Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

wealdroam · 9 May 2011 at 5:44PM

mbanbrook wrote: »

I need to find the cheapest way of going from Birmingham (ideally Selly Oak or New Street) to London (ideally Euston) twice a week, every week until at least the end of this year.

So far I've found I can get from Selly Oak to Euston with London Midland on the 18th May leaving 0622 returning 1454. Total cost is £19.

However, if I try to book this same journey from the 25th May 2011 onwards, I cannot get back to Selly Oak without booking a separate ticket from New St to Selly Oak (at additional cost). Even stranger is that I can book this fare only at thetrainline.com and nowhere else. I can, of course, book it separately, but I'd rather use redspottedhanky.com to avoid a booking fee, collect points and do it as a complete return.

The 1454 train does not show up at all in the search results on other websites and forces you to change at Rugby or Northampton at similar times But it does exist in their new timetable, so that's not the issue either.

My local London Midland ticket office didn't know the answer either, or their customer service people. Any help appreciated.

On redspottedhanky, click on Show slower routes, down left hand side.
Then tick the boxes Via London Midland Trains Only, then clicking on the 'Update' button should show your trains.

Doing something similar on other websites should also work.
These planners assume people want the fastest trains.

Edited to add:

But you are not using return tickets.
That £19 fare is the sum of two Advance Singles, out at £13 and back at £6.
You must travel on the booked trains.

Advance Singles are quota controlled and they do sell out.
If there is something popular happening, like a bankholiday, the cheaper tickets may not appear at all.

Edited to add more...
As you say, on 25May you can travel on those trains from New St and back to Selly Oak for £19, but you will need an Anytime Singe from Selly Oak to New St at £1.80.
So total on that date = £20.80.

Jamp · 25 May 2011 at 11:51AM

Hi All,

Any bright ideas for cheapest/best tickets in this scenario?

I’m travelling Sheffield to Rhyl on Friday afternoon, probably 14.42 but subject to change.
On Sun June 5th I will be returning to Sheffield, not sure of time until the day before at best, so no chance for Advanced tickets, but it will probably be late afternoon or evening. I may be going back from Rhyl but possibly from some station in Lancashire nearby to the M6 for ease of drop off. I will be getting a lift down from Oban or thereabouts in a car going back to N Wales, either on Saturday (in which case I’ll get train back from Rhyl on Sun) but if the car goes on Sunday I’ll need to get out early in order to get back to Sheffield at a decent hour.

I’m thinking Leyland looks the best bet for access from the M6 although it’s not a direct fast train to Manchester which would be preferred. Newton-le-Willows may be easier from a ticketing point of view and looks reasonable for the M6. From there I could just travel short (/start late) on the return ticket, except that there is maintenance that day and trains are running from Rhyl/Chester to Manchester via Stockport rather than through Newton. There are replacement buses from Newton. Would I be able to board said bus given I had a ticket from Rhyl and so wouldn’t ordinarily be at Newton that day. Are you still allowed to break your journey on an off peak return as I could say that’s why I was in Newton? I expect that would be my cheapest solution at £31.95 (with YP railcard) for the plain Sheff-Rhyl return. Alternatively I could add Leyland – Manchester Piccadilly for £6.45 on an Anytime Single, which is still cheaper than buying two singles for the full journeys, especially if I do end up back at Rhyl.

If anyone can think of an alternative/cheaper/more convenient solution that would be great.

iggy12a · 25 May 2011 at 3:23PM

Hi

Southern Railway are currently advertising a Birthday Ticket Fiesta Offer of 26% off Advance and Off Peak tickets purchased before the end of May for travel over the following 12 weeks. According to the terms and conditions, the off peak applies to Super Off Peak tickets too.
From most stations over 50 miles, the Super Off Peak fare to London Victoria is £15. If you ask the Southern website for a day return to Victoria, say from my local station of Portsmouth & Southsea for travel in a week's time, it offer me a Super Off Peak single of £10.90 (discounted by 26% from the normal fare); a Super Off Peak day travelcard of £13.15 (discounted by 26% from normal); but the simple Super Off Peak Day return is priced at £15 without discount, when it should come down to something like £11.40.

I have tried emailing, but from previous experience, when I have reported something wrong which they cannot explain, they simply do not reply. I have phoned, and the chap I initially spoke to was "perplexed", in his words, but could not offer an explanation. He said he would contact the online team, but 5 days later, the website still does not offer the ticket at the correct price.

