Stansted to Northampton (sorry it's a UK travel Q)

LisbonLaura

Didn't see a more suitable forum, but shoot me anyway.

In mid- November I need to get from Stansted airport to Northampton & it does not look that clever.
The Nat Ex.bus takes around 4hrs with my (13.30) flight arrival, & the train I'm told is of the 'two-change-pray-for-the-connection type.

Is there some angle I'm missing here?

I'm looking for some deep MSE wisdom. Any takers please?

Thxs.

matthew74

Can't see there are many options :

Bus - 4 hours, cheapish

Train 2 to 2.5 hours, cheapish

Taxi - expensive

Hire a car - expensive

Get someone to pick you up.

Take your pick.

apt

If saving money rather than time is your object you can go cross country on the train splitting the ticket at Leicester. Advance ticket Stansted to Leicester £6.50, standard single Leicester to Northampton £15.10.

LisbonLaura

This is really useful as Leicester is better (& nearer for my host) than being picked up at East Midlands airport late at night.

Getting off at Oakham or Stamford is better still.

So I am 35 miles from my destination & so far it has cost £16 from Portugal

The quest is now to get to Wellingborough or close to Northampton for not much more,

I tried bus/coach services online & I have never seen such a mess!

Is there a site that shows all the bus/coach services & that can be relied on? --- Seems a tall order somehow.

I'll probably give up & accept being collected, but I like to be self-reliant

alared

http://www.traveline.org.uk/index.htm

There a bus that runs every hour from Oakham to Corby (RF1)
From Corby to Wellingborough there`s a bus every half hour (X4)

LisbonLaura

Just another thought. Stansted to Market Harborough shows as a £42 ticket. It's on the £6.50 (advance) Stansted to Leicester run, if the right train is caught. Will I be allowed to escape at the expensive MH station without penalties?

alared

Just another thought,you might be better and cheaper to go Stansted airport to Peterborough:
http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

Some fares are only £6-50 one way and plenty of trains have no changes.

From Peterborough the X4 runs every hour to Wellingborough.

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/northants/timetables.php?service=223

dzug1

LisbonLaura wrote: »

Just another thought. Stansted to Market Harborough shows as a £42 ticket. It's on the £6.50 (advance) Stansted to Leicester run, if the right train is caught. Will I be allowed to escape at the expensive MH station without penalties?

You don't go through Market Harborough on the way from Stansted to Leicester - you'd need to buy another ticket to continue from Leicester to Market Harborough

LisbonLaura

Sorry dzug, my fault. Make that Peterborough & not Leicester for the Market Harborough stop. You do go through it if you buy a ticket to Peterborough (the other cheap route). It's the only stop before it according to the Nat. Rail site.

LisbonLaura

UPDATE:- I must be going crazy. Just looked now & it's not showing MH as a stop on the day/time I want. I'm darned sure it did yesterday.
I'm just going to lie down; & maybe not look again

dzug1

LisbonLaura wrote: »

UPDATE:- I must be going crazy. Just looked now & it's not showing MH as a stop on the day/time I want. I'm darned sure it did yesterday.
I'm just going to lie down; & maybe not look again

Maybe you confused it with Melton Mowbray?;)