Crewe to Luton Parkway by train - any thoughts?

[ahall41116]

All,

My daughter has to get from Crewe to Luton Parkway on the 20th July for a university interview, and we are having great trouble tracking down decent train times, as a reasonable price.

I am unfortunately in New zealand on business at the time, otherwise i would take her.

Does anyone have any tips on getting her there? she needs to be there for an interview at 1pm, so i would like her to arrive no later than 12 - departing anytime after 3.30 ish

Thanks in advance.

Ash

[Poolie]

Just completed a quick search on nationalexpresseastcoast and it is showing 09:07 from Crewe to Luton Parkway 12:06 - 3 changes - does require a bus for £19. Return is Luton Parkway 15:56 to Crewe 18:53 - bus again - 2 changes and £35.50

Does your daughter have a young persons railcard as she will get a 1/3 off the price of each of these tickets.

With Railcard is she is looking at £12.55 outward and £23.45 return.

[ahall41116]

i dont think she does, but i'm sure we can get her one - i'll take a look at the site..

thanks!

[Poolie]

Ash the railcard costs £18 for the year. It will save her 1/3 on any rail journey (subject to conditions) so well worth the investment if she is moving away from home for uni.

I had one when I was at uni as lived more than 3 hrs away. Was good for when I wanted run out to Edinburgh and Glasgow and also after I finished. You can have a rail card from 16 -25 (but if you renew just before your 26th birthday you can use it right through till it expires without question). I used mine while I was working in Stirling and living in Glasgow and communiting each day.

[ahall41116]

Does the national rail ticket include the bus journey?

ash

[Poolie]

It will cover the bus journey in this instance because that the recommended by the journey planner. If she wanted to get the bus for the whole journey then no.

ALso if there is rail replacement bus services she would be covered also.

[dzug1]

An off peak return is £49.30 before railcard reduction. Travel via Derby/Leicester with only 2 changes - 0807 out, 1551 return. No buses but slightly slower than the Milton Keynes route

Only snag is that that 1551 is the last off peak train back apart from a very slow one at 1951 which has an extra change at Birmingham

[beaker141]

A lot of my colleagues travel from manchester to Luton by train for work, generally they get the virgin train to Milton Keynes and then a pre booked car to go from MK to Luton. I do think there is a public bus running between MK and Luton Airport/Parkway.

Alternate route not yet suggested is Crewe - Euston on a fast virgin train, tube to Kings Cross/St Pancras, and then Thameslink fast train to Luton Parkway.

[ahall41116]

i thought about that - will check now.

Thanks