Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

jsbjsb25

only me again :-) I can get the tickets I need for £16 but just woundering on past experience does any body know if they will bring down the price of the direct trains (£62) at moment or should I just go for the cheap train with the 1 change. I would prefer a direct if possible as its easyer with my litten.

Once again thankyou inadvance

jenny

terryw

jsbjsb25 wrote: »

only me again :-) I can get the tickets I need for £16 but just woundering on past experience does any body know if they will bring down the price of the direct trains (£62) at moment or should I just go for the cheap train with the 1 change. I would prefer a direct if possible as its easyer with my litten.

Once again thankyou inadvance

jenny

Doubt it very much as generally the early bird catches the worm with cheap advance tickets.

dzug1

jsbjsb25 wrote: »

only me again :-) I can get the tickets I need for £16 but just woundering on past experience does any body know if they will bring down the price of the direct trains (£62) at moment or should I just go for the cheap train with the 1 change. I would prefer a direct if possible as its easyer with my litten.

Once again thankyou inadvance

jenny

Yes they will bring down the price of the direct trains as well

Whilst East Coast have released their advance fares Hull Trains who operate the direct service haven't - so worth waiting. I would guess sometime next week

The £62 is a walk on fare btw - so you can't pay more than that - for the direct train

terryw

dzug1 wrote: »

Yes they will bring down the price of the direct trains as well

Whilst East Coast have released their advance fares Hull Trains who operate the direct service haven't - so worth waiting. I would guess sometime next week

The £62 is a walk on fare btw - so you can't pay more than that - for the direct train

Oops. Thank you dzug. I hadn't realized that the direct train was Hull trains.

littleorangelobster

Hi everyone,

I have to travel between Cambridge and London on a regular basis. I often don't know when until the day before, so massively advance booking is out (and it wouldn't tend to make any difference anyway).

Anyway, looking on East Coast to book a day return for tomorrow, need to be in London by 11am latest (definitely won't be arriving before 10am which meets both Greater Anglia and FCC's off-peak rules for Network Railcards - I checked!), and there's three lots of off-peak fares offered - but all on different trains. None are super off-peak, none of them arrive before 10am, and there seems to be no discernable difference between any of them, other than one's significantly cheaper and they all seem to only be offered on different trains. I'm sure there must be a difference - what is it?!

Also, if anybody's got any tips for decreasing the cost of the travel, bearing in mind the above, would v much appreciate it

Thank you all in advance!

LexyBoy

For Cambridge to London, off-peak, you have the following options:
- Super Off Peak Day Return, Greater Anglia Only, £15.40 - valid on trains arriving in Liverpool St at or after 1200 M-F.
- Super Off Peak Day Return, Any Permitted, £16.00 - valid only at weekends
- Off Peak Day Return, Greater Anglia Only, £19.80 - valid on trains arriving in Liverpool St at or after 1000 M-F. No return restrictions.
- Off Peak Day Return, Any Permitted, £23.00 - valid for trains arriving in London at or after 1000. Not valid to return before 0930 or between 1629 and 1900 (from Kings Cross, 1834 for Liverpool St).

The Network Railcard gives you 34% off these fares (subject to a £13 minimum fare M-F) but is only valid after 1000 (i.e. cannot be used at all before this, it's separate to the ticket restrictions). Thus the first train you can use it on is the 1015, arriving Kings Cross at 1105.

The best option looks like the GA Only Off Peak Day Return at £19.80 and taking the 0848 or 0918 arriving 1014 or 1044 respectively. This is only valid on the trains from Liverpool St which take ~20 minutes longer, but is significantly cheaper if you need to travel back in the evening peak. The Travelcard version of this fare is £23.80, which is cheaper than two tube singles if you need to travel within London.

littleorangelobster

LexyBoy wrote: »

For Cambridge to London, off-peak, you have the following options:
- Super Off Peak Day Return, Greater Anglia Only, £15.40 - valid on trains arriving in Liverpool St at or after 1200 M-F.
- Super Off Peak Day Return, Any Permitted, £16.00 - valid only at weekends
- Off Peak Day Return, Greater Anglia Only, £19.80 - valid on trains arriving in Liverpool St at or after 1000 M-F. No return restrictions.
- Off Peak Day Return, Any Permitted, £23.00 - valid for trains arriving in London at or after 1000. Not valid to return before 0930 or between 1629 and 1900 (from Kings Cross, 1834 for Liverpool St).

The Network Railcard gives you 34% off these fares (subject to a £13 minimum fare M-F) but is only valid after 1000 (i.e. cannot be used at all before this, it's separate to the ticket restrictions). Thus the first train you can use it on is the 1015, arriving Kings Cross at 1105.

The best option looks like the GA Only Off Peak Day Return at £19.80 and taking the 0848 or 0918 arriving 1014 or 1044 respectively. This is only valid on the trains from Liverpool St which take ~20 minutes longer, but is significantly cheaper if you need to travel back in the evening peak. The Travelcard version of this fare is £23.80, which is cheaper than two tube singles if you need to travel within London.

A-ha - so the railcard is the key! I was told a porkie about that, then... (not the first time it's happened, sadly)

Thanks for your help

zaksmum

Anyone know the cheapest train fare from Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston on 2nd August, returning on 4th August?

Two people, no railcards and we can travel at any time of day (but want to get to London as early as possible and leave for Liverpool as late as possible. I've had a look but the quoted prices are really expensive.

Thanks!

dzug1

It's easily done for £68 each return using advance singles - not sure I'd call that 'really expensive'

You could cut a bit off that using the slower London Midland trains - but also cutting your time in London

Liglig_2

This app does not work for me. Tried Gatwick to Penzance did not recognize either as a station.

Any ideas out there?

Thanks Liglig