Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

wealdroam

sambagirl wrote: »

Hello, I'm not sure if this tip has been put forward already (I can't bring myself to search through 100+ pages on this topic!!), but I have found that if I am doing a train journey which passes through a major station, often it can be cheaper to get to separate singles.

E.g.

Today I wanted to buy a one-way ticket from London to Crewe for Sun 23rd Jan. It was coming up as £45 on thetrainline.com. However, I was able to buy a London Euston - Birmingham ticket for £19, and Birmingham - Crewe for £13. If I had wanted to wait another 30mins in the station, I could have bought the latter ticket for £7. I have found this to work for services from Crewe to Bristol aswell and of course there will be others. The only issue might be if the first train is very late and you miss the second, whether the station officer would allow you to get the next train.

I checked these single ticket prices on the Virgin website and they were the same. However, interestingly when I did the search as an 'all-in-one' ticket on the Virgin website (no doubt the trainline.com, redspottedhanky.com etc would show the same) - e.g. requested London Euston - Crewe, via Birmingham, it came up with exactly the same two trains (dep Euston 1518, dep Birmingham 1710) but for a price of £88.50! The same train schedule an hour later was showing £30.50, but the individual prices weren't any cheaper so something seems amiss there??!

Hope this has been useful

Thanks Sambagirl.
Have you seen this article about cheap train tickets?

Btw, on your date that trip can be done for £15.00 using an Advance Single.
Dep Euston 18:50, arr Crewe 22:12. Direct train, no changes.

If that time doesn't suit, a First Class Advance Single is available on the following trains at £18.00...
Dep Euston 12:50, 16:50 and 18:50.

With all those prices I have already mentioned you must travel on the booked trains.

However, a Super Off Peak Single on London Midland Trains only is only £22.40 and is valid on any of six departures that day.
And if you are thinking of coming back sometime within the following month, an equivalent return ticket will cost you ten pence more.

Info from London Midland Trains.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

wealdroam wrote: »

Thanks Sambagirl.
Have you seen this article about cheap train tickets?

Btw, on your date that trip can be done for £15.00 using an Advance Single.
Dep Euston 18:50, arr Crewe 22:12. Direct train, no changes.

If that time doesn't suit, a First Class Advance Single is available on the following trains at £18.00...
Dep Euston 12:50, 16:50 and 18:50.

With all those prices I have already mentioned you must travel on the booked trains.

However, a Super Off Peak Single on London Midland Trains only is only £22.40 and is valid on any of six departures that day.
And if you are thinking of coming back sometime within the following month, an equivalent return ticket will cost you ten pence more.

Info from London Midland Trains.

Not only that if you wanted to leave at 0810 or 0815 on that date you could get it for 11.50 one way with the virgin fare finder
http://www.farefinder.virgintrains.co.uk/BestFares.aspx?orig=EUS&dest=CRE&out=20110123

in fact the most expensive fare on there to select is 30.50 so i have no idea why you think splitting would be worth it.

Livingthedream

sambagirl wrote: »

(no doubt the trainline.com, redspottedhanky.com etc would show the same)

Hope this has been useful

Thank you and Welcome to the forum, however, wouldn't use/quote trainline.com or redspottedhanky.com as these charge booking/credit card fees.

Best to use the relevant train company that you travel on ie, Virgin trains or London Midland as they not only don't charge fees but sometimes have offers only available on their websites for travel on their trains.

LittleOne83

Hi all

I'm off to visit a friend in Glasgow this coming weekend and plan to return during the week...my dates are flexible.

I've found an open return for £89.70 either changing at Birmingham or London depending on the route. That's with a young person's railcard.

Any tips for getting the price down etc would be very helpful.

Thank you x

roxyladycumbria

Hi, can anyone help with getting a better price for a rail journey Ulverston Cumbria to London, on 5th April leaving about 8am, coming back next day around teatime ish? I can only find £88.60 each there are 2 of us. I have never paid this much in all the years I have been going to london. Many thanks

dzug1

roxyladycumbria wrote: »

Hi, can anyone help with getting a better price for a rail journey Ulverston Cumbria to London, on 5th April leaving about 8am, coming back next day around teatime ish? I can only find £88.60 each there are 2 of us. I have never paid this much in all the years I have been going to london. Many thanks

If can leave the return journey until 2030 it comes down to about £60 a head.

Can't see anything else obvious

pmm1981

I've tried splitting your outward journey via Manchester and found these. (journeys in bold are the cheapest)

Outward - 05 April

Ulverston dep 0718
BUS
change at Oxenholme (0818-0823)
change at Preston (0856-0910)
Man Picc arr 0956
£21 (£10.50 each)

OR

Ulverston dep 0800
BUS
change at Oxenholme (0905-0911)
Man Picc arr 1027
£15 (£7.50 each)

Then from Manchester to London

Man Picc dep 1035
Euston arr 1242
£34 (£17 each)

OR

Man Picc dep 1115
Euston arr 1323
£34 (£17 each)

OR

Man Picc dep 1135
Euston arr 1342
£23 (£11.50 each)

Return journey - 06 April

Euston dep 2030
change at Wigan (2233-2251)
change at Carnforth (2337-2345)
BUS
arr Ulverston 0113
£31 (£15.50 each)

Potential return price £69 (£34.50 each).

I'm afraid your return trains are in the peak therefore advance tickets are non existent, the first cheap train is the 2030, if you require to travel back earlier it will have to be walk on off peak returns at £88.60 each (due to your journey these are valid out of Euston on trains in the peak hours)

robstersgirl

Hi,
I'm off to cornwall for my brothers wedding and the cheapest fair I can find is £134 (with a f&f railcard) we're travelling on the 8th from southampton to camborne and returning on the 11th ,there are 2 adults 3 children and we have a f&f railcard.
I'd really appreciate any help in getting the price down

dzug1

robstersgirl wrote: »

Hi,
I'm off to cornwall for my brothers wedding and the cheapest fair I can find is £134 (with a f&f railcard) we're travelling on the 8th from southampton to camborne and returning on the 11th ,there are 2 adults 3 children and we have a f&f railcard.
I'd really appreciate any help in getting the price down

8th and 11th of what month?

OoOGazOoO

Dublin to Peterborough please, 7th February.

I dont want to fly as it is easier for me to get transport home from Peterborough, when i arrive.

Any companies that take care of the ferry and train bookings? Tried raileasy but dont seem to have the route listed on their website.

Thank you.