Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

davetj

Hi I travel from kents bank in the lakes district to chester once a week the cheapest way to do it i've found is to spilt the ticket at wigan £36 instead of 39 anyone suggest ways for further savings? i've tried advance saver with no luck thanks dave

boyse7en

I need to get two people from north Devon (so Barnstaple or Tiverton Parkway stations) to Chesterfield on the 27th September.
They need to be in Chesterfield by about 10:30am, and can't leave before 5pm (although it can be later)
The Train Line website is giving a price of £321 for advance singles each way, which seems ludicrously expensive to me (but I don't use the trains very often)
Can anyone suggest any way of getting it cheaper?

wealdroam

boyse7en wrote: »

I need to get two people from north Devon (so Barnstaple or Tiverton Parkway stations) to Chesterfield on the 27th September.
They need to be in Chesterfield by about 10:30am, and can't leave before 5pm (although it can be later)
The Train Line website is giving a price of £321 for advance singles each way, which seems ludicrously expensive to me (but I don't use the trains very often)
Can anyone suggest any way of getting it cheaper?

Maybe:
Dep Tiverton Parkway 06:36, arr Bristol Temple Meads 07:24. Anytime Return = £27.60.
Dep Bristol TM 07:30, arr Cheltenham Spa 08:10. Anytime Day Return = £15.00.
Dep Cheltenham 08:12, arr Birmingham New Street 08:56. Anytime Return = £33.50.
Dep Birmingham NS 09:03, arr Derby 09:39. Anytime Day Return = £16.90.
Dep Derby 09:44, arr Chesterfield 10:02. Off Peak Day Return = £10.20.
That's all on the same train.

Returning on a direct train to Tiverton departing Chesterfield at 17:06, 18:07, 19:06 or 20:06.

Total return for one adult = £103.20.

If you can arrive at Chesterfield at 11:02, then leave Tiverton at 07:37, and the Birmingham to Derby leg can be done on an Off Peak Day Return at £14.80. Still all on the one train.
Reducing the return fare for one person to £101.10.

So for two people it could be possible for £202.20.

Oh, I forgot to say...
Buy from a train operating company, like maybe Southern Railway, and avoid the fees that some sellers charge.
Also Southern's Money Back Guarantee, may be useful if you have to cancel the trip.

boyse7en

Thanks Wealdroam, that's brilliant.

Just one query - the trip from Tiverton to Chesterfield you say is all on the same train. Can I just stay on the train, or is there some rule about having to get off and back on again?

wealdroam

boyse7en wrote: »

Thanks Wealdroam, that's brilliant.

Just one query - the trip from Tiverton to Chesterfield you say is all on the same train. Can I just stay on the train, or is there some rule about having to get off and back on again?

There is no need to get off the train.
It's the same for the return leg.

dzug1

davetj wrote: »

Hi I travel from kents bank in the lakes district to chester once a week the cheapest way to do it i've found is to spilt the ticket at wigan £36 instead of 39 anyone suggest ways for further savings? i've tried advance saver with no luck thanks dave

Travelling via and splitting at Manchester Piccadilly could well save you a bit.

miller

boyse7en wrote: »

The Train Line website is giving a price of £321 for advance singles each way, which seems ludicrously expensive to me (but I don't use the trains very often)

As wealdroam suggested Southern (also available via Topcashback) has the advantage of the money back guarantee.

It might also be worth considering booking via Crosscountry trains so you can dove tail any seat reservations you make (once all legs are added to the basket, an interactive seat reservation map of the train can be viewed so you reduce the chance of having to change seats en-route - unless you manage to bag an unreserved one of course then it doesn't matter).

robgoode

I wonder if anyone can help with a return ticket, Newcastle to Southampton on the 24th September, returning 26th September.

Got a job interview down there that won't finish till 3pm so looking at returning home straight after that. Cheapest so far is around £100 mark. Any help with the split fares? Many thanks.

dzug1

robgoode wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can help with a return ticket, Newcastle to Southampton on the 24th September, returning 26th September.

Got a job interview down there that won't finish till 3pm so looking at returning home straight after that. Cheapest so far is around £100 mark. Any help with the split fares? Many thanks.

Try splitting in London using megatrain Waterloo to/from Southampton.

Starlightlady

Can anyone tell me if there's a cheaper way of doing this journey from any Falkirk station to Manchester Airport on December 10th for 2 adults.

Last year we only paid £65 first class for the 2 of us....now I can't see it any cheaper than £131 standard fare for us both,and £288 first class. Is it likely to get any cheaper or do you think any cheaper seats must be sold now?

Thanks:D