Why "Ticket Splitting" is Worth It!

20aday

Hello.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

My sister is returning from Australia for a week in early March and we are looking at going to Edinburgh overnight.

Using East Midlands Trains a return journey would cost £90.60 per person.

Splitting the journey from Derby to Sheffield, Sheffield to York and then from York through Edinburgh I have managed to get it down to £20.80 each!

Granted it means changing a couple of times but if you play your cards right you can save a small fortune.

Mrs_Ryan

I've done that to Newcastle before and I'm going to York on Tuesday which I've got for £14 from Leicester.

cookie365

If your train stops at the station where you transition from one ticket to the next, you don't even have to change trains.

wilsonjack10

it really can save big money! There's even sites which do the work for you

skipness

20aday wrote: »

Hello.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

My sister is returning from Australia for a week in early March and we are looking at going to Edinburgh overnight.

Using East Midlands Trains a return journey would cost £90.60 per person.

Splitting the journey from Derby to Sheffield, Sheffield to York and then from York through Edinburgh I have managed to get it down to £20.80 each!

Granted it means changing a couple of times but if you play your cards right you can save a small fortune.

Yes, split ticketing can save you plenty of money, especially if you book well in advance.
I would query the need to change a couple of times.
1) East Midlands Trains to either Derby or Sheffield
2) Cross Country Trains from Derby or Sheffield to Edinburgh

The alternative would be Virgin East Coast from Kings Cross with no changes. This may be quicker as some trains are direct London to York and then don't call at as many stations from York to Edinburgh. However, they may turn out to be more expensive.

If using Cross Country and you know your timings then I strongly advise you to reserve seats as some of the trains are only 4 coaches long and can get crowded.

yorkie2

skipness wrote: »

Yes, split ticketing can save you plenty of money, especially if you book well in advance.
I would query the need to change a couple of times.
1) East Midlands Trains to either Derby or Sheffield
2) Cross Country Trains from Derby or Sheffield to Edinburgh

The alternative would be Virgin East Coast from Kings Cross with no changes. This may be quicker as some trains are direct London to York and then don't call at as many stations from York to Edinburgh. However, they may turn out to be more expensive.

If using Cross Country and you know your timings then I strongly advise you to reserve seats as some of the trains are only 4 coaches long and can get crowded.

To get a really good price for Derby-Edinburgh it may be necessary to avoid the use of XC trains for much (or all) of the journey, and for a journey from Derby you wouldn't go via London.

The fares quoted will be Advance fares, so compulsory seat reservations will be included.

silvercar

Is there any way to choose the reserved seats.

On Xmas eve I could have saved £4 by split ticketing but couldn't see a way to force both tickets to the same seat. Rather than run the risk of having to move seats (if the seat had been re-allocated for the portion of my journey that was on the second ticket) and finding my second seat occupied, I didn't split. There was also the hassle factor of having to move down the train with lots of luggage on a train that was incredibly busy.

yorkie2

silvercar wrote: »

Is there any way to choose the reserved seats..

Yes, at a ticket office, telesales, or certain websites (XC and VTEC - but only for journeys with that operator - are two I know of).

skipness

yorkie2 wrote: »

and for a journey from Derby you wouldn't go via London.

.

Sorry, I misread the OP's initial post mentioning Australia and assumed the relative was flying in to Heathrow rather than starting from Derby.

Assuming the £20 fare is on Cross Country there should be no need to change trains at all.

yorkie2

skipness wrote: »

Assuming the £20 fare is on Cross Country there should be no need to change trains at all.

I agree there is no need to change trains.

However, it sounds like the OP is using multiple operators, each of whom charge a lower price than XC, in order to bring the price down. York to Edinburgh is often cheaper on VTEC than on XC, and you get a better quality of train.

It's not that splitting requires changing trains - it absolutely does not, as you correctly say - but finding the absolute cheapest deal may well require it.

20aday

Just a slight update to my original post from a few weeks ago.

My sister decided in the end we'd be changing too often (and in my case to obtain the cheapest deal I did have to 'change') so we're flying to Edinburgh instead.

But going back to my OP if you play your cards right you can save (even in the face of Annual Inflation).