Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

dzug1

jamespir wrote: »

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

Remember their prices will go up as the cheaper tickets are sold - so don't delay booking once your date is firm.

nrishiraj

Hi

I'm looking to find a cheap return train ticket from Bradford to Manchester Airport around 19th - 22nd March.

Does anyone know any good deals on offer please?

Thanks

dzug1

nrishiraj wrote: »

Hi

I'm looking to find a cheap return train ticket from Bradford to Manchester Airport around 19th - 22nd March.

Does anyone know any good deals on offer please?

Thanks

Transpennine Express offer airport specials - they are advance purchase but have some flexibility on the return leg in case of delay. You need to go to their website for details

I'll leave you to check whether they are actually available for your dates/journey.

Livingthedream

dzug1 wrote: »

I've no idea if Chester has barriers.

Chester has barriers, but another way they have to let you off the station premise is to say you want to 'pop out for a smoke' as most manned stations are now smoke free areas.

If you don't smoke or have run out, then just add to your request "where's the nearest shop to buy some, mate?"

Bogof_Babe

I'm almost sure that at Chester the toilets are on the outside of the barriers too, at least while they are renovating the ones on the other side of the bridge.

It just seems daft that you can travel twice as far for half the price, provided your destination is lucky enough to benefit from Advance fares.

It doesn't affect me 'cos I'm always going to Southport so just changing at Chester (I go that way for a reason - I know via Manchester is quicker and less messy), but as a principle I wondered whether there was any mileage in suggesting that people investigate doing something like this wherever they are going. It seems not, if they are likely to get funny at the barriers.

miller

Livingthedream wrote: »

Chester has barriers, but another way they have to let you off the station premise is to say you want to 'pop out for a smoke' as most manned stations are now smoke free areas.

If you don't smoke, Bache to Chester is £1.20 return. Make of that what you will

Bogof_Babe

miller wrote: »

If you don't smoke, Bache to Chester is £1.20 return. Make of that what you will

So if you wanted to travel from (e.g.) Hereford to Chester, you'd buy a £12 ticket to Southport, change at Chester onto the Liverpool line, get off at Bache and buy a ticket back to Chester? Hmm, I like it :T.

Edit: I'm going to shut up about this now before they decide my tickets to Southport are far too cheap and discontinue them!

KeithP

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

So if you wanted to travel from (e.g.) Hereford to Chester, you'd buy a £12 ticket to Southport, change at Chester onto the Liverpool line, get off at Bache and buy a ticket back to Chester? Hmm, I like it :T.

Edit: I'm going to shut up about this now before they decide my tickets to Southport are far too cheap and discontinue them!

Or why not buy a Bache-Chester ticket when you buy your Southport ticket, and just hand in the Bache-Chester ticket if you were to leave at Chester.

Bogof_Babe

KeithP wrote: »

Or why not buy a Bache-Chester ticket when you buy your Southport ticket, and just hand in the Bache-Chester ticket if you were to leave at Chester.

The man's a genius! :T

dzug1

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

, but as a principle I wondered whether there was any mileage in suggesting that people investigate doing something like this wherever they are going. It seems not, if they are likely to get funny at the barriers.

Well as a principle, it contravenes the T&C of the tickets, which are only valid for the complete journey printed on them. So it can't really be recommended.

In practice there are sometimes ways round it, as others have pointed out.