Train travelling help

WorkFromHome

I live in Norwich and will be starting to go to Birmingham a few times a month as I need to go to the hospital there. I've only ever got the train to London before and that was ages ago. I can drive but won't be able to as I have to have operations.

What is the cheapest way to travel by train from Norwich to Birmingham over the next few months?

wealdroam

WorkFromHome wrote: »

I live in Norwich and will be starting to go to Birmingham a few times a month as I need to go to the hospital there. I've only ever got the train to London before and that was ages ago. I can drive but won't be able to as I have to have operations.

What is the cheapest way to travel by train from Norwich to Birmingham over the next few months?

Try putting your journey details into Trainsplit.

jbuchanangb

Hello

I looked some up at random

19/5 leave Norwich 9.30 arrive 13.27 advance single £13.50 via London.
19/5 leave Birmingham 18.10 arrive Norwich 22.29 £16.50 via London

The best cheap advance fares will always be via London, even though there is a route via Ely.

The journey time via London is about 15-20 minutes longer than via Ely. You have to take a tube from Liverpool Street to Euston Square and walk along to Euston.

You might be lucky and get an advance single via Ely, but my random look was showing about £33.

The off-peak return via Ely is £84.70

WorkFromHome

So I'd have to go via London plus get a tube ticket to be able to transfer?

jbuchanangb

For the cheapest fare the route is via London, but the tube travel is included in the fare. You don't need to get an additional ticket.

colcheslad

You could split at Peterborough to avoid having to go through London.

Norwich to Peterborough - £20.90 rtn (1hr 30mins)
Peterborough to Birmingham - £35.80 rtn (1hr 50mins)

So £55 return, 2hrs 20mins in total (depending on connections).

These are off-peak returns so you are not limited to one particular train, might be handy knowing how hospital appointments can overrun!

giraffe69

Norwich to Peterborough - £20.90 rtn (1hr 30mins)
Peterborough to Birmingham - £35.80 rtn (1hr 50mins)

So £55 return, 2hrs 20mins in total (depending on connections).

Looks like 3hrs 20 to me!

colcheslad

Doh! It sure is, I blame the long day

jbuchanangb

I think you have to compare the fares and the time tables. I just compared a different date, 16th June

Two departures from Norwich via London, namely 8am and 8.30am with advance single of £13.50. Return from Birmingham at 18.10 also £13.50. Round trip £27.

If the OP has any chance of a railcard, then there's one-third (£9) to knock off that.

The original question was - what is the cheapest fare, Norwich to Birmingham.

If you know your hospital appointments well enough in advance - you can get these fares. The reason they are so cheap is because you are catching a Virgin train from Euston leaving after the morning peak, and there is a train every 20 minutes from Euston to Birmingham. You do have to travel on the specific booked train.

You can't even use an off-peak return on the route via Ely until the 9.57 departure from Norwich, and then the return fare is £84.70. You could use ticket splitting, but I stand by my opinion that the best deal is the advance purchase single via London