Fare avoidance

Fare avoidance, as distinct from "fare evasion" is the use of knowledge to legally travel using tickets which cost significantly less than the 'normal' fare for a given journey, which is what one might be expected to use. It has become somewhat of an art in some parts of the world with complex travel networks, notably the UK rail network.

UK Rail network and fare avoidance

In the case of the latter, privatisation has resulted in a highly complex fare structure, with passengers regularly mis-sold tickets, or not aware of the full entitlement a ticket gives them. Enthusiasts, and those with connections to the industry, use the UK railway technical manuals to identify which fares offer best value. This often involves purchasing tickets for stations which one has no intention of actually visiting, for a number of reasons. Since the UK rail journeys are not priced on distance, often it is cheaper to buy a ticket from A to D via B and C, solely to travel from B to C.