Split ticketing, where rail travel can be made cheaper by buying multiple tickets to cover separate parts of your journey, has long been used by rail travellers with an eye for a deal.

The reason it can save you money is that different train companies have their own prices for different parts of the journey.

A public consultation is being launched by the railway industry to suggest ways of simplifying the rail fares system which will look at anomalies such as split tickets.

Here are five journeys where split tickets work out cheaper than buying a single fare.

Exeter Central to Sheffield

On June 16, leaving at 8.53am

Split tickets, including advance fares:

Exeter Central to Exeter St Davids (£1.40); Exeter St David's to Bristol Temple Meads (£14.70); Bristol Temple Meads to Cheltenham Spa (£7); Cheltenham Spa to Birmingham (£9.90); Birmingham to Derby (£6.30); Derby to Sheffield (£7.50).

Total £46.80

Advance ticket:

£70.20

Saving:

£23.40 (33 per cent)

Leicester to Edinburgh

On May 18, leaving at 7.52am

Split tickets, including advance fares:

Leicester to Derby (£6.70); Derby to Sheffield (£8.40); Sheffield to York (£14.10); York to Darlington (£9.10); Darlington to Edinburgh (£45.10).

Total £83.40

Advance ticket:

£144.10

Saving:

£60.70 (42 per cent)