Train transport advice

[zoosh]

I need to get from Manchester to Cosham(Portsmouth), can anyone recommend any sites to use for the cheapest deal? I guess a train would be my best bet and cheaper than a flight.

Appreciate any advice on this.

[dzug1]

All the rail sites will give you the same fares. Just avoid thetrainline and raileasy who charge booking fees on top of the fare.

You'd probably be better via London for your journey, certaily in speed, probably in fares.

You can fly (Flybe) between Manchester and Southampton - you might be surprised at the price

[zoosh]

Thanks, a quick look on flybe it would be around £60, do you know what other providers fly between Man and Southampton other than flybe?

[isplumm]

Hi,

Flybe are the only operators flying Manchester to Southampton.

But from Southampton Airport, it is about 200 metres to the rail station (Southampton Airport Parkway) & then you have 2 choices ... catch train to Eastleigh (2 mins by train) & change for Portsmouth (stops at Cosham), or catch train to Southampton (10 mins) & change for Portsmouth (stops at Cosham). From either it is about 30 minutes to Cosham.

Very simple ...

Look at nationalrail.co.uk for trains.

Mark

[Lemonade Pockets]

First great western are offering £5 of their tickets. You can if your cheeky register several times (with different email address's) then a bit of split ticketing means you get £5 off multiple times.

Alternatively i always use National Express East Coast, In the last year a faultless service and they usually have 10% off if you book online, so work out cheaper than other companies + no handling or card fees.

[dzug1]

Alternatively i always use National Express East Coast, In the last year a faultless service and they usually have 10% off if you book online, so work out cheaper than other companies + no handling or card fees.

10% Discount only for certain fares on their own trains - so it depends on the journey.

[isplumm]

Hi,

If your going from Manchester to Cosham, I wouldn't go down the East Coast line ... its quite a long way out for you & will also take you into London ... I think there is a direct train from Manchester to Southampton via West Coast line, which avoids London.

Mark

[Lemonade Pockets]

10% Discount only for certain fares on their own trains - so it depends on the journey. Ah ok i'm sure they've given it for services not run by them before but i'll take your word for it.


If your going from Manchester to Cosham, I wouldn't go down the East Coast line ... its quite a long way out for you & will also take you into London ... I think there is a direct train from Manchester to Southampton via West Coast line, which avoids London.


I wasn't suggesting he went down the east coast line, only that he used their website because its easy to use and doesn't lumber you with card charges. However it appears the 10% benefit might apply to this journey.

[robt]

An offpeak ticket bought on the day is £87.50 return. Depending what time you can travel, there will be either one, two or three changes.

Choosing a date at random (I chose 25th May returning the next day) there are advance tickets for less than £35 return.

Hope that is of some help to give you an idea of prices.

[BruceyBonus]

Yay, Cosham, my regular station!

Anyway, more to the point, if you split via. London, Southern sell some fares for £3 e/w on their own website for the London Victoria - Cosham half.

Manchester - London Victoria (changing to tube at Euston) can cost £18 on the advance tickets in the morning. There is are then regular Southern services for £3 onto Cosham.

[zoosh]

Found a train from Man to Portsmouth for 12.50 from virgin trains, 4 stops mind and 7 hours!

[robt]

Found a train from Man to Portsmouth for 12.50 from virgin trains, 4 stops mind and 7 hours!

Virgin Trains don't run from Manchester to Portsmouth, do you mean you used the Virgin Trains website and one of the trains you will use is operated by Virgin? :)

[zoosh]

Virgin Trains don't run from Manchester to Portsmouth, do you mean you used the Virgin Trains website and one of the trains you will use is operated by Virgin? :)



Sorry what do you mean operated by Virgin?


10:07
MANCHESTER OXFORD ROAD 11:38
YORK Train TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS 01:31



Change train at YORK - 00:15 connection time



11:53
YORK 14:04
LONDON KINGS CROSS Train NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST COAST 02:11



LONDON KINGS CROSS LONDON WATERLOO Tube LONDON UNDERGROUND




15:00
LONDON WATERLOO 17:11
PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR Train SOUTH WEST TRAINS 02:11




10:35
MANCHESTER PICCADILLY 12:09
RUGBY Train VIRGIN TRAINS 01:34



Change train at RUGBY - 00:11 connection time



12:20
RUGBY 13:30
MILTON KEYNES CENTRAL Bus VIRGIN TRAINS 01:10



Change train at MILTON KEYNES CENTRAL - 00:11 connection time



13:41
MILTON KEYNES CENTRAL 14:37
LONDON EUSTON Train LONDON MIDLAND 00:56



LONDON EUSTON LONDON VICTORIA Tube LONDON UNDERGROUND




15:17
LONDON VICTORIA 17:35
PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR Train SOUTHERN 02:18

[robt]

If you read above, each leg of the journey has a train operator, Southern, London Underground, Transpennine Express, National Express East Coast etc.

I thought you had meant you had found a train operated by Virgin the whole way (which doesn't exist) :)

[zoosh]

Now its saying there is no availability! Arrrg

[zoosh]

Booked it but phoned up before to queery the jounery and they said the advance tickets are fully booked. Booked it online anyway, says it's been processed. So guess I will have to wait and see... cheers for the help