Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

redux

The_Jakal wrote: »

Do you have to travel on these dates?

It may be worth looking at the dates around these times as there may be some cheaper tickets!

Leeds to St Pancras slowly £21 at 1359 on the same Sunday, so it's just the northbound that needs improving. £47 leaving at 0803, £38.50 late the night before, or £65 at --03 which can be reduced a bit by splitting

redux

just found - from St Pancras on 22nd £39 adv at 1155 or 1355 arr Leeds 1501 or 1701 change at Derby

b1505

xdaniellex wrote: »

Hello

Just wondering whether anyone can help me find a cheaper ticket currently getting £94.10 return. It will be for 22nd December London to Leeds getting there by about 5pm and then 23rd December returning anytime after 12pm from Leeds to London. 1 adult.

Thank you

You could try the Megabus website for trains from London to Sheffield and then book a separate train from Sheffield to Leeds.
Also agree with the Grand Central idea, they seem to be a lot cheaper and go to Doncaster, Wakefield and Pontefract all of which should have direct trains to Leeds.

miller

redux wrote: »

just found - from St Pancras on 22nd £39 adv at 1155 or 1355 arr Leeds 1501 or 1701 change at Derby

As that is an East Midlands Trains fare there should be an extra £1 off via their website, but when I checked the discount was not working.

The offer should still be running:
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/tickets-offers/

I tried just to Derby as well in case the quid off was only on tickets without +connections (incidentally an advance on a later train for £23, which should be £22 if the offer was working). Tickets on the XC leg for £13.50. Didn't check if they tie in.

Sussex_saver_2

Hi,

I'm looking to work out how my girlfriend can get from Telford to London Luton Airport on the 29th December (for a 3:45pm) flight, and then when we return on 1st January at 8:35pm, to get back from Luton Airport to Leeds (her university). She has a 16-25 railcard.

On the way there, by split ticketing at Birmingham New Street, I've managed to get about £20 to Luton Airport Parkway.

On the way back it seems I can get a price of about £21.45 from Luton Airport Parkway to Leeds (there's a cheaper earlier train, but the change seems too tight). You can book from Luton Airport itself (which adds the bus to Parkway) but for some reason the price seems so balloon, so maybe the bus is better to add on the day?

There are clearly some extremely knowledgeable posters in this thread, and I was wondering if you guys would be able to help find the best option. Thanks!

miller

Sussex_saver wrote: »

On the way back it seems I can get a price of about £21.45 from Luton Airport Parkway to Leeds (there's a cheaper earlier train, but the change seems too tight).

The £21.45 must be the 2209 which (with a change from St Pancras to Kings Cross) gets into Leeds at 0236 .

I looked up a more flexible offering:

Telford -> Luton Airport Parkway (YP Super off peak return £27.45)

Use the return portion to Leicester then
Leicester -> Derby (YP Off peak day single £6.40)
Derby -> Sheffield (YP Off peak day single £6.75)
Sheffield -> Leeds (YP Off peak day single £6.45)

Total £47.05

Sussex_saver_2

miller wrote: »

The £21.45 must be the 2209 which (with a change from St Pancras to Kings Cross) gets into Leeds at 0236 .

I looked up a more flexible offering:

Telford -> Luton Airport Parkway (YP Super off peak return £27.45)

Use the return portion to Leicester then
Leicester -> Derby (YP Off peak day single £6.40)
Derby -> Sheffield (YP Off peak day single £6.75)
Sheffield -> Leeds (YP Off peak day single £6.45)

Total £47.05

Thanks for your reply. Yeah I know! Not ideal...

I've had a go with your suggestion, but I don't see how there's an available train to Leicester on the £27.45 return? Realistically (unless we were feeling bold/foolish) the 20:51 train is too tight for our 20:35 arrival, so it seems the 21:39 is more feasible, but it doesn't seem to be available on the £27.45 return?

miller

Sussex_saver wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. Yeah I know! Not ideal...

I've had a go with your suggestion, but I don't see how there's an available train to Leicester on the £27.45 return? Realistically (unless we were feeling bold/foolish) the 20:51 train is too tight for our 20:35 arrival, so it seems the 21:39 is more feasible, but it doesn't seem to be available on the £27.45 return?

Yes you are right, because of the doubling back into London which I overlooked, so it doesn't really offer any advantage.

thelawnet

you can take the 9:05pm coach to Stevenage (£6.30), arriving 9:40pm, then the 9:55pm train from Stevenage direct to Leeds, arriving 00:10.

miller

I found an advance back to Leeds for £7.90 the next day on the 1004 from Leicester. Not much use again... unless you could find cheap/free accom there.