The trial, run in partnership with travel app Seatfrog, offers heavily discounted fares on popular routes including London Paddington to Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Carmarthen.
Instead of choosing an exact train, passengers select their travel date and a broad time window – morning, afternoon or evening – and receive their confirmed departure 24 hours before travel.
Sample fares
Among the headline prices being promoted are:
- London Paddington to Cardiff or Newport: £15
- London Paddington to Swansea: £23
- London Paddington to Carmarthen: £30
- Reading to Swansea: £19
- Newport to Swansea: £5
- Cardiff Central to Carmarthen: £5
- Cardiff to London Paddington: £15
‘Accessible and affordable’
GWR’s Head of Marketing Helen daCosta said the scheme was about making rail travel more accessible while filling spare seats on quieter services.
“This new partnership offers great value fares while at the same time taking advantage of spare space on less in‑demand services,” she said.
Seatfrog CEO Iain Griffin said the idea was to give people more choice and flexibility:
“Pick a date, a time‑window, and enjoy travel that’s kinder to your wallet – no compromise on the experience.”
Who it’s for
The tickets are aimed at leisure travellers, students and anyone with flexibility who prioritises savings over specific departure times. Multiple tickets can be booked together, though seats are not guaranteed to be next to each other.
Secret Fares can be booked from three months in advance up to five days before travel. They are non‑refundable and railcard discounts do not apply.
Trial until 2026
The scheme runs from mid‑September until 31 March 2026, with the potential to expand to other GWR routes if successful.
Tickets are available via the Seatfrog app or at seatfrog.com, with more details at gwr.com/Secret-Fares.
