Ticket fares to Cornwall - advice please for cheapest?

littlewren

I know everything has gone up and this obviously includes train fares, but I am surprised that last year I was able to purchase 2 x 1st class tickets from Sandy to Falmouth docks in Cornwall for £177, yet this year, the cheapest are around £500!:eek:

You can't book until 13 weeks before travel, but even if I choose the last week, they are still ridiculously priced for 1st class. We usually travel 2nd class but last year was great, lovely seats, no loud kids screaming and we were spoilt. I was hoping for another deal like this, this year.

Does anyone know why the prices have shot up quite so dramatically and can anyone give me any tips please (apart from splitting the journey, as we want to make the minimum number of changes for such a long journey.

Many thanks in advance.

geordieracer

Use FGW for the London to cornwall part.. And its 12 not 13 weeks when roughly fares are released but not always the case... And use FCC for Sandy to london.

But if you give dates of when you want to travel maybe people can help with some splits - and see if its worth going VIA Peterborough

wealdroam

Well I just picked random dates, out on 28 July back on 10 Aug, and first class return using Advance Singles can be done for £103.00 per person return.

That 13 week idea is a myth (I thought it was 12 weeks anyway).

Cheap Advance Singles are ofter released later than that, sometimes a lot later, especially at weekends.

You haven't told us what type of tickets you bought last year?

littlewren

Geordieracer, I went to First Great Western for the prices, which was where I booked thru last year, and when I try to put in dates it says you can't book until 13 weeks before the journey, in fact it won't let you choose a date until then. Going to Peterborough would be going in the opposite direction and we don't really want to do splitting unless it means we just split the journey up by buying different tickets? When we got the tickets cheaper last year, we just purchased tickets from Sandy to Falmouth Docks, so it's a bit strange that they are so much more expensive this year. We will be going on the 7th October and travelling back on the 14th.

TIA

littlewren

Hi wealdroam,

I can't remember the type of tickets we bought last year, they were 1st class and I suppose they were advanced 1st class? But it was a great deal.

I thought it would be the earlier you booked, the better deal you got. Is that wrong then? Is it best to wait for a while?

TIA

littlewren

wealdroam wrote: »

Well I just picked random dates, out on 28 July back on 10 Aug, and first class return using Advance Singles can be done for £103.00 per person return.

That 13 week idea is a myth (I thought it was 12 weeks anyway).

Cheap Advance Singles are ofter released later than that, sometimes a lot later, especially at weekends.

You haven't told us what type of tickets you bought last year?

Hi wealdroam, I can't find out how you got the first class advanced single tickets for £103 each. Was this on FGW's website?

pompeyrich

Sorry to jump in but the £103 fare seems to be available throughout the summer, even weekends in August. Drops to £89 in September. Found them on the national rail enquiries site, advance singles, must travel on the booked train, no flexibility etc.

littlewren

pompeyrich wrote: »

Sorry to jump in but the £103 fare seems to be available throughout the summer, even weekends in August. Drops to £89 in September. Found them on the national rail enquiries site, advance singles, must travel on the booked train, no flexibility etc.

No, thankyou for jumping in, the more help the better.

I've just gone to the national rail enquiries website, again it won't let me book for the dates I need as it's not 12/13 weeks away, so I put in 23rd to 30th September and the fares for 2nd class were £196 for 2 people at the cheapest, I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I can't seem to find any cheaper 1st class fares like other posters on here.

dzug1

littlewren wrote: »

No, thankyou for jumping in, the more help the better.

I've just gone to the national rail enquiries website, again it won't let me book for the dates I need as it's not 12/13 weeks away, so I put in 23rd to 30th September and the fares for 2nd class were £196 for 2 people at the cheapest, I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I can't seem to find any cheaper 1st class fares like other posters on here.

What you are doing wrong is trying to book TOO EARLY. The cheap tickets - both standard and first - are not yet on sale.

The FGW site says that you can book cheap fares up to 21 September, so it's going to be a few weeks until October tickets come on sale.

So you just need patience and to understand that the 12 weeks is just a myth. It's when full fare reservations (often) start. The cheap fares follow, sometimes virtually straightaway, sometimes a week or two or occasionally even more later

littlewren

dzug1 wrote: »

What you are doing wrong is trying to book TOO EARLY. The cheap tickets - both standard and first - are not yet on sale.

The FGW site says that you can book cheap fares up to 21 September, so it's going to be a few weeks until October tickets come on sale.

So you just need patience and to understand that the 12 weeks is just a myth. It's when full fare reservations (often) start. The cheap fares follow, sometimes virtually straightaway, sometimes a week or two or occasionally even more later

Thanks dzug. But when I was browsing and put in various dates as if I was travelling in just 2 or 3 weeks time, the prices were still astronomical so I don't understand it? If I was going at that time, I still wouldn't get a bargain.

dzug1

In 2 or 3 weeks time it's likely that the cheap tickets have sold out - there are limited numbers available. The time to book is in the week or two immediately after release.