Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

leos_nanny

p00hsticks wrote: »

No first hand experience, but hopefully this should help. (In particular see the map on the right for the various routes and companies from Paris to Faro

http://www.seat61.com/Portugal.htm

Further details here

http://www.seat61.com/Portugal.htm#Algarve

Thank you VERY much ,this is a LOT cheaper than buying global pass ,will buy tickets as soon as available, once again ....thank you

Esqui

I know this isn't strictly train travel...but I did want to share what I have just booked....myself and the boyfriend are going to Inverness in July. We're treating ourselves to the sleeper train up, but wanted to get back cheaply. The East Coast website gives the cheapest fare as £326.

Not to be outdone, and in true moneysaving style, I shopped around and got these....

Megabus from Inverness to Glasgow: £10.60
Virgin Trains from Glasgow to Euston: £37 (via the cheap fare finder)
National Express from London to Bournemouth: £15.50

giving a grand total of... £63.10

Money saved: over £250!! Martin would be so proud, he'd give me a thumbs up and temporarily disable gravity :money: Oh, how about that!!

tinkerbellsmum_2

help
i need to get from derby to exeter on the 18th july and theres no advance tickets theres 2 adults and 1 child and we have a rail card.
thanks in advance

wealdroam

tinkerbellsmum wrote: »

help
i need to get from derby to exeter on the 18th july and theres no advance tickets theres 2 adults and 1 child and we have a rail card.
thanks in advance

This National Rail Enquiries webpage tells us that Advance Singles are not yet available on that route on your date.

Rather strange that as they are available on 20 July.

I assume the railcard is a Family and Friends Railcard.

Advance Singles are there for Monday 11 July and it is possible to do your trip for £34... total for all your party on that date.

Keep looking.
My guess is that those Advance Singles for your date will appear any day now.

fishlips

Esqui wrote: »

I know this isn't strictly train travel...but I did want to share what I have just booked....myself and the boyfriend are going to Inverness in July. We're treating ourselves to the sleeper train up, but wanted to get back cheaply. The East Coast website gives the cheapest fare as £326.

Not to be outdone, and in true moneysaving style, I shopped around and got these....

Megabus from Inverness to Glasgow: £10.60
Virgin Trains from Glasgow to Euston: £37 (via the cheap fare finder)
National Express from London to Bournemouth: £15.50

giving a grand total of... £63.10

Money saved: over £250!! Martin would be so proud, he'd give me a thumbs up and temporarily disable gravity :money: Oh, how about that!!

You can get bargain berths on the sleeper for £19 each.

dzug1

Esqui wrote: »

. The East Coast website gives the cheapest fare as £326.

Much as I admire your enterprise in finding cheaper fares - you may have been guilty of the common error of trying to book TOO EARLY. If that's the cheapest fare it is showing then they haven't been released for the date you want to travel.

Mind you it's worked out very well. Unless you are very lucky better than waiting.:money:

Esqui

fishlips wrote: »

You can get bargain berths on the sleeper for £19 each.

We used them - but on the upward date we got one for £39 and one for £49. The £19 ones had long gone (if they were ever available)

wealdroam

tinkerbellsmum wrote: »

help
i need to get from derby to exeter on the 18th july and theres no advance tickets theres 2 adults and 1 child and we have a rail card.
thanks in advance

wealdroam wrote: »

This National Rail Enquiries webpage tells us that Advance Singles are not yet available on that route on your date.

Rather strange that as they are available on 20 July.

I assume the railcard is a Family and Friends Railcard.

Advance Singles are there for Monday 11 July and it is possible to do your trip for £34... total for all your party on that date.

Keep looking.
My guess is that those Advance Singles for your date will appear any day now.

Advance Singles are now available on 18 July.
But they are more expensive.
£53.65 for your party on CrossCountryTrains website.

Whether cheaper ones will appear... your guess is as good as mine.

I think I would wait a few more days... but of course it's up to you.

tinkerbellsmum_2

thank you so much I was so nervous it was gonna cost a fortune i can live with 5o pound cause i was thinking only way round it would be to go on sunday and go in b&b and that would of cost more than 50.

yorkie2

fishlips wrote: »

You can get bargain berths on the sleeper for £19 each.

I'm not sure that's helpful.

That should read "from £19"; there are very few at that price, and for popular days it is possible that none will be released at that price, and that would get the OP to London, but not Bournemouth.

http://www.travelpass.buytickets.scotrail.co.uk/BargainBerths/Default.aspx

The only available BBs are £49 in July, at the time of me writing this.

To answer your earlier query,

fishlips wrote: »

Anyone have any ideas for cheapest train tickets 15th july London to York return. one adult, one 17 year old and an adult disabled rail card?
thanks!!

That's 3 adults, one of whom has a Railcard. Book on the East Coast site using their small groups promotion to receive a 34% discount on the 2 full-fare adults, and 40% discount on the Railcard holders ticket.

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/special-offers/3plus/