Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

vigman

Quick update: It is possible to buy multiple types of railcard tickets at the same time on the Trainline app!

Vigman

miller

25% off Off Peak Day Returns on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays on South West Trains until 28th September. Not valid with railcards.

Further info:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/sept-terms-conditions.aspx

knewbold

hi - can anyone help me with cheaper prices from derby or nottingham to york for 2 adults. seems to be about 80 quid

leaving fairly early on the 18th of ocbober, returning early on the 20th

thank you

miller

Advance tickets are available on the 0638 from Derby on 18/10 returning on the 0935 from York on 20/10 for £62.20 total.

The more flexbible Off Peak Return from Derby is £85.80.

It may be worth considering getting a two together railcard (cost £30, offers a third off most fares):
http://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/

yorkie2

miller wrote: »

Advance tickets are available on the 0638 from Derby on 18/10 returning on the 0935 from York on 20/10 for £62.20 total.

The more flexbible Off Peak Return from Derby is £85.80./

For flexible travel, the Off Peak Return (SVR) from Derby to York is indeed £42.90 each, however if knewbold is travelling back "early" on the 20th, the 0900 restriction may pose a problem, causing the ticket to be excessed to the Anytime Return (SOR) which is a whopping £92.50 each!

So, if travel is required on the 0826 or 0845 trains from York, I'd suggest the Derby-Sheffield SVR at £20.50, and a Sheffield-York SOR at £23.70, totalling £44.20 per person. This will be valid, providing "early" means no earlier than the 0826 train from York.

If "early" means even earlier than that, ie the 0640, 0726 or 0743 trains, then I'd suggest the Derby-Sheffield SOR at £35.60, and a Sheffield-York SOR at £23.70, totalling £59.30 per person, which has no time restrictions whatsoever.

Both tickets can be bought at the same time, and as all Derby-York trains call at Sheffield, you can simply remain on board the same train.

It is, however, difficult to advise, when we don't know how early is "early"!

miller

50% discount on Off-Peak Day Retruns on South West Trains during half term. Conditions apply, see website for further detalis:

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/halfterm-terms-conditions.aspx

silvercar

Can someone help me out with this please.

East coast trains

Single with 16-25 railcard 31 October early afternoon.

Edinburgh to London Kings X.

Coming up as 41.70 for EC Advance or 43.20 Super off peak single (both web only fares).

Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood (which is only 20 minutes from St Pancras)

Coming up as 41.70 for EC Advance but 83.05 for super off peak single.

Really wanted the flexibility to not have to choose a particular train, but can't see how £40 more can be a true ticket price.

wealdroam

silvercar wrote: »

Can someone help me out with this please.

East coast trains

Single with 16-25 railcard 31 October early afternoon.

Edinburgh to London Kings X.

Coming up as 41.70 for EC Advance or 43.20 Super off peak single (both web only fares).

Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood (which is only 20 minutes from St Pancras)

Coming up as 41.70 for EC Advance but 83.05 for super off peak single.

Really wanted the flexibility to not have to choose a particular train, but can't see how £40 more can be a true ticket price.

Do you actually want to go to Elstree and Borehamwood?
If so, get the superoffpeak single to Kings Cross and buy a zone 1-6 single for the last bit at somewhere between £3.00 and £5.70... depending on time of day and whether using Oyster or cash ...see here. (Maybe even get a railcard discount on that zonal ticket, but I'm not sure of the details on that.)

If a return trip is likely within one month, consider getting Super Off Peak Returns rather than Singles.
For example, a SOPR from Edinburgh to Kings Cross is £86.45, and from Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood it's exactly the same.

I'll not even try to comment on the last part of your final sentence.

silvercar

For example, a SOPR from Edinburgh to Kings Cross is £86.45, and from Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood it's exactly the same.

Yet a SOPS from Edinburgh to Kings Cross is 43.20 and from Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood is 83.05.

Surely that is an error?

dzug1

silvercar wrote: »

Yet a SOPS from Edinburgh to Kings Cross is 43.20 and from Edinburgh to Elstree & Borehamwood is 83.05.

Surely that is an error?

A superoff peak single from Edinburgh to Kings Cross is not £43.20 though - it's (with a railcard) £83.05




The £43.20 seems to be a special offer and despite being called superoffpeak is in fact an advance ticket and inflexible once booked