Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

bestpud

miller wrote: »

Under-11s can travel free on Tube, DLR and London Overground services when accompanied by an adult (maximum of 4 children per adult).

Tube options
Cash single £4.00 * 2 = £8.00 each way
#Oyster £1.60 * 2 = £3.20 each way.
Request ticket to "Zone U1* Londn" increases purchase price by £9.10 with railcard (effectively £4.55 each way but no faffing around with buying/refunding Oyster cards)

#£3 refundable deposit needed for each card www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster

The problem I have with the tube is dd(17) will just be doing Paddington to Earls court and back, but dd(7) and I will be doing that journey plus another from EC to South Kensington and back as it is only dd1 going to EC.

So, I was thinking a day travel card was cheaper but then I got myself very confused between that and an Oyster card, and where each could be purchased etc.

Am I going to be better off getting myself an Oyster card?

KeithP

Here is a thread about a discount on Family and Friends Railcard.

bestpud

KeithP wrote: »

Here is a thread about a discount on Family and Friends Railcard.

Thanks for that. I tried searching earlier but it said something about a data error, so I assumed the site is still playing up a bit and left it.

I'm so glad I posted here. :beer:

miller

bestpud wrote: »

The problem I have with the tube is dd(17) will just be doing Paddington to Earls court and back, but dd(7) and I will be doing that journey plus another from EC to South Kensington and back as it is only dd1 going to EC.
Am I going to be better off getting myself an Oyster card?

If you opt for paper tickets you will need a Zone1-2 Travelcard. These are £5.60 each.

Oyster will be cheaper at £3.20 (plus the £3 refundable deposit). I am not sure about better, because with a 7 year old in tow, I wouldn't want to queue up at Paddington underground station (twice) to get/return the Oyster card(s).

dzug1

bestpud wrote: »

Thanks very much for your replies!

The Gloucester option looks a good one as not far and easy enough to drive. I'm just going to check out parking there - long time since I've been to Gloucester!

That's a much better option than driving all the way to London.

I looked at the Evesham route but ruled it out for some reason - can't recall why now. I'll have another look at that one too.

Thanks for the tube info as well - that's another thing that was baffling me!

:beer:

The Evesham route closes on 18 July for 6 weeks. It will be buses. Forget it.

d_peppa

Hi all, need some help to find decent priced train fares from London - Stoke on Trent (single), travelling saturday 29th august around 8am, 4 adults, one holds a 16-25 railcard. Virgin seem to have no services going to stoke, and there is no engineering work taking place. London midland and East midlands trains are giving some extortionate prices. Any help appreciated

KeithP

d_peppa wrote: »

Hi all, need some help to find decent priced train fares from London - Stoke on Trent (single), travelling saturday 29th august around 8am, 4 adults, one holds a 16-25 railcard. Virgin seem to have no services going to stoke, and there is no engineering work taking place. London midland and East midlands trains are giving some extortionate prices. Any help appreciated

Your best bet at the moment appears to be from London Marylebone changing at Banbury...
Dep London Marylebone 08:18
Arr Banbury 09:38
Dep Banbury 09:53
Arr Stoke On Trent 11:54
Total cost, for all four of you with one railcard = £27.45
That's less than £7.00 each... amazing.
:beer:
P.s. I got this info from the NXEC website... use the "show slower routes" feature.

dzug1

d_peppa wrote: »

Virgin seem to have no services going to stoke, and there is no engineering work taking place. appreciated

There IS engineering work taking place - that's why there are no Virgin services. I would be wary of services currently advertised - I don't htink everything is finalised yet.

KeithP

d_peppa wrote: »

Hi all, need some help to find decent priced train fares from London - Stoke on Trent (single), travelling saturday 29th august around 8am, 4 adults, one holds a 16-25 railcard. Virgin seem to have no services going to stoke, and there is no engineering work taking place. London midland and East midlands trains are giving some extortionate prices. Any help appreciated

Where did you get the idea that no engineering work is taking place?

National Rail Enquiries tell us that there is:
Engineering work between Coventry and Rugby on Saturday 29 until 12:00 Sunday 30 August 2009

Engineering work between Watford Junction and Northampton from 07:30 Saturday 29 until 13:30 Monday 31 August 2009

chippylisa

Hi, first post but a big fan of this page helped me a lot in the past.

Need some help on finding a cheaper fare.

I need to get home from the Leeds festival back to Bristol (either station) on 31st August (Bank Holiday Monday:eek:) the cheapest fare I can find at the moment is the standard £79.

I've tired via Cheltenham, Birmingham and Sheffield with no luck.

Does anyone know if the price will go down or is it that price because of the Bank Holiday or do I have to hold tight for a few more weeks and hope the price will go down

Thanks in advance for any help