Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

dzug1

Livingthedream wrote: »

The only one I know off is Senior10 for a 10% discount but don't know if its expired or if its still works, but good luck in trying.

This offer is valid until the end of the year

Bogof_Babe

Just a small complaint regarding pre-booked Advance tickets. I travelled from Manchester Piccadilly to Hereford on an Arriva train on Sunday. My ticket reservation was coach A seat 55A. I boarded the train only to find that coach A only had seats numbered up to 39! It was a crowded train too. I sat in an unoccupied seat with no back ticket, but it turned out that a gentleman had a reservation for that one, so I had to move. The ticket inspector was at a loss to know what was going on.

Then it did a detour via Chester for some unexplained reason, adding an hour to my journey. It waited at Chester for 25 minutes, so was obviously combining two services into one (two coach) train.

I spent the entire journey worrying that someone would board and say they had reserved the seat I was sitting in. It didn't have a back ticket on, but neither did the one I first sat in, and the gentleman showed me his reservation for that one.

Get your act together Arriva. And passengers, if you get a high seat number when booking online, don't hold your breath for that seat existing!

adamtrainman

Hmmm thats a funny one is that with the seat, unusual because its the same train type for all services its not like its been sunstituted for a different type of train. As for the Chester diversion im thinking crew shortages so instead of outright cancelling it they combined it with a Holyhead - Cardiff train.

Bogof_Babe

adamtrainman wrote: »

Hmmm thats a funny one is that with the seat, unusual because its the same train type for all services its not like its been sunstituted for a different type of train. As for the Chester diversion im thinking crew shortages so instead of outright cancelling it they combined it with a Holyhead - Cardiff train.

Well my husband had to get an hour earlier one as we couldn't get two £11 tickets on the same train (booked on separate days), and his was a right old relic. There didn't even appear to be a loo on board, although it was going all the way to Milford Haven! Mine was bound for Cardiff. His took the same detour too, so we both got home an hour later than scheduled. His train was boiling hot with no aircon, mine was like an icebox. People were opening their suitcases and putting on dressing gowns!

I think last weekend they must have dragged out all the odds and ends that were lying around in the sidings, for whatever reason best known to themselves.

Don't normally have much cause for complaint, but it was not a pleasant journey for either of us. There was no soap in the dispenser on my train either, which considering the swine flu epidemic seems a bit remiss.

Thanks for replying anyway. In view of your username, perhaps you could feed back these comments .

LolaRose

Hello,

I'm a wanna be money saver - can anyone help me? :j

I live in Birmingham and and a close family member is having to move to Northampton for specialised hosptial treatment.

I am debating the best way to get there, and thought I would investigate the train lines.

I was amazed to discover a month's season ticket between Birmingham Internation and Northamption totals nearly £150.00. Worse still, a six month season ticket will cost £871.00!! :eek:

To add insult to injury, the ticket will only allow me to travel between Birmingham and Northampton - it's not like I can go anywhere I want!

I have tried to contact the LondonMidland rail line directly but they transferred me to the big daddy of National Rail Enquiries.

I am flexible with when I can travel - it will be mostly off peak.

Any, any, any help would be most appreicated!

KeithP

LolaRose, welcome to the forums.

An offpeak day return Birmingham Int-Northampton is £11.20.
A season ticket allows peak time travel.
An anytime day return Birmingham Int-Northampton is £12.70.
A weekly season allows you to get around £390 (30 x £13) worth of travel for £150 (your figure). Sounds like a bargain to me.

A six month ticket will be six times a one month ticket. Sound reasonable?
For a greater discount go for a yearly season ticket.

How many times a week are you planning to travel?

Does National Express coaches do anything suitable?

lollol

Hello all

Trying to get two tickets London to edinburgh return
Leave london after 7am return and arrive london before 2130
Dates leave london 02/09/09 return 06/06/09

Hope someone can help. Cheapest i have found on trainline is £192 for 2 people

KeithP

lollol wrote: »

Hello all

Trying to get two tickets London to edinburgh return
Leave london after 7am return and arrive london before 2130
Dates leave london 02/09/09 return 06/06/09

Hope someone can help. Cheapest i have found on trainline is £192 for 2 people

Firstly, don't use the trainline. Others sell the same tickets but without the charges.

From the NXEC website, there are tickets available on many trains to allow a return jouney of £170.80 for two people.
To get these fares you must book via the NXEC website.

[STRIKE]Splitting at say York may help too.[/STRIKE] Nope, its more expensive.

KeithP

lollol wrote: »

Hello all

Trying to get two tickets London to edinburgh return
Leave london after 7am return and arrive london before 2130
Dates leave london 02/09/09 return 06/06/09

Hope someone can help. Cheapest i have found on trainline is £192 for 2 people

Alternatively, save another £13.40.
Dep Euston 07:30, arr Edinburgh 12:22. Change at Preston. Advance Single £36.00 each.
Dep Edinburgh 16:30, arr Kings Cross 21:25. Advance Single £42.70 each.

Total for two people = £157.40

Again, book via the NXEC website.

johncas1

The fare on trainline qjump and the train operators site are all the same no site will have any fares cheaper than another one national rail set fares and thats what the sites have to sell tickets at.

Train operators do do advance fares like East Midlands do Leicester to London for £12 each way thats £24 return but you have to book in advance and it's first come first serve the cheap fares are released 3months in advance and go fast to book late and there all gone and it's expensive all the Business man book up the cheap tickets during the week and the Tourists at weekend