Cheap train tickets to London

first78

Can someone please point me in the direction of where to look for these. I'm travelling from Stoke on Trent to London Euston on 6th July and coming back on 8th July. Need 2 adult fares.

I know it's too early to book in advance but looking at the tickets on the tranline website for June it's £107 one way, each!!! :eek:
I'm never good at finding cheap tickets...please can someone point me in the right direction.

Alisha2008

I'm sorry, dunno how you are looking.. just tried same days (Fri-Sun) in May and the price is £33 return..... and this is a normal fare, not advance one... (advance would be much cheaper but it's not available all days)

I checked here: http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/

whatmichaelsays

Register for an email alert for when advance tickets become available: http://www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert/

They go to the Virgin Trains site to book. Remember though that discounted 'outbound' tickets and 'return' tickets may not be released on the same day.

p00hsticks

you can see when advance tickets become available by looking at the 'find out when to buy advance tickets' tab halfway doewn thsi virgin trains website page

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/tickets-offers/?VTCAMPAIGN00000890

(it currently shows that advance tickets are available up to 14th June.)

Then use the 'best fare finder' link to the right of the same page to see what tickets are available when and buy them.

The cheapest available tickets for Stoke to Euston (without a railcard) are £11.50 each way (advance), which are only valid on the specified train, but you may struggle to get these on a Friday, as they are limited in number and I think that Friday is the most popular day.

p00hsticks

Forgot to add - the generally cheaper option on that route for off-peak (rather than advance) fares is to travel on the London Midland trains rather than the Virgin ones. These are slower but generally cheaper (unless you can get the very cheap virgin advance ticekts that restrict you to a particular train.) .

http://www.londonmidland.com/

and check out (or re-post on) the Cheap railfares page on the Public Transport board for more tips

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/18454

mintymoneysaver

Book 12 weeks before and use the national rail enquiries website rather than a particular company or trainline. They're booking up to 21st June as of today.

bylromarha

mintymoneysaver wrote: »

Book 12 weeks before and use the national rail enquiries website rather than a particular company or trainline. They're booking up to 21st June as of today.

Do national rail enquiries offer an email alert service like trainline do? Just had a look through their site and can't find it. Please could you post a link if they do? Thanks

lovesabargain123

I always find the cheapest fairs on virgin fare finder( put it in google as cheaper than normal virgin) the fairs come out 12 weeks before.
Booking as a return can sometimes be cheaper too...
Also have a play round with when you can change, I'm going from Preston to London,we are a family of 4 . £72 each way for the adults and half price for the kids on the dates I want but by going from Preston to Manchester and Manchester to London buying the fares separately I'm getting it for £12 manc to London per adult and half for kids and I think it's about £28 return for the 4 of us Preston to Manchester
I hope that makes sense,
X
Ps another thought look at the thread on quick,grabbit while you can as there is an offer for £10 off redspottedhanky.com...book separately and use 2 emails off and you get a tender off each :rotfl:

mintymoneysaver

bylromarha wrote: »

Do national rail enquiries offer an email alert service like trainline do? Just had a look through their site and can't find it. Please could you post a link if they do? Thanks

I'm not sure that they do I'm afraid.

wealdroam

bylromarha wrote: »

Do national rail enquiries offer an email alert service like trainline do? Just had a look through their site and can't find it. Please could you post a link if they do? Thanks

I don't think they do the email thing.

They do however have a summary on their website of the booking horizons which of course are not necessarily the same across all the train operating companies.

Unfortunately it isn't always right up to date.
It is currently saying...

Advance ticket & reservation information last updated 23 March 2012

which is over a week ago.