Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

dzug1

StartingOut wrote: »

Hi.

I've been reading all the threads and have spent all morning looking for train tickets and now feel like I'm going round in circles.

We need to go from Manchester to Deal in Kent on 26th May, coming back on the 31st. Ideally not too late at night as we have two young children. We'll have a F&F railcard and need 2 adult and 1 child ticket (both children are under 5 but need to buy 1 for the railcard).

I can get the return for £63.40. Is that the cheapest around? Am I mssing some tricks? I woul split but the London-Deal ticket is more expensive than the Man-Lon one!

Thanks

That looks a very good deal to me - I don't think you are missing anything

geordieracer

StartingOut wrote: »

Hi.

I've been reading all the threads and have spent all morning looking for train tickets and now feel like I'm going round in circles.

We need to go from Manchester to Deal in Kent on 26th May, coming back on the 31st. Ideally not too late at night as we have two young children. We'll have a F&F railcard and need 2 adult and 1 child ticket (both children are under 5 but need to buy 1 for the railcard).

I can get the return for £63.40. Is that the cheapest around? Am I mssing some tricks? I woul split but the London-Deal ticket is more expensive than the Man-Lon one!

Thanks

That sounds a good deal but make sure its not via the high speed line.. Try it with Via london victoria in your search - it may come up a bit cheaper

dzug1

geordieracer wrote: »

That sounds a good deal but make sure its not via the high speed line.. Try it with Via london victoria in your search - it may come up a bit cheaper

It sometimes makes no difference - HS1 fares can be the same when part of a longer journey.

But check.

yorkie2

StartingOut wrote: »

Hi.

I've been reading all the threads and have spent all morning looking for train tickets and now feel like I'm going round in circles.

We need to go from Manchester to Deal in Kent on 26th May, coming back on the 31st. Ideally not too late at night as we have two young children. We'll have a F&F railcard and need 2 adult and 1 child ticket (both children are under 5 but need to buy 1 for the railcard).

I can get the return for £63.40. Is that the cheapest around? Am I mssing some tricks? I woul split but the London-Deal ticket is more expensive than the Man-Lon one!

Thanks

That is not the absolute cheapest ticket to exist but they would likely sell out long in advance. It's still a very good deal.

It's not true that it is cheaper to avoid HS1 on this route.

Note that if you want 4 seats (perhaps at a table if you are lucky) you would need to book 4 tickets, otherwise you will only get 3 seat reservations and one of the Under 5s would need to go on someone's lap. The extra cost is fairly minimal (£4 each way) and might be worth it. Note that reservations are only possible on the Manchester to London leg, not the London to Deal leg.

This ticket includes transfer by Underground, but the hassle of getting onto the Underground for such a short distance may not be worth it. If you wish to minimise walking, then going from Euston Square on the Met is probably best (as it avoids escalators and long walks underground).

yorkie2

dzug1 wrote: »

It sometimes makes no difference - HS1 fares can be the same when part of a longer journey.

But check.

If travelling beyond the 'Network' (former Network SouthEast) area, then "Not HS1" fares are not available. Within the 'Network area', there may be a choice.

(e.g. Peterborough has only Any Permitted; Huntingdon has the choice. But places like Reading and Basingstoke do not have the choice despite being well within the Network Area).

geordieracer

I wasnt sure if it was or wasnt hence why i said check.

duckii

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could PLEASE help.

I am going to be travelling from Glasgow to Birmingham on the 1st July till the 3rd or 4th July.

Cheapest I can get it is £64 one way advance single, so total return would be £128!!!

Why so expensive when I am booking way in advance! Megatrain use to have Glasgow - Birmingham route but have stopped that, so annoying. :@

Can anyone please help how I can get this cheaper, wouldn't mind splitting the journey anywhere!

Also, there are 4 adults going if that's any added help.And we can wither come back on 3rd or 4th. Timings do not matter as much.

I would be very grateful for your help!

wealdroam

duckii wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could PLEASE help.

I am going to be travelling from Glasgow to Birmingham on the 1st July till the 3rd or 4th July.

Cheapest I can get it is £64 one way advance single, so total return would be £128!!!

Why so expensive when I am booking way in advance! Megatrain use to have Glasgow - Birmingham route but have stopped that, so annoying. :@

Can anyone please help how I can get this cheaper, wouldn't mind splitting the journey anywhere!

Also, there are 4 adults going if that's any added help.And we can wither come back on 3rd or 4th. Timings do not matter as much.

I would be very grateful for your help!

Firstly, do not even think about £64 ticket (unless you can get one for the return leg less than £43.70 to go with it).
An Off Peak Return is only £107.70. Buy on the day if you like.

Try going via Manchester and splitting there.

pmm1981

Fares for Glasgow-Birmingham that i've found are available at
Dep Glasgow C 0428
Arr Preston 0654
Dep Preston 0717
Arr Birmingham 0855
£160 advance single (£40 each)

Dep Glasgow 0630
Arr Carlisle 0743
Dep Carlisle 0807
Arr Birmingham 1055
£160 advance single (£40 each)

RETURN 03 Jul
Dep Birmingham 1303
Arr Glasgow C 2020
(Cross Country service via Newcastle, thats why its + 7 hours trip)
£126 advance single (£31.50 each)

All others are showing as £196 advance single (£49 each)

RETURN 04 Jul
Dep Birmingham 1603
Arr Glasgow C 2227
£164 advance single (£41 each)

Others available at £196 advance single (£49 each).

The trip can therefore be done for £71.50 each using advance singles returning on 3rd July OR £81 returning on 4th July.

Fares from www.eastcoast.co.uk

I haven't looked at any split journeys though.

Livingthedream

duckii wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could PLEASE help.

I am going to be travelling from Glasgow to Birmingham on the 1st July till the 3rd or 4th July.

Another option to the ones above is to try splitting at Preston, get advance singles and give yourself plenty of time to make you connection at Preston just in case of late running trains. But remember with Advance singles you must travel on booked trains.