Dosh dilemma: Adeel commutes to work three days a week. Is it worth buying an annual season ticket?

Adeel works from home two days a week and travels into the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

He currently buys anytime day returns, but he's wondering if he'd save money with an annual season ticket.

A colleague says it's always the cheapest option, but Adeel isn't convinced he'll get his money's worth when he's only commuting three days a week.

So, what's the best choice?

It depends on how often you travel, but if you're only commuting three days a week, an annual season ticket might not necessarily be the cheapest option.

Season tickets made sense for people travelling five days a week. But with hybrid working now common, many commuters can save money by choosing a more flexible option.

Start by doing the maths

Work out how many days you'll actually travel over the next year.

If you work in the office three days a week for 46 weeks of the year, allowing for holidays and bank holidays, that's around 138 commuting days.

Now compare the cost of:

• buying daily tickets
• a flexi season ticket, if it’s available on your route
• a monthly or annual season ticket

The cheapest option might surprise you.

Do you use a railcard?

If Adeel relies on a railcard, like a young person's railcard, it's worth remembering most standard railcards don't work with season tickets. Traditional options like the 16-25, 26-30, or senior railcards only apply to standard fares like anytime, off-peak, and advance, so it's definitely something to factor in when working out costs. 

Don't forget flexi season tickets

If you regularly travel two or three days a week, a flexi season could be worth looking at.

It gives you eight days of travel between two named stations in 28 days, making it a good fit for many hybrid workers. If your travel pattern is predictable, it can work out cheaper than buying daily tickets.

Though not every route offers a flexi season, so it's worth checking before deciding.

Think about extra journeys

An annual season ticket isn't just for commuting.

If you often travel the same route at weekends or in the evenings, you can use it then too. Those extra trips could make an annual ticket better value than it first appears.

On the other hand, if you only travel for work, you could end up paying for days you'll never use.

Don't tie yourself down

An annual season ticket is a big upfront cost.

If there's a chance your job, office location or working pattern could change over the next year, buying a yearly ticket could leave you out of pocket.

A monthly ticket or pay-as-you-go travel may give you more flexibility.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer.

If you're travelling into work three days a week, an annual season ticket may not be the cheapest option. Compare the cost of daily tickets, flexi seasons and monthly or annual season tickets before you buy.

A few minutes with a calculator could save you hundreds of pounds over the course of a year.