Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Sussex_saver_2

thelawnet wrote: »

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.

Thanks, which coach company?

EDIT: Ah, National Express, got it!

Sussex_saver_2

Cheers thelawnet, that does seem like a good option compared to getting back at silly o'clock, albeit a slightly pricier one.

Did you have any thoughts on the journey there? Is my split ticketing to Birmingham then onto Luton Airport Parkway probably the best option?

miller

Sussex_saver wrote: »

Did you have any thoughts on the journey there? Is my split ticketing to Birmingham then onto Luton Airport Parkway probably the best option?

1008 Telford to Coleshill Parkway (YP anytime day single £6.20, changing at Birmingham New Street)
1135 Coleshill Parkway to Leicester (YP advance £3.95, same train from Brum)
1233 Leicester to Luton Airport Parkway (YP advance £8.60 - via East Midlands Trains website)
arr 1334

Total £18.75

Sussex_saver_2

miller wrote: »

1008 Telford to Coleshill Parkway (YP anytime day single £6.20, changing at Birmingham New Street)
1135 Coleshill Parkway to Leicester (YP advance £3.95, same train from Brum)
1233 Leicester to Luton Airport Parkway (YP advance £8.60 - via East Midlands Trains website)
arr 1334

Total £18.75

Thanks!

Looks like that on the way there, and the coach to stevenage on the way to Leeds will be the best options.

Cheers guys :beer:

thelawnet

I'd worry about missing that Stevenage-Leeds train, but not much you can do really.

On-the-day fares:

Stevenage - Peterborough £14.25
Peterborough - Newark £10.35
Newark - Doncaster £12.80
Doncaster - Wakefield £5.40
Wakefield - Leeds £2

total: £46.80

(Stevenage - Leeds £52 as a single)
Advance is currently £21.80

tube_user_hampstead

I haven't been able to find out any information online as to the legality of this trick:

Touch in zone 1, travel to your destination without leaving the station (say, picking up friends at Heathrow, so you don't have to touch out), then returning to zone 1 and touching out.

I've done this before and oyster charges me the maximum daily rate, but then the ticket offices always refund me once I show them my journey: zone 1 to zone 1 (instead of to Heathrow and back).

Whilst I appreciate this is dishonest, is it against TfL rules?

I'm very curious to get some advice on this.

Thanks

Livingthedream

tube_user_hampstead wrote: »

I haven't been able to find out any information online as to the legality of this trick:

Touch in zone 1, travel to your destination without leaving the station (say, picking up friends at Heathrow, so you don't have to touch out), then returning to zone 1 and touching out.

I've done this before and oyster charges me the maximum daily rate, but then the ticket offices always refund me once I show them my journey: zone 1 to zone 1 (instead of to Heathrow and back).

Whilst I appreciate this is dishonest, is it against TfL rules?

I'm very curious to get some advice on this.

Thanks

Well, it looks like a fare evasion scam to me, but TBH it's so simple a scam I can't believe TfL wouldn't be aware of it by now.

As to how TfL would find out about it? well all the refunds would perhaps raise a alert with TfL which would stop future refunds or worse, an investigation against you.

You could always ask the questions here, where Oyster experts will readily answer your questions, perhaps wording the question different ie Is this a loop hole and how can I get caught? instead of stating that's you know it's dishonest.

moneysavingmumofone

Sorry if this hasnt the right place to ask but do children (age 7 and 8) need to have a ticket for trains/tube in London? Cant seem to get a definite answer from Google, thanks. x

wealdroam

moneysavingmumofone wrote: »

Sorry if this hasnt the right place to ask but do children (age 7 and 8) need to have a ticket for trains/tube in London? Cant seem to get a definite answer from Google, thanks. x

This TfL webpage discusses fares for children aged 5 - 10 and says...

If your child is:

• Travelling with an adult (up to four children per adult)
• Or using a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard

They can get

• Free travel on Tube, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services

Your child can also

• Travel free on London's buses and trams unaccompanied and without an Oyster photocard

Lots of other good stuff about child fares on that webpage too.

miller

First Great Western Rovers are now available to buy online:
http://tickets.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/gw/en/journeyplanning/roversandrangers

More details on the National Rail website (including other Train Operating Company tickets):
http://tickets.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/gw/en/journeyplanning/roversandrangers

(Rover's generally allow unlimited travel within a given area, usually for a set period of days and outside peak hours)