Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Mrs_Thrify

Thanks Keith. Would the off peak day return include underground?

Please could I also ask if the same trip would be any cheeper if we went by bus/coach?

KeithP

julie_d wrote: »

Would the off peak day return include underground?

Yes.

julie_d wrote: »

Please could I also ask if the same trip would be any cheeper if we went by bus/coach?

I don't know. Probably. Check with your bus company.

dzug1

julie_d wrote: »

Thanks Keith. Would the off peak day return include underground?

Please could I also ask if the same trip would be any cheeper if we went by bus/coach?

An off peak day return to West Brompton would NOT include the underground. It doesn't need to. West Brompton station is right opposite one end of the Earls Court exhibition complex, so you can just walk it. Between 2 and 5 minutes depending on which end of the site the show you are visiting is.

You get a train to London from Aldershot but get off at Clapham Junction, before you get to Waterloo. From Clapham Junction get a London Overground or Southern train two stops to West Brompton. Come out of the station, cross the road, and there's Earls Court in front of you.

It's £9.40 day return each by National Express coach - but there's only one a day. Leaves Aldershot 9ish in the morning returns at 6ish in the evening. You can get off at Hammersmith and get the underground to Earls Court - £3.50 each each way, which makes it virtually the same as the West Brompton rail fare, with far less flexibility. If you stayed on the coach to Victoria, the tube would be £4 each way - so more than the train.

Mrs_Thrify

dzug1 wrote: »

An off peak day return to West Brompton would NOT include the underground. It doesn't need to. West Brompton station is right opposite one end of the Earls Court exhibition complex, so you can just walk it. Between 2 and 5 minutes depending on which end of the site the show you are visiting is.

You get a train to London from Aldershot but get off at Clapham Junction, before you get to Waterloo. From Clapham Junction get a London Overground or Southern train two stops to West Brompton. Come out of the station, cross the road, and there's Earls Court in front of you.

It's £9.40 day return each by National Express coach - but there's only one a day. Leaves Aldershot 9ish in the morning returns at 6ish in the evening. You can get off at Hammersmith and get the underground to Earls Court - £3.50 each each way, which makes it virtually the same as the West Brompton rail fare, with far less flexibility. If you stayed on the coach to Victoria, the tube would be £4 each way - so more than the train.

Thank you both for your help and patience. The West Bromption way @£17.20 each is the best value so OH and I will go with that.
Should I buy the tickets the day before?
Will take a packed lunch too as to save costs @ The Ideal Home show.

jamespir

looking to go form pontypool(SOUTH WALES ) to london for a daytrip and need the cheapest way

dzug1

julie_d wrote: »

Thank you both for your help and patience. The West Bromption way @£17.20 each is the best value so OH and I will go with that.
Should I buy the tickets the day before?
Will take a packed lunch too as to save costs @ The Ideal Home show.

Up to you - you can buy them on the day at the same price, but it will save a bit of time.
OTH if disaster happens and you don't make it you won't have the bother of trying to get a refund/paying a fee to do so.

dzug1

jamespir wrote: »

looking to go form pontypool(SOUTH WALES ) to london for a daytrip and need the cheapest way

Megabus from Cwmbran is likely to be your best bet

Train involves a change at Newport and in theory can be from £11.50 each way booked well in advance. Fares at that price are rare though. The walkon fare (off peak) is £68 return.

National Express coach - from Newport - can also be cheap

Bogof_Babe

Are you allowed to leave the station between connecting trains?

Reason I ask is that recently I was checking to see if my booked train from Hereford to Chester was running, so instead of putting my usual Hereford to Southport journey into East Coast, I just put Hereford to Chester. To my surprise there was no ticket cheaper than £23.50 for Hereford to Chester, but on checking they still had Hereford to Southport via Chester for £12, which would have included the £23.50 leg of the journey on the same train!

Reason for asking is, would it be a money saving tip to suggest people check the price for a journey that goes beyond their destination, then leave the station at their required stop and just not come back? Unless they refuse to allow you off the premises I don't see how they could argue with this.

jamespir

dzug1 wrote: »

Megabus from Cwmbran is likely to be your best bet

Train involves a change at Newport and in theory can be from £11.50 each way booked well in advance. Fares at that price are rare though. The walkon fare (off peak) is £68 return.

National Express coach - from Newport - can also be cheap

cheers megabus i saw was 22.00 there and back for the 2 of us so may go with them

dzug1

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Are you allowed to leave the station between connecting trains?

Reason I ask is that recently I was checking to see if my booked train from Hereford to Chester was running, so instead of putting my usual Hereford to Southport journey into East Coast, I just put Hereford to Chester. To my surprise there was no ticket cheaper than £23.50 for Hereford to Chester, but on checking they still had Hereford to Southport via Chester for £12, which would have included the £23.50 leg of the journey on the same train!

Reason for asking is, would it be a money saving tip to suggest people check the price for a journey that goes beyond their destination, then leave the station at their required stop and just not come back? Unless they refuse to allow you off the premises I don't see how they could argue with this.

If the station you get off at has barriers they will not open for you. If you then go to the manned barriers then you shouldn't be allowed out unless you buy a fresh ticket for the journey you have just done - the ticket you have is not valid. Depending on whether whoever is on duty is bothered - he's paid to be, but may not be in reality.

You MAY get let out free if the station has say a travel centre or a refreshment room or shops outside the barriers that you wish to visit - or even to visit the pub across the road - and then just not come back. But you need to know the station layout for this.

I've no idea if Chester has barriers.