Trying to book a return train from Glasgow to London!

Emmy_

But yes, I'm holding on just now and will keep checking every day for the next few and see what comes up. Thanks all.

Owain_Moneysaver

Emmy_ wrote: »

I'm thinking of going straight the station in Glasgow to try and book it, which is where I've booked before and they have been really helpful. Is this my best bet agian, do you think, or should I keep checking the different train companies online?

Once the Advance fares are released there will be no cheaper fares available. All resellers including stations have access to the same fares, apart from any TOC-specific discounts such as East Coast's online 10% on their own routes. However stations may have better access to the seat reservation system to give you a nicer seat with more space for the dog.

The cheapest Advance fare quotas may sell out within hours. You don't have to book the out and return at the same time.

moonrakerz

Emmy_ wrote: »

I've booked using Trainline before and it has actually saved me money when booking straight through from my home station to Glasgow to elsewhere.

Signing up for the tool though doesn't mean I'm automatically going to book with them. I'm looking around.

As it happens, I received an ticket alert from Trainline telling me the return leg of my journey as now available at Advance fares. I've yet to look in to that, I will do it tonight.

This is getting to be hard work !

You may have saved money by using the trainline - but you would have saved more money by using a TOC.

The trainline NEVER has fares cheaper than the TOCs.....NEVER, NEVER..........

moonrakerz

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Once the Advance fares are released there will be no cheaper fares available.

As I said earlier this is not necessarily so.
The cheapest fares do not have to be released at the 12 week point and often are not on some routes.
This is why I said you must get a feel for what range of fares is available on a route, then you will know when the cheapest fare comes up for sale.

Emmy_

moonrakerz wrote: »

This is getting to be hard work !

You may have saved money by using the trainline - but you would have saved more money by using a TOC.

The trainline NEVER has fares cheaper than the TOCs.....NEVER, NEVER..........

Goodness, If it's that hard work, then don't feel you have to reply.

wealdroam

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

The cheapest Advance fare quotas may sell out within hours. You don't have to book the out and return at the same time.

Whilst that is perfectly true, you could find yourself paying more than necessary.

Take a hypothetical journey where an Advance Single is available for the outward leg at £10. You could purchase that and wait for the cheap tickets for the return leg.
If the cheap Advance Singles never appear, you now need to buy a flexible single for the return leg.
That flexible single may be say £25.
But a flexible return ticket may only be £27.
So you have spent £35 for a return trip that may've been possible all along for £27.

The converse may also be true... while waiting for the cheaper return leg tickets, the cheap outward leg tickets may get sold out while waiting.

A bit of a gamble either way.

moonrakerz

Emmy_ wrote: »

Goodness, If it's that hard work, then don't feel you have to reply.

OK, if you don't want people to respond and save you money why do you post then ?:D

You asked for advice - I gave you a sound money saving tip, then you keep saying in effect that you are going to ignore that advice .............
carry on wasting your money then..............

Emmy_

moonrakerz wrote: »

OK, if you don't want people to respond and save you money why do you post then ?:D

You asked for advice - I gave you a sound money saving tip, then you keep saying in effect that you are going to ignore that advice .............
carry on wasting your money then..............

It the way you said it and also that fact that repsonding to my posts were becoming quite a chore. If they are, please don't reply.

Don't you think I looked around before booking booking train tickets in the past? Even with the £1 booking fee, the Trainline was still cheaper for the tickets that I booked at the time.

All I'd really like to know is when the best time exactly is to book the tickets I've mentioned in my original post.

There is no need to tell me my posts or becoming hard work etc. If you feel they are, then please ignore them in future.

I'll book where I choose to, after considering all the tips on here. As we all do after considering different tips and advice from other people.

dzug1

Emmy_ wrote: »

Don't you think I looked around before booking booking train tickets in the past? Even with the £1 booking fee, the Trainline was still cheaper for the tickets that I booked at the time.

.

Well it shouldn't have been. The most likely reason if it was is that you didn't look hard enough on the other sites. If it happens regularly rather than a one off glitch then that's a cast iron certainty.

Emmy_

Thought you might be interested to know that I've managed to get two x single adult tickets to London from Edinburgh for £33, leaving at 10am in the morning.

The return was £27.10 (which includes the free £10 e-voucher from redspottedhanky, so it was £37.10) for two adults, leaving London for Glasgow at 3pm.

Times suit and so do the prices! Both with East Coast trains.

So, £42.25 per adult return to London, including the single ticket to Edinburgh on the day we go. Not bad considering the increases in everything these days!

I did what I had been doing, looking, looking and looking!