Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Alice_R_2

Wow thankyou :-) had no idea about the marylebone route..

edit--yeh you're right if you do it just to rugby the super off-peak shows up no problem. Guess i can't use it though if it's not valid on part of my journey.

dzug1

Alice_R wrote: »

Wow thankyou :-) had no idea about the marylebone route..

You can only use the Marylebone route if you have bought a ticket for that route - it will have via High Wycombe on it

If you have a London Midland ticket then you can only use their trains - which go to Euston. There ARE Sunday trains on which this ticket is valid - the ones I mentioned

Alice_R_2

Ok got you--mines the london midland ticket. Only thing is if i look online for say the 12.50pm from euston to rugby on a london midland train service, it shows up as super off-peak. But if i then do from rugby to birmingham on london midlands, super off peak doesn't show up only off peak?

dzug1

Alice_R wrote: »

Ok got you--mines the london midland ticket. Only thing is if i look online for say the 12.50pm from euston to rugby on a london midland train service, it shows up as super off-peak. But if i then do from rugby to birmingham on london midlands, super off peak doesn't show up only off peak?

Well I looked it up on First Great Western. It doesn't show up on the first search but if you press the 'slower cheaper trains' button it does.

And it shows up for me on the LM site - you have to tick 'show other routes' and 'London Midland trains only' though to persuade it to show it.

Alice_R_2

ah i see it now..thanks so much for your help

tescobootsmad

dzug1 wrote: »

Splitting tickets does not guarantee it to be cheaper - it often works out more. You choose a station at which your train stops, buy a ticket to there and then another on to your destaination.

In your case splits worth trying are any or all of Exeter Bristol Cheltenham and Birmingham.

Given that what you have found is a cheap advance ticket for the whole route, I seriously doubt that splitting will get you it any cheaper. It might, but the probability is low enough that I'm not going to look it up for you just in case. (tr - I'm a lazy old git)

And the ticket you have found WILL sell out - don't wait too long before booking it or you will be back to full price fares - where splitting probably will pay dividends.

Thankyou for your help

earley15

So I am regular traveller on the trains and I am astounded on the price difference between GNER and Virgin. I also struggle to see why it is cheaper for someone to go from London to Glasgow for £31 but on the same train to Berwick it costs £75.

Now I know people get fined for travelling short. However, there is a way round this. If I get a single from London Kings X to Glasgow it is £31 (with a young person’s rail card) but I need to get off at Berwick which would cost £75 from king’s x. I can get round this by buying a single from Newcastle to Berwick which equals £7.50. This single works on the ticket barrier at Berwick and can be picked up at Kings cross prior to my journey. I don’t get a return as I fly back.

Sorry if this has been mentioned before I have searched the thread and seen nothing on this tactic.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

earley15 wrote: »

So I am regular traveller on the trains and I am astounded on the price difference between GNER and Virgin. I also struggle to see why it is cheaper for someone to go from London to Glasgow for £31 but on the same train to Berwick it costs £75.

Now I know people get fined for travelling short. However, there is a way round this. If I get a single from London Kings X to Glasgow it is £31 (with a young person’s rail card) but I need to get off at Berwick which would cost £75 from king’s x. I can get round this by buying a single from Newcastle to Berwick which equals £7.50. This single works on the ticket barrier at Berwick and can be picked up at Kings cross prior to my journey. I don’t get a return as I fly back.

Sorry if this has been mentioned before I have searched the thread and seen nothing on this tactic.

but you can get cheap singles to berwick - though if not on your date of travel then get one to newcastle from £12.50 one way and then the extra ticket to Berwick. as long as the train your on to Newcastle carries on and stops at berwick then you wont have to get off.

earley15

I would love to know where to get a single fare from Kings Cross to Newcastle for £12.50 but currently I got up on a Friday at 18:00 so peak time. This is the only way I can do it, has anyone any ideas to get them cheaper?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

earley15 wrote: »

I would love to know where to get a single fare from Kings Cross to Newcastle for £12.50 but currently I got up on a Friday at 18:00 so peak time. This is the only way I can do it, has anyone any ideas to get them cheaper?

Thats the cheapest price they do for them 12 weeks in advance. Problem your having with your journey is that you want to travel during a peak time..

Now if you altered your timing you may get it cheaper - even cheaper still if you went with Grand Central to York and changed there for a train berwick.

But its better to let us know the exact date you want to travel.