As the cost of living crisis continues, West Midlands Railway highlights five of the region’s most popular discounted attractions. Families can save money on days out by taking the train, with 2-for-1 offers and up to a third off major sites like SEA LIFE Centre and Cadbury World.
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00:00We all know how quickly costs can add up, especially during school holidays. From entry
00:08fees to petrol, parking and packed lunches, a simple day out can turn into a pricey affair.
00:15But this year, West Midlands Railway is pointing passengers towards an alternative. If you
00:19travel by train to certain destinations, you can get discounted entry at some of the region's
00:25most popular spots. It's all part of the Days Out guide, which includes everything
00:30from the Sea Life Centre and Cadbury World to Think Tank and Legoland Discovery Centre.
00:36For families facing rising costs, these offers can make the difference between staying home
00:41or heading out. But what is it about these attractions that keep people coming back?
00:46And why are they making the most of train-linked deals now?
00:51So this two-for-one deal is something that actually has proved really, really popular
00:55right across the West Midlands region. That's because it's perfect for families. So we know
01:00that attractions like the Sea Life Centre, like Alton Towers, are incredibly popular.
01:04And what we find is that people want to build the train into their day out. So they're allowed
01:09this two-for-one deal by travelling by train, but they actually make that train journey
01:13part of that family experience. So there are hundreds of attractions that are available
01:17with this particular offer. Absolutely fantastic opportunity for families to get out, explore
01:22new places, new things to do, they may not have thought of doing before. Here in the
01:26West Midlands in particular, the Sea Life Centre has proved massively popular. Really,
01:30really family-friendly attraction. Really something that people can get involved with.
01:36Even with delays and overcrowding, train travel still has its perks, especially if it comes
01:41with a cheaper day out. Passengers can get up to a third off entry at Alton Towers with
01:46savings for groups of up to six. Think Tank offers two-for-one entry, cutting the cost
01:51for families with younger children. Add up the discounts across five of the most popular
01:56attractions and you could save yourself more than £250. That's not just a bonus, it's
02:01a game-changer for many families trying to budget. And with destinations just a short
02:07walk from key train stations, getting there can be easier than expected. But how much
02:12do passengers really know about these offers and could more be done to raise awareness?
02:18So thousands of people take up this offer every single year and actually that equates
02:22to savings into the tens of thousands of pounds because when you think about the ticket price
02:27on an attraction, likely to be £20, £30, £40. By travelling by train, you can make
02:33that saving. We do see people taking opportunity, building the train into their journey and
02:40actually one of the things we're keen to do is make people aware. And we do that through
02:44our website, we do that through social media, but a really big factor is actually word of
02:48mouth and people telling each other, telling their family, did you know that you can get
02:51this deal on this attraction that maybe you were planning to go to anyway? But actually
02:55by travelling by train, you can cut that price in half.