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Cheshire to London train prices

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hubb
hubb Posts: 2,501 Forumite
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I have been looking to get from Hartford (Cheshire) to London on the London-Midland line which is advertising fares as cheap as £5 on their site (of course I can't find any reference to it once clicked on it) The cheapest price I can get from Hartford next Wed is £25 BUT getting back 2 days later on the Friday is the real problem. Prices are ridiculous. The cheapest from London is just before midnight that takes over 7 hours !!! Why I don't know because the normal journey lasts just over 2.

I have tried a few sites (as suggested by Martin) but they all seem to bring up the same prices or dearer.
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  • Nile
    Nile Posts: 14,845 Forumite
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    Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].
    10 Dec 2007 - Led Zeppelin - I was there. :j [/COLOR]:cool2: I wear my 50 (gold/red/white) blood donations pin badge with pride. [/SIZE][/COLOR]Give blood, save a life. [/B]
  • hubb
    hubb Posts: 2,501 Forumite
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    Where has it been posted to ?
  • hubb wrote: »
    I have been looking to get from Hartford (Cheshire) to London on the London-Midland line which is advertising fares as cheap as £5 on their site (of course I can't find any reference to it once clicked on it) The cheapest price I can get from Hartford next Wed is £25 BUT getting back 2 days later on the Friday is the real problem. Prices are ridiculous. The cheapest from London is just before midnight that takes over 7 hours !!! Why I don't know because the normal journey lasts just over 2.

    I have tried a few sites (as suggested by Martin) but they all seem to bring up the same prices or dearer.


    The reason the cheapest one takes that long is because you will have a long lay over halfway through your journey. You will not get one train direct. What time do you want to travel on these dates?
    "If you no longer go for a gap, you are no longer a racing driver" - Ayrton Senna
  • dzug1
    dzug1 Posts: 13,535 Forumite
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    There's a black art in manipulating London Midland's site. There is in fact a £22.50 return for your journey - but the last train back on the Friday is at 1246 unless you want the overnight trip (the reason it takes so long is a 4 hour wait in Wolverhampton) But there is a £33 return valid on a lot more trains.

    To find these fares (which can be bought on the day BTW - they are not advance fares but walkon ones) do the search you've already done, then click the 'show other routes' button and check London Midland trains only.
  • spiro
    spiro Posts: 6,405 Forumite
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    hubb wrote: »
    BUT getting back 2 days later on the Friday is the real problem. Prices are ridiculous.
    Thats because people want to get out of London at the weekend so Friday fares out of and Monday fares into London are always amongst the most expensive.
    IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.

    4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).
  • hubb
    hubb Posts: 2,501 Forumite
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    edited 30 March 2011 at 11:13AM
    The return prices ares still the same on Thurs as they are Friday. I can't find anything at £22 return or even £33. The best is £57.
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
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    I would be inclined to consider buying an Anytime Single from Hartford to Crewe at £3.50. And similar for the return trip.

    Combine that with an Advance Single for the Crewe to London bit.
    On both the outward and return legs there are many at £11.50, and even one each way at a reasonable time for £8.00.

    So total return trip could be £23.00, but more likely £30.00.

    Info from Southeastern Railway's website.
  • dzug1
    dzug1 Posts: 13,535 Forumite
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    hubb wrote: »
    The return prices ares still the same on Thurs as they are Friday. I can't find anything at £22 return or even £33. The best is £57.

    The £22.50 and £33 are RETURN fares, round trip tickets, not each way - they cover you for the round trip out Wednesday back Friday

    The £22.50 is a superoffpeak return and the £33 an off peak return - both LM (slow) trains only. There's a also a £63.60 off peak return fare if you want the faster Virgin train

    They ARE all there - ignore the single fares boxes - the return fares are on the second row.
  • hubb
    hubb Posts: 2,501 Forumite
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    Well spotted, I may just do that ;-)

    Thanks folks.
  • hubb
    hubb Posts: 2,501 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    dzug1 wrote: »
    The £22.50 and £33 are RETURN fares, round trip tickets, not each way - they cover you for the round trip out Wednesday back Friday

    The £22.50 is a superoffpeak return and the £33 an off peak return - both LM (slow) trains only. There's a also a £63.60 off peak return fare if you want the faster Virgin train

    They ARE all there - ignore the single fares boxes - the return fares are on the second row.



    Arh, I see it now. Thats even better than going to Crewe. It's an offpeak return for £22.50 BUT I can't see what times I am to return from London. I know it can be any day within a month.
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