Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Altarf

Annual tickets are cheaper than monthly tickets, which are cheaper than weekly tickets, but these are usually much cheaper than daily tickets.

On the route I use, a weekly ticket costs the same as 3.2 daily tickets. A monthly ticket costs 12.2 daily or 3.84 weekly tickets. An annual tickets costs 128 daily tickets, 40 weekly tickets or 10.4 monthly tickets.

Tarry

Thank you That is very helpful for me

gner_ex

portygirl wrote: »

I am travelling to Dyce ( for Aberdeen airport ) from Inverness on 3rd of Sep & returning on 25th Sep. The advance tickets ( 2x singles ) which are the cheapest are £45 but to go to Aberdeen which is one stop further is £30. I gather this is because Inverness to Abedeen is a major route & special fares are offered for city to city destinations. Could I purchase the Inv-Aberdeen ticket & get off at Dyce or is this simply not permitted. I know I'd only save £15 but it is really annoying to pay more for a shorter journry on the same route.

The advance tickets do not allow break of journey, or starting long/finishing short, no strictly speaking no.

However, does Dyce have ticket barriers? If so, you'd probably be okay getting out. Be aware however that on the train back if the guard notices you weren't in your seat when leaving Aberdeen (and if he is hot on the rules) he is within his rights to excess you. If this happened however, I would be happy to help anyone try and get off this.

gner_ex

citrinequeen wrote: »

The reason I haven't got them now is that I read the report at work and it was a few years ago. As I said there is nothing wrong with splitting them, just be aware of the peak trains. If I knew the train company involved it would be easy to check on. I will ask around and see if anyone has a copy of the case.

Can you give an example of what you're trying to show? Are you saying that if I have a peak ticket for London to Peterborough, then an offpeak ticket from Peterborough to York, that I can't board a train at Kings Cross until 09:30 - if that is what you're saying, then you are wrong.

gner_ex

samobi wrote: »

Hi my daughter is studying in croydon and needing to use a train from herne bay to victoria then victoria to east croydon 5 days a week anyone have any great advice on the cheapest way to do this

any advice greatly appreciated

sam

A travelcard (allowing use from Herne Bay to the boundary, and use within all of zones 1 to 6)
Day tickets: travelling any time, one day travelcard from Herne Bay to zones 1-6 is £39.30, leaving Herne Bay after 09:30 is £22.80 (a railcard would reduce this further).

Weekly ticket: travelling any time, £95.


Travelling just from Herne Bay to East Croydon (or West) would be a bit cheaper, and there are two options depending whether you want to travel via London or to avoid London (I assume going via Tonbridge, _possibly_ via Bromley but I would have to check:
day tickets (via London) £40.00 anytime and £22.70 offpeak. NOT London £35.50 anytime and 18.30 day return.

There is also a weekly ticket (available via London, but NOT including any of the underground) for £81.50.

Does your daughter go into London at the weekend (shopping, nights out, etc)? If so look at the travelcard, but otherwise the £81.50 ticket seems the best bet - you can get monthly versions that give an even bigger saving.

gner_ex

Altarf wrote: »

Annual tickets are cheaper than monthly tickets, which are cheaper than weekly tickets, but these are usually much cheaper than daily tickets.

On the route I use, a weekly ticket costs the same as 3.2 daily tickets. A monthly ticket costs 12.2 daily or 3.84 weekly tickets. An annual tickets costs 128 daily tickets, 40 weekly tickets or 10.4 monthly tickets.

A monthly ticket is the same whether it is 30 or 31 days. What I do in the 28 or 30 day months is buy a ticket that is valid for five weeks - you get the monthly level of discount, but don't loose a day.

mrbadexample

I want to go to Ashford International to Charing Cross on Friday 17th Oct after 8am-ish. I'd like to return from Charing Cross at about 1800 on the 19th.

Not knowing about these things, I'd normally pitch up at the station in the morning and buy tickets.

Is there a cheaper way? There'll be 2 of us.

gner_ex

mrbadexample wrote: »

I want to go to Ashford International to Charing Cross on Friday 17th Oct after 8am-ish. I'd like to return from Charing Cross at about 1800 on the 19th.

Not knowing about these things, I'd normally pitch up at the station in the morning and buy tickets.

Is there a cheaper way? There'll be 2 of us.

No advance tickets for this route. If you can travel off-peak there is a saving (day return anytime is £37.30 and off-peak day return is £19.60).

off-peak on this route appears to be code C4 which is arrive at London any time after 10:00. No restrictions coming home.

Do you need a travelcard for onward travel within London (tube/train/bus)?

Anytime day travelcard (from Ashford to approx the M25, and then unlimited travel within zones 1 to 6) is £41.80, off-peak (as above definition) £22.50. Cheaper to get the inclusive ticket than to pay seperately for tube tickets or oyster.

gner_ex

Sorry, I've just re-read your message and seen that you're coming back a couple of days later. You can get a saver return which allows outward travel on one day, returning on the next, for £23.50 Ashford to Charing Cross.

All prices are per person. Off-peak for this ticket is any train departing Ashford after 09:30 (code 4A).

mrbadexample

Thanks for the help gner. :T We will need to travel around in London when we're there, and I've not much of a clue there except I should apparently buy an Oyster thingy?

I'm travelling on Friday and returning on Sunday - does the saver return still apply? Where do I buy it - at the station?

I don't use trains very often, as you may gather. However, they would appear to have made it completely pointless to travel anywhere near London in a motor vehicle. :rolleyes: