Need a cheap ticket for student

Nicky321

My son is 17 years old and has the chance to attend a summer school which means he will be travelling by train from Wigan to stoke on trent on monday 21st july and returning from stoke on trent to wigan on friday 25th july. He will then be travelling each monday and returning each friday for the following 4 or 5 weeks. does anyone have any suggestions on cheap way to get there? cheers

Rikki

There is a young persons rail card that offers discount. Click here for information.


EDIT: My son has one and I believe he saves a third off the price.

Nicky321

thanks for the reply not sure if it would be beneficial though as it costs £24.00/year and he will only need it for 5 - 6 weeks. do you know the best sites to do a check for the cheap train fares? that way i could work out if its worth buying.
cheers


edit

Just checked virgin trains and a return will cost £15.00 without a saver and with a railcard £9.90 + (£4.80 from the cost of the railcard) so roughly saving about 30p, was looking for something cheaper, because its still gonna cost approx £73.50 in total.

Rikki

There was an old offer through mse HERE but its expired.

I'll have a look around for you.

The young persons railcard is for off peak travel only.

It might be worth checking out the price of the fares and look into buying tickets in advance rather than on the day.

misscutiepie1984

young persons IS valid during peak time but subject to minimum fares however during July and August then lift that restriction......... have you checked to see if they do advance purchase tickets>?

Nicky321

Thanks for the help, ive looked on virgins website (not sure how or if) i could purchase tickets for the dates all in one go.

dates are

From Wigan to Stoke on Trent
21/07/08
28/07/08
04/08/08
11/08/08
18/08/08

From Stoke on Trent to Wigan
25/07/08
01/08/08
08/08/08
15/08/08
22/08/08

gner_ex

I'm sure he'll use the railcard on other occasions throughout the year.... so don't think of it as just lasting for these six weeks.

What time does he need to be there on the Monday, and what time finish on the Friday?

£9.90 sounds pretty good to me, its 40 plus miles.

Please note that Rikki is incorrect, its only certain journeys where there is a peak-time restriction, and he can leave Wigan at 07:03 arrive Stoke 08:12 (changing Stafford), and leave Stoke 16:18 and arrive Wigan 18:00 (changing Crewe) all on that £9.90 ticket.

Nicky321

Thanks for all the replies and help. I now have more concrete information. He needs to travel from wigan to ST16 1NR (im assuming he now needs to travel to Stafford train station) He needs to be on set for 8.30am on Mondays and leaves set 6.30pm on fridays (dates as above post).

I am now looking that its going to cost in excess of £25.00 per week and may benefit from a Railcard.

Any further help is greatfully appreciated :beer: And seeing that he goes on a week today, I havent got much time to get things sorted

gner_ex

Little easier for the journey then: he can get a direct train from Wigan at 07:03, arrives Stafford 07:46..... leave Stafford 19:10 or 19:36, arrives 19:56 or 20:27.

A saver return would be £25.70 without (£16.80 with railcard) this ticket is flexible, in case he leaves college early etc. For the buses in Stafford, he can either pay for single tickets on the bus - they are mentioned on the bus company website (don't ask me which is which!), or he can buy a plusbus ticket (from the ticket office at Wigan railway station for buses in Stafford or indeed Wigan), which is £2.50 (or £1.70 with railcard) per day.

Does this help at all?

Nicky321

gner_ex wrote: »

Does this help at all?

Helped greatly.
cheers:beer: