Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

mr_maniac

Hi dzug, thanks for the quick reply :-)

I made my search on the National Rail site, and have just tried changing my route so that it goes via Birmingham New Street (CrossCountry run direct trains between Southampton and York several times a day), the journey time is longer, but the price is about £5 cheaper... not much of a saving tho!

I've also tried the National Express East Coast site and I was still able to book tickets at this stage (I believe there are less than 12 weeks to go so Advance tickets were available, though not at the times when I need to travel!), but not for a cheaper price....

Any idea when (i.e within how many weeks) cheaper tickets will be released? As you say, the fare I got can be bought on the day, in which case it makes booking in advance a bit pointless, unless a worthwhile saving can be found!

Thanks again for your help, and if anyone else is out there who can give me a hand, it would be greatly appreciated

mr_m

dzug1

mr_maniac wrote: »

Hi dzug, thanks for the quick reply :-)

I made my search on the National Rail site, and have just tried changing my route so that it goes via Birmingham New Street (CrossCountry run direct trains between Southampton and York several times a day), the journey time is longer, but the price is about £5 cheaper... not much of a saving tho!

I've also tried the National Express East Coast site and I was still able to book tickets at this stage (I believe there are less than 12 weeks to go so Advance tickets were available, though not at the times when I need to travel!), but not for a cheaper price....

Any idea when (i.e within how many weeks) cheaper tickets will be released? As you say, the fare I got can be bought on the day, in which case it makes booking in advance a bit pointless, unless a worthwhile saving can be found!

Thanks again for your help, and if anyone else is out there who can give me a hand, it would be greatly appreciated

mr_m

Forget the 12 weeks - it's an urban myth. Yes you can book - but at full fare. 8 weeks is far more realistic and even that is not always met

According to ATOC info as at 24 July Cross Country have released weekday cheap fares up to 10 October and NXEC to 26 September - so for the latter a guess would be 1-2 weeks time.

For Cross Country split ticketing in Birmingham may help.

Given your peak hour need cheap tickets may be hard to come by.

jozy_2

Newbie here, so please be patient. I have looked through the forum but nothing is jumping out as what I want to know.

Don't know where to start looking for the cheapest deals for probably just 1 person. Although the date is open, I will need to return within one week of going, (have never been to Southampton and am hoping to visit some cousins there). Also cheap fares for Boston to Leeds Yorks.(&back), but this would be 3 or 4 times per year.

I don't mind the looking if someone can point me in the right direction as i only seem to find normal priced fares.
Boston to Southampton £59.90
Boston to Leeds £37.20
seems to be the best price i can find I just keep going round in circles and pc is freezing on the searches.

Thanks in advance for any advice given

dzug1

jozy wrote: »

Newbie here, so please be patient. I have looked through the forum but nothing is jumping out as what I want to know.

Don't know where to start looking for the cheapest deals for probably just 1 person. Although the date is open, I will need to return within one week of going, (have never been to Southampton and am hoping to visit some cousins there). Also cheap fares for Boston to Leeds Yorks.(&back), but this would be 3 or 4 times per year.

I don't mind the looking if someone can point me in the right direction as i only seem to find normal priced fares.
Boston to Southampton £59.90
Boston to Leeds £37.20
seems to be the best price i can find I just keep going round in circles and pc is freezing on the searches.

Thanks in advance for any advice given

If the return date is open you will only get normal priced fares.

To get cheap fares you buy advance purchase singles in each direction. Eg Boston to leeds £10 each way

sherryf_2

mr_maniac wrote: »

Hey.. I think I posted back here some time ago, now I've returned with a new query!!

I've got myself a 16-25 Railcard, which is handy, but I am currently unable to find a way of getting from Eastleigh to York (or Southampton Central/Airport to York), on Friday 3rd October, for less than £65.65.

I challenge you to find me a cheaper deal - the cheaper the better! Please note that I will have to travel peak-time out of necessity :mad: , so anything that involves me arriving in York after about 11:30 isn't much help unfortunately!

Good luck, and thanks for any help I receive!!

mr_m

hi!
don't know if i'm doing something wrong but according to nationalrail.co.uk and trainline.com with a 16-25 railcard, there's a ticket leaving southampton central @ 05.15, to york, arriving 10.41 (changing at B'ham new street) for £22.45 (standard advance single). Hope this helps!

sophlowe45

I want to go from London to Coventry on Sat 16th August, coming back on 17th August.

I'm confused over the just 15 ticket from chiltern, some posts on here saying it can be used on connecting trains if they go to high wycombe?

so can i get the train from marylebone to paddington and then from paddington to coventry using this ticket?

otherwise, if anyone knows how to get the cheapest tickets, the saver options are not available on the earliest days on the saturday with virgin trains from euston as far as i can see. thanks.

chrisann_2

:T

hongkong wrote: »

London to Salisbury standard advance single = £26.70

London to Tisbury (village 13 miles west of Salisbury, therefore a longer journey) standard advance single = £9

I'm going to try this from now on, instead of booking a ticket to a major station, try a smaller place a few stops down the line. It only seems to work with advance purchase tickets, but then I presume that everyone on this forum gets their lovely cheap tickets in advance anyway!

Thank goodness I read this forum! Was going to pay £77 for a return ticket Bournemouth to London travelling on Thur 31 July. Instead I've found out that by travelling between Christchurch (2 miles from my house) and London I can buy two 'Advance Singles' for a total of £33!! And the parking is cheaper at Christchurch too.

chrisann_2

You also get free seat reservations on Advance tickets.

Word of warning though. Just went to the station to buy Advance tickets and it was closed. So had to go to another station. Found out that South West Trains are closing lots of ticket offices so, regardless of what the national rail website says, the office may not be open.

newcastlebelle

have been trying to get on the raileasy site, but not been able to.

will be travelling ely to gateshead metro station on 18th aug, return 20th or 21st [ whichever is cheapest]

this ticket splitting, is it legal?
think my journey will involve at least 3 trains either way and what happens if a train is delayed or cancelled?

any suggestions as how to a a reduced priced ticket please

KeithP

newcastlebelle wrote: »

any suggestions as how to a a reduced priced ticket please

Why not look at the top of this page?
See where it says...
The Motoring and Public Transport Resource Bar
Just below it is Best Buy Articles:Cheap Train Tickets

Hope this helps.