Ticket fares to Cornwall - advice please for cheapest?

wealdroam

littlewren wrote: »

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.

Well, I've just checked again on the dates I mentioned earlier.
£103 is still easily possible on those dates (28 Jul and 10 Aug).
I was using East Coast Trains website.

I have checked those dates on Fgw's website too and can see the same fares there on those dates...
Dep Sandy at 11:15 or 13:15, Advance Singles at £58.50 First Class.
Dep Falmouth Docks 13:50 or 15:50, Advance Singles at £44.50 First Class.

I have also checked on Southern Railway website and National Rail Enquires and they show exactly the same.

As Dzug says, you are trying to book too early for your dates.

For what it's worth... I find Southern (or EastCoast or LondonMidland or SouthEastern) websites easier to use.

pmm1981

A 1st class Anytime return is £409 each (Total £818),
A 1st class off peak return is £269 each (Total £538),
A Std class Anytime return is £279 each (Total £558),
A Std class Off Peak return is £118 each (Total £336),
A Std class Super Off Peak return is £98 each (Total £198).

I've listed walk on fares so the prices can be compared to the following 1st class advance fares currently available.
As you can't find any fares these are what i've easily found.
(quote from post 4)

We will be going on the 7th October and travelling back on the 14th.

The fares from www.eastcoast.co.uk for the next few friday departures, returning the friday after are
(fares are for 2 people, 1st class advance singles, NO railcards, cheapest trains per day found (dep time shown)
Fri 8 Jul £258 (various), Fri 15 Jul £143 (1550). Total £401.
Fri 15 Jul £170 (0703), Fri 22 Jul £143 (1550). Total £313.
Fri 22 Jul £170 (various), Fri 29 Jul £143 (1550). Total £313.
Fri 29 Jul £170 (various), Fri 05 Aug £143 (1550). Total £313.
Fri 05 Aug £170 (various), Fri 12 Aug £117 (0747). Total £287.
Fri 12 Aug £170 (various), Fri 19 Aug £143 (various). Total £313.
Fri 19 Aug £170 (various), Fri 26 Aug £143 (various). Total £313.
Fri 26 Aug £170 (various), Fri 02 Sep £117 (1550). Total £287.
Fri 02 Sep £170 (various), Fri 09 Sep £89 (1550). Total £259.
Fri 09 Sep £117 (various), Fri 16 Sep £89 (various). Total £206.
Fri 16 Sep £117 (various), Fri 23 Sep NOT RELEASED YET.
So from this i can see tickets are currently available 10 weeks in advance.
I know you like 1st class but standard class advance fares are available from £35 booking as far in advance as possible (currently available on 16 Sep)(£17.50 each, single). So using this basis you should look from w/c around 25 July (but start looking daily from 15 July just incase).

esuhl

Not sure if this helps, but I found that it was cheaper to break up the journey and buy separate tickets for each leg. I think I got tickets from my local station to Reading, then separate ones from Newton Abbot to my destination (Bodmin Parkway).

dzug1

esuhl wrote: »

Not sure if this helps, but I found that it was cheaper to break up the journey and buy separate tickets for each leg. I think I got tickets from my local station to Reading, then separate ones from Newton Abbot to my destination (Bodmin Parkway).

Unlikely starting from Sandy, particularly if the split is in London.

littlewren

Wow, what brilliant people you are! Thankyou so much for going to all this trouble, I will save the page in my Favourites and refer back to it in a few weeks time then. :T

The_Groat_Counter

The National Rail booking horizons page shows the furthest dates in the future that Advance tickets are on sale for - it does vary by train company:
www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/booking_horizons.html

Tickets/reservations are released in weekly increments on I think a Friday morning each week.

littlewren

Thankyou Groat Counter, I will take a peep.

littlewren

Hi again,

Update on my post. I've found that some sites will show 7th October now, but they don't always show Advance tickets. Even when I put in earlier dates, such as for August, no Advance tickets showed on First Great Western's site or Qjump, for example. (I'm a few days early for National Rail Enquiries website). Why don't these sites always show Advance tickets and how can I get them to? (if that's not a silly question!)

Also, we have decided to go from Biggleswade (instead of Sandy) to Falmouth Docks now, but we still want to go 1st class if possible as it was a more pleasant journey last year because of this.

Thanks again for your help.

littlewren

P.S. I can't find an Advance tickets on First Great Western's website at all, for the dates mentioned.

dzug1

littlewren wrote: »

P.S. I can't find an Advance tickets on First Great Western's website at all, for the dates mentioned.

Whilst the First Great Western site says tickets are released up until 7 October I don't believe it - they aren't there yet

Just be patient.

Biggleswade fares will be trivially if at all different to Sandy's.

Edit - the FGW site has changed to saying advance tickets up to 5 October available - it appears to be true