Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

lexilex

dzug1 wrote: »

What's your idea of 'reasonably priced'? I think you may be looking at £20 to £30 a head each way - £8 ain't going to happen, not from Hull to Aberdeen. York to Edinburgh maybe, but even then I doubt it. The 'off' season is over.

I was hoping around £30 each return with the 1/3 off deal. We've paid £8 each way (going from York) on every visit previously (many different times of year including summer time) so don't want to spend much more as with hotels it ends up been a very expensive visit.

hjd

Can anyone find any good deals for my trip please?
1 adult, 1 18 year old with 16-25 Railcard. Travelling from West Byfleet (or Woking if that's better) to Liverpool Lime Street. There and back in a day, Wednesday 23 March. Need to be in Liverpool for about 12.30, leaving after 15.30.
Obviously would prefer fastest and cheapest - but then wouldn't we all!

dzug1

Walkon off peak fare at or after 0819 via London £126.15. The 0849 arrives Lpool at 1215. Any train return via London. Includes tube

Using London Midland trains off peak day return £54.80 on 0846 from Euston change Stafford arr Lpool 1210. Any (LM) train return.

To get to Euston an anytime day return from Woking is £39.20 including tube. I'd guess you need to leave Woking by around 0700. If you don't need the tube (eg you have Oyster cards) it's around £10 cheaper

Everything can be bought on the day - no need other than convenience - to book in advance

EDIT That £54.80 from Euston can be reduced to £42.30 - same train out, 1605 return - with London Midland advance singles. With these you must travel on the booked trains. They can be tricky to find online. The easiest place is London Midland's site - do a normal search, then when you have got your results there is an option for other routes London Midland Trains only - redo the search with this and they will appear

Oh and all those fares are total for you both

Piggo_2

I often find when booking my train tickets that if I split my journey and price my little train sections separately to the big mainline train sections then I get better deals than if I put the whole journey in as one into the booking engine. Hope this helps.

incubus72

I wonder if someone would be able to help find me some cheap fairs ?. I'm looking to travel from Tiverton Parkway to Rugby,departing the 28th of this month after 3 p.m and returning on the 5th April at around 10 a.m. So far the cheapest I have found is £35 each way,could someone tell me if there any cheaper fairs available please. Thanks in advance

dzug1

incubus72 wrote: »

I wonder if someone would be able to help find me some cheap fairs ?. I'm looking to travel from Tiverton Parkway to Rugby,departing the 28th of this month after 3 p.m and returning on the 5th April at around 10 a.m. So far the cheapest I have found is £35 each way,could someone tell me if there any cheaper fairs available please. Thanks in advance

That is a cheap fare (fairs have roundabouts and dodgems BTW) for that journey

You could try splitting tickets at Bristol Temple Meads, Cheltenham Spa and Birmingham - but I think you will find it costs more. If you are really flexible as to times you might shave a small amount off it, but nothing significant.

hjd

dzug1 wrote: »

Walkon off peak fare at or after 0819 via London £126.15. The 0849 arrives Lpool at 1215. Any train return via London. Includes tube

Using London Midland trains off peak day return £54.80 on 0846 from Euston change Stafford arr Lpool 1210. Any (LM) train return.

To get to Euston an anytime day return from Woking is £39.20 including tube. I'd guess you need to leave Woking by around 0700. If you don't need the tube (eg you have Oyster cards) it's around £10 cheaper

Everything can be bought on the day - no need other than convenience - to book in advance

EDIT That £54.80 from Euston can be reduced to £42.30 - same train out, 1605 return - with London Midland advance singles. With these you must travel on the booked trains. They can be tricky to find online. The easiest place is London Midland's site - do a normal search, then when you have got your results there is an option for other routes London Midland Trains only - redo the search with this and they will appear

Oh and all those fares are total for you both

Thanks for the very helpful information.
Now to try and book - just so I'm not rushing at the last minute!

loulabelle901_2

Hello everyone,

Just wondered if anyone could help me with a train ticket dilema!
About 20 people (children & adults) need to get from Bishop's Stortford to Prestatyn on Friday 15th April and return on Monday 18th April. About a month ago, I found tickets on thetrainline.com which were £16 each way... bargain! However, now we have got numbers and money together they have now gone up to £56.90 return which is far too expensive (our weekend away is only costing us £52!) Does anyone know how to get there and back any cheaper/know of any discounts that are valid at the moment?

I have looked into the National Express coach which is cheap but takes around 8 1/2 hours which wont be fun with children present! I have also been looking into private coach hire but the cheapest I can find so far is working out at £80 a head!

Any help or suggestions will be much appreciated!!

geordieracer

im not at work yet so cant check but if you look on https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk then look to split yourselves into groups of 4 x 4 people and one group of 3 - groupsave should be cheaper that way.

Or get yourselves invested in a freinds and family railcard which will do you even better - but you may need a couple of you to have hold of them

EDIT - and Bishop stortford doesnt have a station does it?

Livingthedream

loulabelle901 wrote: »

Hello everyone,

Just wondered if anyone could help me with a train ticket dilema!
About 20 people (children & adults) need to get from Bishop's Stortford to Prestatyn

geordieracer wrote: »

Or get yourselves invested in a freinds and family railcard which will do you even better - but you may need a couple of you to have hold of them

Just to add to the good advice give by geordieracer, here's a discount code to get 25% off a Family and Friends Railcard, but be quick the promo runs out 4th March.

A Friends and Family 12 month railcard 25% off
http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/londonmidland
http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/halfterm