Does anyone have any idea how to report this to a higher level, since they seem to be advertising a fare which cannot be purchased?

geordieracer · 25 May 2011 at 5:24PM

just to follow on from the post above - tomorrow only Southern are selling some fares at 90% off.

VERY LIMITED http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-coach-train-ticket-deals#Southern90 and you have to book tomorrow

hardpressed · 26 May 2011 at 2:01PM

I'm going to be in Carlisle so thought I'd take advantage of Scot Rail over 55 promo of return to almost anywhere in Scotland for £18 return. Can anyone suggest a nice scenic ride for a day out, don't mind where I go, would prefer not to have to change trains too many times if possible.

Livingthedream · 26 May 2011 at 3:20PM

hardpressed wrote: »

I'm going to be in Carlisle so thought I'd take advantage of Scot Rail over 55 promo of return to almost anywhere in Scotland for £18 return. Can anyone suggest a nice scenic ride for a day out, don't mind where I go, would prefer not to have to change trains too many times if possible.

The best and most scenic line would be the West Highland line to Mallaig but you haven't got enough time to do that line there and back in a day, but the Highland main line from Perth to Inverness is also very scenic as well and is do able in one day.

Carlisle to Inverness dep 09:36 arr 15:06 change at Edinburgh (Haymarket)
Inverness to Carlisle dep 16:53 arr 23:35 change at Perth and Glasgow Queen St to Central which is a walk/bus/taxi.

So 2 different routes south of Perth for extra urban scenery.

If you don't fancy the crossover at Glasgow then cut the journey down a bit and go to Aviemore, you will still get the mountain scenery of the Highland line and sometime in Aviemore a tourist hotspot in Scotland.

Carlisle to Aviemore dep 09:36 arr 14:28 change at Edinburgh (Haymarket)
Aviemore to Carlisle dep 15:29 arr 20:06 change at Perth and Edinburgh (Haymarket)

dzug1 · 26 May 2011 at 3:51PM

On a Saturday part of the West Highland line is possible - as far as Lochielside. Or Oban.

richstack · 1 June 2011 at 12:26PM

Dear Forum peeps,

I've just moved to a small village outside Canterbury but am still working in London until I get a new job.
3 days a week I can travel off-peak (after 10am) with a network card and its £19.95 return.
However, every Weds I need to be in London by 8.45 am and therefore a return will cost me a whopping £60.00
I've been trying to come up with an alternative to shelling out this much once a week. A season ticket isn't worth it, because I'm only travelling 4 days a week.
I was hoping that off-peak travel might apply before 7am but it doens't look like it at all.
I'm not expecting any miracles here, but does anyone have any other ideas?

Rich

wealdroam · 1 June 2011 at 12:54PM

richstack wrote: »

Dear Forum peeps,

I've just moved to a small village outside Canterbury but am still working in London until I get a new job.
3 days a week I can travel off-peak (after 10am) with a network card and its £19.95 return.
However, every Weds I need to be in London by 8.45 am and therefore a return will cost me a whopping £60.00
I've been trying to come up with an alternative to shelling out this much once a week. A season ticket isn't worth it, because I'm only travelling 4 days a week.
I was hoping that off-peak travel might apply before 7am but it doens't look like it at all.
I'm not expecting any miracles here, but does anyone have any other ideas?

Rich

Don't know where in London you are going, but a seven day season ticket to London Terminals is less than the £119.85 you are currently spending, at £108.20.

But with a five week season ticket, you can start to make real savings.
For example from Monday 6 June to Friday 8 July, your current arrangement will cost you £594.25.
A season ticket for the same period costs £457.70 to London terminals.
A similar ticket to anywhere in zone 1-6, effectively a Travelcard, costs £519.90.

So it looks like you could save over £27 a week.

See National Rail Season Ticket Calculator.

dzug1 · 1 June 2011 at 1:44PM

richstack wrote: »

However, every Weds I need to be in London by 8.45 am and therefore a return will cost me a whopping £60.00

Rich

It would help if you gave your exact journey but if you are travelling from Canterbury that's not right - the fare is nowhere near £60. An anytime day return not HS1 is £47.40

Even if you add £3.80 for two zone 1 Oyster rides that's still at lot less than £60

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