Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Bogof_Babe

I've just had a shock. I often buy an off peak day return Southport to Formby for £3.20. We're considering moving to a different area of Southport, which means that to get to Formby I would have to take a train into Southport first, and then my usual one from there to Formby. Checked the "extra" cost of this whole return journey - £3.15, i.e. 5p cheaper than travelling several miles shorter. The additional bit is on Northern Rail, which logically "costs" me minus 5p.

Come on Mersey Rail, stop ripping me off.

KeithP

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I've just had a shock. I often buy an off peak day return Southport to Formby for £3.20. We're considering moving to a different area of Southport, which means that to get to Formby I would have to take a train into Southport first, and then my usual one from there to Formby. Checked the "extra" cost of this whole return journey - £3.15, i.e. 5p cheaper than travelling several miles shorter. The additional bit is on Northern Rail, which logically "costs" me minus 5p.

Come on Mersey Rail, stop ripping me off.

Maybe you should start buying an Off Peak Day Return from Meols Cop to Formby.
From the National Rail Enquiries website, it seems that a break of journey is probably allowed...

You may start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel on Off-Peak tickets unless the ticket restriction for the journey you are making does not allow it.

...so just get on / leave the train at Southport.

Bogof_Babe

That's the logical thing to do Keith, but there is no facility for collecting pre-booked tickets at Southport station :rolleyes:, so I'd have to do it all from home (Hereford) before going up. Not to bore you with too much unnecessary info, but I go to Formby to visit my mum, and don't always know more than a day or two beforehand when it is convenient. I only live in Southport a couple of weeks a month.

I know there is no rhyme nor reason to a lot of rail travel charges, but this takes the biscuit. I'm not really bothered about the 5p, just niggled that it makes no sense. Also niggled that Mersey Rail don't facilitate collection of Advance tickets too.

KeithP

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

That's the logical thing to do Keith, but there is no facility for collecting pre-booked tickets at Southport station :rolleyes:, so I'd have to do it all from home (Hereford) before going up. Not to bore you with too much unnecessary info, but I go to Formby to visit my mum, and don't always know more than a day or two beforehand when it is convenient. I only live in Southport a couple of weeks a month.

I know there is no rhyme nor reason to a lot of rail travel charges, but this takes the biscuit. I'm not really bothered about the 5p, just niggled that it makes no sense. Also niggled that Mersey Rail don't facilitate collection of Advance tickets too.

I know we're only talking about 5p here, but there is a ticket office at Southport Station.
Just ask the person at Southport for an Off Peak Day Return from Meols Cop to Formby, and board your train to Formby.

If you dare...

adamtrainman

Well all you say is you'll be going back to Meols Cop later on, just tell a little white lie

Bogof_Babe

Thanks for all the suggestions to enable me to save 5p per journey. I'd actually prefer a lower Southport to Formby return fare, which is presumably economic for Mersey Rail as they must reimburse Northern Rail for that part of the journey, so must be making a killing on the rest.

I might email the boss of Mersey Rail - he put a contact address in the local Metro paper. Worried that this might backfire though and they'd increase the Meol's Cop fare instead .

manutd68*99*08

Hi

Does anyone know cheap rail travel form Manchester to London euston,

I want to go on the 4th November early on then return at tea time. One adult and one child.
I have been looking but ive had no luck at all. cheapest so far £100+ and the times have been no good.

Any help i would really appreciate

thanks

Bogof_Babe

What time do you need to get to Euston by? Try splitting the journey at Crewe, as there are some very cheap fares on both halves of the trip, but it does depend on when you have to be there.

amanda.steadman

Hi, you should check out megatrain / megabus website they do bus and train journeys from 1quid.

I recently booked 2 singles on the train from Birmingham to London for 1quid each. And the return journey for 5quid each too. Bargain!!!
:beer:

KeithP

manutd68*99*08 wrote: »

Hi

Does anyone know cheap rail travel form Manchester to London euston,

I want to go on the 4th November early on then return at tea time. One adult and one child.
I have been looking but ive had no luck at all. cheapest so far £100+ and the times have been no good.

Any help i would really appreciate

thanks

Can be done for under £50.
But reluctant to dig further without risking "times being no good".

:beer: