Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

jamesbrownontheroad

Ditto what KeithP says. To clarify:

If you have an Advance ticket from A -> B -> C and A -> B is delayed, you can continue on the next available service.

The confusion perhaps arises from situations where you independently purchase two separate Advance fares on specified trains, i.e. A -> B and B -> C. If A -> B is delayed, you will have no claim against missing the second train, because they have not been ticketed as a single journey.

Bogof_Babe

Don't use the toilets at Manchester Piccadilly if you can help it, as it costs 30p per person through a turnstile. Go before you get off the first train! (But I always carry a 20p and 10p coin just in case ).

It's a big station and a bit confusing so you will probably need most of your 15-20 minutes to find your connection anyway.

Sarahjovi

jamesbrownontheroad wrote: »

Ditto what KeithP says. To clarify:

If you have an Advance ticket from A -> B -> C and A -> B is delayed, you can continue on the next available service.

The confusion perhaps arises from situations where you independently purchase two separate Advance fares on specified trains, i.e. A -> B and B -> C. If A -> B is delayed, you will have no claim against missing the second train, because they have not been ticketed as a single journey.

Thank you, we intend to buy as a complete journey, there and back!

Sarahjovi

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Don't use the toilets at Manchester Piccadilly if you can help it, as it costs 30p per person through a turnstile. Go before you get off the first train! (But I always carry a 20p and 10p coin just in case ).

It's a big station and a bit confusing so you will probably need most of your 15-20 minutes to find your connection anyway.

The kids will be under strict intructions, grab your stuff and move! NO toilet breaks until we're on the next train! LOL

Thanks

JenE_2

Hi
We're going on honeymoon :j on 31st July, flying from Heathrow.
We need to get down there from Leeds for about 3pm, and then come back on 15th August leaving sometime after 3pm. If it's not silly expensive we'd really like to go first class (once in a lifetime and all!) and we'll probably be on the Heathrow Express as it's so much quicker than the Tube.
I've had a look on East Coast website, and the journey down isn't too bad (about £93 for both of us first class), but coming back is really expensive.
Any ideas on reducing the cost? Will the tickets get cheaper or more expensive the closer we get?
Thanks all

KeithP

JenE wrote: »

Hi
We're going on honeymoon :j on 31st July, flying from Heathrow.
We need to get down there from Leeds for about 3pm, and then come back on 15th August leaving sometime after 3pm. If it's not silly expensive we'd really like to go first class (once in a lifetime and all!) and we'll probably be on the Heathrow Express as it's so much quicker than the Tube.
I've had a look on East Coast website, and the journey down isn't too bad (about £93 for both of us first class), but coming back is really expensive.
Any ideas on reducing the cost? Will the tickets get cheaper or more expensive the closer we get?
Thanks all

The cheaper Advance Single tickets are not yet available for your return date.
This National Rail webpage will help you work out when they become available.
Should only be a week or so.

miller

For the Milton Keynes -> Blackpool journey via Manchester Piccadilly where the connection was tight, booked platforms can be found out from:
http://jplanner.travelinenortheast.info/

Generally the MK train arrives platform 6/7 at Manchester and the Blackpool train leaves from platform 14. This map of Manchester Piccadilly station may help:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/MAN/plan.html

Sarahjovi

miller wrote: »

For the Milton Keynes -> Blackpool journey via Manchester Piccadilly where the connection was tight, booked platforms can be found out from:
http://jplanner.travelinenortheast.info/

Generally the MK train arrives platform 6/7 at Manchester and the Blackpool train leaves from platform 14. This map of Manchester Piccadilly station may help:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/MAN/plan.html

Thank you, thats very helpful.

Sarah:D

youwot

Hi to all
If some one can advise i would be very grateful. I have to take my daughter to London National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery on the 10 th of June she will have to stay for a few days but the prices I am getting are unreal.we will be traverling from Chesterfield Derbyshire i need to take my wife too it would be for 3 adults and 1 disabled rail card. All help is appreciated
also we have turned our Tesco Clubcards vouchers and have £200 to spend on accommodation at any Hilton London any advise on how to get best value would be helpfull the hospital is at Great Ormond Street ,which Hilton is the closest.

wealdroam

youwot wrote: »

Hi to all
If some one can advise i would be very grateful. I have to take my daughter to London National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery on the 10 th of June she will have to stay for a few days but the prices I am getting are unreal.we will be traverling from Chesterfield Derbyshire i need to take my wife too it would be for 3 adults and 1 disabled rail card. All help is appreciated
also we have turned our Tesco Clubcards vouchers and have £200 to spend on accommodation at any Hilton London any advise on how to get best value would be helpfull the hospital is at Great Ormond Street ,which Hilton is the closest.

No idea what you consider to be unreal. What prices have you found so far?

A fully flexible Off Peak Return is £139.20 for all three of you with railcard.

If you can commit yourself to particular trains, I can see that trip done for £51.00 return... total for all three of you.
I used dates of out on 10 June and back on 16th as an example.

I understand that you may not be able to commit to specific times, or even dates, but unfortunately flexibility costs money.

Info from Southern Railway.