Rail chiefs offer bargain fares to 2012 visitors

Olympic ticket holders are to be offered "bargain basement" train fares, it was revealed today.

Network Rail today unveiled its Games coverage with 2,000 extra services during the Olympics and 1,500 more services during the Paralympics.
Special deals will allow for discounts, such as with railcards. Tickets go on sale next month.
A Network Rail spokesman said: "In partnership with the operators we're laying on hundreds more trains much later than usual, into the early hours to get people home. We want them well used and full so there will be great ticket deals to be had."

All disruptive engineer work on rail routes serving the Olympics is being suspended for almost three months next summer. Tube weekend closures will also be suspended.

Games trains tickets will be available through a dedicated National Rail website and a call centre. NR said tickets will offer spectators heading to and from Olympic events taking place across the country "good value for money" and be "competitively priced". They will offer a range of benefits and be "flexible" to enable spectators to change the time they return should an event run later than expected.

The Games rail tickets are designed for Olympic ticket holders to travel to and from London and all cities hosting events; Coventry, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff and Weymouth.
Ticketed spectators travelling to Games events in and around London will be given a free "Games Travelcard". For other Games' destinations the tickets will be valid to the rail station closest to the venue.

The Games trains timetable has not yet been finalised. Many trains will start earlier and finish later than normal. Train will be longer with 12 cars instead of eight and eight instead of four carriages.