Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

iglimpse

Short notice but have to get from Liverpool to London this weekend, relative has become ill. I can be flexible between Fri to Monday but can only stay 2 nights.

Shocked at the Virgin prices. Tried doing split ticket at Crewe or Stafford but total came in almost identical, around £65. I suspect, like the airlines that the rail companies are onto this and have software that price accordingly.

Also looked at a longer journey with London Midland, before I even asked for change at Bham, appeared to be taking me direct Lpool to London but only Virgin do that route. Do Virgin now own London Midland ???

Sigh, not having much luck. Tearing me apart but I have to be there.

Would really appreciate any suggestions please.

dzug1

Use a site other than Virgin's - eg London Midland's own


Do a 'normal' search and then click the show other routes and London Midland trains only boxes and update - you'll find some much cheaper fares there - like £30 return super off peak. Not quota controlled - it won't sell out


Why you need to do it in two stages - pass.

iglimpse

I went to the London Midland site. Given up. Just going to ring them today instead to get the £30 deal. Had enough

iglimpse

London Midland said they do sell tickets for other operators, e.g Virgin trains. News to me. Their site just shows me the most expensive tickets, in all the steps I go through before buying, it does not say that this is a Virgin Trains ticket. Girl on phone insisted it did.

She said that because I was using my IPad, it does not show all the info. I should use a PC or laptop, then I can see all the info :mad:

Sounds like tosh to me. Oh and cheapest ticket left is £78 :eek:

cosmojohnson

iglimpse wrote: »

London Midland said they do sell tickets for other operators, e.g Virgin trains. News to me. Their site just shows me the most expensive tickets, in all the steps I go through before buying, it does not say that this is a Virgin Trains ticket. Girl on phone insisted it did.

She said that because I was using my IPad, it does not show all the info. I should use a PC or laptop, then I can see all the info :mad:

Sounds like tosh to me. Oh and cheapest ticket left is £78 :eek:

Try the 'text only' option if you're having trouble on an iPad - doing that it actually also gives you some options that are quite useful in finding the right type of fare for you and removing some of the clutter:

London_Midland wrote:

Please select the statement that best describes what you are looking for:

• I am only interested in train times at the moment
• I want the cheapest tickets and can commit to specific trains
• I have to travel at specific times
• I need some flexibility about when I travel
• I need maximum flexibility about when I travel
• I need to know how much tickets are before I can decide

The £30 fare is still available. Or you could just buy that £30 London Midland only fare on the day you travel. As noted above, it is not quota controlled and won't sell out.

p00hsticks

iglimpse wrote: »

Short notice but have to get from Liverpool to London this weekend, relative has become ill. I can be flexible between Fri to Monday but can only stay 2 nights.

Shocked at the Virgin prices. Tried doing split ticket at Crewe or Stafford but total came in almost identical, around £65.

National Rail Enquiries shows an off peak return from Liverpool Lime Street to Crewe as being £17.10, and a Super Off Peak Return available on the London Midland service from Crewe to Euston on Friday 16:02 for £29.00, with the ticket valid for the 13:50 return on the Sunday - total £47.10

dzug1

Sounds like tosh to me. Oh and cheapest ticket left is £78


Piffle. There is a £30 Liverpool to London return. Every day of the week between certain hours. It won't and cannot sell out. You don't need to buy it in advance - though you do need to be aware what trains it's valid on. For Saturday and Sunday that's simple - any London Midland train.


On Friday out 1034 to 1434 and again at 1934


On Monday back 1046 to 1346


There's also a £41 offpeak return valid on a lot more trains


Generally change at Stafford but it can vary

yorkie2

Agreed - change at Stafford; this is quicker than going via Brummieland.

There is a website which lists all the fares between any pair of stations, with no need to faff about. The MSE rules do not allow me to link to it (as I am friends with its creator) though perhaps someone else can. I am allowed to quote from it though:

Origin 0435 LIVERPOOL STNS
Destination 1072 LONDON TERMINALS
Ticket Code & Name OPR SUPER OFFPEAK R
Route 00042 LDN MIDLAND ONLY
Adult Fare ADULT £30.00
Restriction Code: LF

MONDAYS to SATURDAYS

Not valid for travel on
services timed to ARRIVE
London Terminals before 1300

Not valid for travel on
northbound services timed to
DEPART London Terminals or any
other_station, before 1030.

Not valid for travel on
services timed to_DEPART the
Origin station on the ticket
between 16:30 and 19:30 in
either direction except for
travel on the 1805_service for
customers holding tickets from
London Euston forstations
between Norton Bridgeand
Liverpool Lime Street
inclusive and on the 1846
Saturday service from London
Euston to stations between
Nuneaton and Crewe inclusive.
An easement also applies
Southwards on the 1902 Crewe
to Northampton service.
A connecting service can be
used to complete a journey
begun at a valid time.

Break of journey is not
permitted except to change
trains at an intermediate
station or to access station
facilities. Normal break of
journey rules apply to the
return portion.

There is no restriction on Sundays or Bank Holidays. The ticket is a "walk-up" ticket and available from the ticket machines or ticket office immediately before travel, as well as online.

On the outward portion you can arrive into Euston at or after 1300, you must travel on the date shown on the ticket.

On the return portion, you can depart Euston at any time between 1030 and 1630, you can also use the 1805 service, and also any time after 1930. The return journey can be "broken" at any intermediate station. The return portion is valid for a calendar month.

If you wish to buy on the LM website, search for Liverpool to London and on the left you should see an option to select a route, from the menu tick any route that says "LM only" or "London Midland only".

Kite2010

Silly question, when I was browsing the First Great Western website I've found mentioning of a "Devon Day Ranger" allowing for train travel pretty much everywhere in Devon for £10. However the link to the national rail enquires website given is very hit and miss (managed to access the page this evening to print off details, but trying to return pings up a page not found error)

Is the FGW website wrong and the ranger has been discontinued?

http://tickets.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/gw/en/journeyplanning/roversandrangers

dzug1

Well the FGW site allows you to buy it online. so it must be available