Expensive train commute

skintbuthappy_3

Hi,

I commute about 3/4 times a week from Loughborough to Manchester. I need to live in Loughborough for family reasons, and I really like the job I have in Manchester so basically I'm stuck with this long commuting time and expense for the forseeable future. (My job will also offer good career prospects in years to come, as well, but a pay rise at the moment is out of the question).

Trouble is, my savings are slowly being drained, and I'm worried I might get into debt soon. _pale_

Does anyone have any idea on how I can reduce the cost of my train journey? :idea: I have a YP rail card, and i am better off NOT getting a season ticket. So I have to get an open return and it costs me £25 per day; TOO MUCH for me.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
skintbuthappy

billythestickboy

hi,

Not sure if this helps but my wife has a similar travelling scenario, on the train 3 times a week from Kent into London.

She worked out that it's cheapest for her to get a 2 part return. (I think that's what it's called)

A weekly ticket costs £70ish
A daily return is £23 I think (so that's about the same as a weekly if you're only doing 3 days)

But a 2 part return is basically a single in the morning and a single in the evening, but because she's got a Young Person's Rail Card the evening single is cheaper.

I don't really understand it completely myself but it works out at £16 a day.

It might be worth a try for you anyway, although, be warned that a couple of times the South Eastern trains people on the ticket desk have denied that such a thing exists! Very strange.

Anyway, good luck, and send my regards to sunny Loughborough (I was at Univ there)

n_earnshaw

There was an aritcle on this site about a year ago where it wrote about buying tickets for parts of your journey. An example for me is that I live in Skipton, North Yorkshire and if I wanted to travel to York, it's cheaper for me to get a ticket from Skipton to Leeds and then get a ticket from Leeds to York rather than Skipton to York return.

When I get home I'll see if I can track down the article.

pin

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=18454

n_earnshaw

pin wrote:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=18454

That's the fella!!!

skintbuthappy_3

Ok, basically, if i do

loughborough - derby - standard day return (£7.10)
derby - manchester - cheap day return (£11.30)

That's a total of £18.40. Pretty good eh? It represents a saving of over £6 a day!!

The only disadvantage is leaving derby after 9am, in order to get the CHEAP day return.

So thanks for the idea.
CHeers, SKB

in_my_wellies

My son travels Loughborough to London on two single tickets which is cheaper that a return but he can pick his times. OH drops him off at 8pm and I often get a phone call to say he's back before OH gets back (via chippy) from Loughborough!!