of Manchester and this next new opening has taken it to the next level.
Stays at Treehouse Hotel Manchester start from £199 per night, with bookings now open HERE.
Two Greater Manchester postcodes revealed as being hotspots for uninsured drivers
Emily Sergeant
Two of Greater Manchester’s popular postcodes have been named as being ‘hotspots’ for uninsured drivers.
Merely days after one of our region’s towns was identified as being a property ‘hotspot’, thanks to house prices there having shot up by 10% on average last year, now another local two residential areas have been named ‘hotspots’ too… only this time, it’s for a reason not quite as positive.
That’s because these two areas have been found to have a high concentration of drivers who are aren’t insured to be on the roads.
Motoring company RAC looked at new data from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) to compile a top 15 list highlighting the regions that are most affected by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.
Egerton in Bolton, which is one of the uninsured driver hotspots / Credit: Google Maps
According to the data, the West Midlands is particularly impacted by uninsured drivers, with eight out of the top 15 hotspots located in this area, but some of the other regions with high rates include Northumbria, London, Thames Valley, South Yorkshire, and, of course, Greater Manchester.
Both the SK1 postcode in Stockport and the BL7 postcode in Bolton have, unfortunately, found themselves on the list, featuring at number eight and number 12 respectively.
Top 15 uninsured driver hotspots
B11 (Birmingham)
B21 (Birmingham)
DA17 (Bexley)
WV2 (Wolverhampton)
NE29 (North Tyneside)
HP12 (Buckinghamshire)
B18 (Birmingham)
SK1 (Stockport)
B8 (Birmingham)
WS4 (Walsall)
CV7 (Solihull)
BL7 (Bolton)
B33 (Birmingham)
DN8 (Doncaster)
MK7 (Milton Keynes)
The SK1 postcode region includes Stockport town centre and the residential areas within it, while the areas in the BL7 postcode include the affluent villages of Bromley Cross, Egerton, Edgworth, Belmont, and Chapeltown.
The only other northern areas featuring on the list is North Tyneside postcode NE29 and DN8 in Doncaster, with the vast majority being in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
The RAC’s report coincides with the MIB’s work alongside police forces nationwide to get uninsured drivers off the road, with forces set to use the data provided to direct their efforts.