Help would REALLY be appreciated! (Oxenholme-London)

altyfc

Hi there

I wonder if you can help.

I have a Friends & Family railcard but as yet have never used it. I'm not a frequent rail traveller and so don't have much of a clue about how to find the best fares.

I'd like to take the family to London one weekend in Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr (or if it's going to be significantly cheaper, then later still) and make the journey as cheaply as possible.

Our nearest station for departure is Oxenholme and our final destination will be the Marble Arch area of London.

We'd be looking to leave at around 3pm on a Friday, arriving in London around 6 or 7pm, and maybe leaving London at around 1pm or so on the Sunday (returning to Oxenholme), but we can be flexible on times if it means a better price, and we can be completely flexible on which weekend we go.

There's four of us and our children will be aged 5 and 4 at the time of travel.

I hope I've given enough info here. If anyone can help with how I unearth the best deals, I'd really, really appreciate it. I understand it's good to plan ahead and book in advance but beyond that I don't have much of a clue.

Thanks heaps for any help you can give...

Livingthedream

Book your trains early, use this website to help you see when the cheap Advance tickets are released and watch the Virgin Trains dates, you can get tickets for £47.60 Return (2x £23.80 advance Singles 2 adults 2 children with Railcard)

You don't have to pay for the 4 year old but would advice to, then your garanteed all your booked seats together.

As to transport around London itself Travelcards or an Oyster Card, will leave that one to somebody else with more knowledge on the matter.

Also look for the 2 for 1 deals on attractions here

altyfc

I'm sorry to be so thick with this but is that £47.60 Return for everyone or per person? If the former, please can you tell me how you found that?

I tried entering:

Oxenholme Lake District (OXN)
to London Euston (EUS) [which is where I assume I have to take the train to]
Outward: Friday 05 February, 2010
Return: Sunday 07 February, 2010

...and it gave a cheapest available fare of £133.30, stating "This total fare is for 2 Adults and 2 Children with 1 Family & Friends Railcard."

Is that good?

Livingthedream

You have to be flexible with your timings to get those prices but use East Coast Trains

Oxenholme Lake District to Euston 19/2 20:24 Advance Single £23.80 2 adults 2Children &RC
Euston to Oxenholme Lake Distric 21/2 08:45 Advance Single £23.80 2 adults 2 Children &RC (but most weekend there early morning engineering works so that train includes a bus trip, not to sure when they finish)

Livingthedream

If don't fancy the Bus trip or its to early on the Sunday then try (again from East Coast Trains)

Euston to Oxenholme via Manchester Pic (click 'more options') 21/2 13:35 £24.60 2 adults 2 children &RC

Another option for a better time to leave on a Friday is;

Oxenholme to Euston via Liverpool Lime St (click 'more options') 19/2 13:09 £34.90 2 adults 2 children &RC takes a bit longer (1hr 30mins)