Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Livingthedream

thescouselander wrote: »

Can anyone help me find some cheap tickets - my journey is as follows:

2 x Adults - no rail cards or other discounts.

Bristol - London leaving 13th November at around 12:00 returning the next day (14th Nov) around 16:00

The cheapest I've found is £97 which, of course, is fantasy prices - are there any tickets that actually make this journey viable?

Try this;
Bristol TM to London 13th Nov 13.15 advance single $22
London to Bristol TM 14th Nov 19.46 advance single $20

Total Return for 2 $42, there are other price options/times available on those dates, but look for the cheap advance singles.

Info from the East Coast Website

Livingthedream

d_nni wrote: »

Hi, I'm looking to make regular journeys from Leicester to Leagrave, Friday night to Sunday night- 2 Adults both with 16-25 Railcards. Last month it was coming up at £17 each but now has gone up to £21. Is there a cheaper fare that I'm not finding?

Thanks.

Looks like a cheeky fare increase, I think you have got the cheapest fare going by using your 16-25 railcard but you could try split tickets at one or more of the following;

Market Harb, Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Flitwick or Harlington

epm-84

Livingthedream wrote: »

Looks like a cheeky fare increase

Most operators seem to change fares part way through the year and use the excuse that it's for consistency with other fares. Although, fare reductions are rare and when they make fare A more consistent with fare B it makes fare C less consistent with fare B.

pjsmiffy

There is a family event coming up in Cardiff in November so I thought I would look at the cost of bringing my aunt and cousin to mine in Newport to stay and travel to the event by car.

I put into the Trainline the journey, (Swindon to Newport ) at lunchtime on Friday and return Lunch time Monday. The cost was quite reasonable, 2 sets of singles at a total of £16.
Now I thinks lets spit at Bristol and see if that goes lower. the best price (Swindon to Bristol Temple Meads) was £26.80 and the cost to compleat the journey was £12

At least one of the trains out of Swindon was the same so this poses the question "will the rail company allow someone with a Swindon-Newport Ticket to only travel to Bristol and back"

Would the Platform Gate In Bristol let you in with a from Newport Ticket?

Any way worth considering.

pjsmiffy

Livingthedream wrote: »

Try this;
Bristol TM to London 13th Nov 13.15 advance single $22
London to Bristol TM 14th Nov 19.46 advance single $20

Total Return for 2 $42, there are other price options/times available on those dates, but look for the cheap advance singles.

Info from the East Coast Website

The Train Line had those sort of prices. well £20 each way
It may be that we are reaching the magic 12 weeks before the journey.

Livingthedream

pjsmiffy wrote: »

The Train Line had those sort of prices. well £20 each way
It may be that we are reaching the magic 12 weeks before the journey.

But remember to add on all those cheeky extra charges the Trainline.con add to the final price for your tickets and then it won't be $20 each way

dzug1

pjsmiffy wrote: »

There is a family event coming up in Cardiff in November so I thought I would look at the cost of bringing my aunt and cousin to mine in Newport to stay and travel to the event by car.

I put into the Trainline the journey, (Swindon to Newport ) at lunchtime on Friday and return Lunch time Monday. The cost was quite reasonable, 2 sets of singles at a total of £16.
Now I thinks lets spit at Bristol and see if that goes lower. the best price (Swindon to Bristol Temple Meads) was £26.80 and the cost to compleat the journey was £12

At least one of the trains out of Swindon was the same so this poses the question "will the rail company allow someone with a Swindon-Newport Ticket to only travel to Bristol and back"

Would the Platform Gate In Bristol let you in with a from Newport Ticket?

Any way worth considering.

If they are cheap advance singles then the answer is no - it's not valid and they are entitled to charge you a full fare if caught.

It's possible that they will turn a blind eye - but that's individual staff using discretion and maybe unlikely

IcedTea_2

Hello, I'm off to uni soon in Plymouth and my girlfriend will be at Portsmouth. I've managed to find train tickets for £33 but does anybody know any ways to split ticket to get it below that?

wealdroam

IcedTea wrote: »

Hello, I'm off to uni soon in Plymouth and my girlfriend will be at Portsmouth. I've managed to find train tickets for £33 but does anybody know any ways to split ticket to get it below that?

Are you eligible for a 16-25 railcard? Check here.

You could perhaps consider splitting at Exeter St.Davids. There are often £3.00 Advance Singles (£2.00 with railcard) available from Plymouth to Exeter StD.

Think about travelling via Honiton and splitting at Salisbury.

Think about travelling via Westbury and splitting there.

By the way, there are Advance Singles from Plymouth to Portsmouth for £10 each way (£6.60 with railcard) on two dates picked at random... 17 Nov and 24 Nov. Don't put the effort into splitting if you don't need to.

jamesbrownontheroad

IcedTea wrote: »

Hello, I'm off to uni soon in Plymouth and my girlfriend will be at Portsmouth. I've managed to find train tickets for £33 but does anybody know any ways to split ticket to get it below that?

IcedTea wrote: »

Hello, I'm off to uni soon in Plymouth and my girlfriend will be at Portsmouth. I've managed to find train tickets for £33 but does anybody know any ways to split ticket to get it below that?

Wealdroam pretty much sums it up. You don't need to split tickets unless you have a last minute unplanned trip - in which case I'd recommend you start by splitting at each of the stations you have to connect at. Plan ahead, book in advance and you can get Plymouth - Portsmouth Advance singles for £10 or £6.60 with a 16-25 Railcard.

Bookmark the National Rail booking horizons page and watch for First Great Western's Advance fares opening up.