Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

gner_ex

hongkong wrote: »

Any advice on a cheap overnight return London - Harrogate? Go up Friday or Saturday, come back Sunday or Monday.

Ta

Do you have a travelcard? What about a network card?

gner_ex

dzug1 wrote: »

Using Raileasy for a start - apart from the trainline no other site charges a booking fee.

What you are trying to book doesn't exist - not as one ticket anyway. You can get a day return combined with a zone 1-6 travelcard - online I think a maximum of one month in advance. (That could be the problem)

Or you can buy a single ticket and buy a separate travelcard (if you are travelling off-peak zones 1-4 is what you would need - zones 1-3 is peak only and more expensive).

Why do you want to book ahead anyway? Easier and the same price to do it on the day.

Or do it on the National Express East Coast website http://www.gner.co.uk and do from BRIGHTON to ZONE R1256.

gner_ex

dzug1 wrote: »

It would be possible some of the time but eventually some ticket inspector won't believe it which means big trouble.

Unless you had already purchased a family railcard when she was still 15.

gner_ex

MR_G wrote: »

Afternoon

I am toying with the idea of leaving the car at home & travelling to work by train. The big downside is the cost £175.20 per month between Croydon & Crawley.

Has anyone got any codes for discount codes for rail travel or any sites / tips for reduced travel costs ?

Try it for a week, and see how you find it. Remember when you're on the train you're not concentrating, so imagine the time saved - read the paper/a book, look at cute women on the train, do some work. Also, if you're able to walk to/from the station at each end then think of the exercise benefits.

newcastlebelle

what a con the national express website is!
tried to book a journey from Ely to Newcastle.........got the journey sorted, went to pay........but I cant collect the tickets from where I want to travel.......got to go to another station for that, or pay £5 for them to send them to you!

why have a fully manned station with 2 cashiers and fully working self serve machines then!!!!

dzug1

newcastlebelle wrote: »

what a con the national express website is!
tried to book a journey from Ely to Newcastle.........got the journey sorted, went to pay........but I cant collect the tickets from where I want to travel.......got to go to another station for that, or pay £5 for them to send them to you!

why have a fully manned station with 2 cashiers and fully working self serve machines then!!!!

They'll post them for nothing surely??

newcastlebelle

nope.......phoned them to double check and it'll cost £5 to send them to me.
wouldnt mind if we lived in the sticks, but it's a city with major lines changing and crisscrossing here!

dzug1

newcastlebelle wrote: »

nope.......phoned them to double check and it'll cost £5 to send them to me.
wouldnt mind if we lived in the sticks, but it's a city with major lines changing and crisscrossing here!

Delivery by first class post is free - it's only next day delivery that costs £5.

Alternative is just to go to your nearest staffed station and buy the tickets there - forget the web.

newcastlebelle

well, was told on the phone it would be £5.....went to the station today and bought the tickets, but they cost £76 instead of £67.20 quoted on website....[ website was supposed to give 10% discount......someone cant do maths!]..........cashier at station told me I could book thro website, but would have to pay £5 to have them delivered to me or do a 40 mile round trip to a station that issues the cheaper tickets!

dzug1

newcastlebelle wrote: »

well, was told on the phone it would be £5.....went to the station today and bought the tickets, but they cost £76 instead of £67.20 quoted on website....[ website was supposed to give 10% discount......someone cant do maths!]..........cashier at station told me I could book thro website, but would have to pay £5 to have them delivered to me or do a 40 mile round trip to a station that issues the cheaper tickets!

Well you may have been told that but I've just done a dummy booking on the website and the first option it gives me is free first class post.