Train ticket getting them cheaper

rockchick113

I all, just my take on getting some cheaper train travel.
Me and my better half are traveling to Berwick on tweed in June. trainline was coming in at well over £250.
Using ticket split websites got it down to £135 for both of us, but some of the times was a bit tight for us( only 5 mins between changing trains ) so taking the ticket spit itinerary I changed a few of the times, went and booked myself on trainline got it down to £115 for both of us.
+ cash back as well.
So it pays to have a play around on different sites and use them to you advantage.

Owain_Moneysaver

And if you'd used a train operator's website you wouldn't have had to pay Trainline's booking fees, so it would have been even cheaper.

rockchick113

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

And if you'd used a train operator's website you wouldn't have had to pay Trainline's booking fees, so it would have been even cheaper.

Sorry forgot to say also used cash back on trainline

lisyloo

Did you get a two together railcard?

Voyager2002

saxonman wrote: »

Sorry forgot to say also used cash back on trainline

Several Train Operating Companies also offer cashback, still without the fees.

rockchick113

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Several Train Operating Companies also offer cashback, still without the fees.

Ok so I’m not truly money saving, I was just making a comment on using different sites you get get cheaper tickets.

jbuchanangb

The trainsplit website has advanced options to enable you to specify longer change over times, if that helps you. And indeed a Two Together Railcard would have saved you a bag of cash, probably more than the cashback!

[Deleted User]

i only ever look for fare prices on National Rail Enquiries...Am I missing out not trying these tag along booking companies ? can they be cheaper than NRE ?.. I always associate booking websites for hotels , theatres etc as just grossly inflating the prices just for the convenience of booking over the internet.

Voyager2002

Houbara wrote: »

i only ever look for fare prices on National Rail Enquiries...Am I missing out not trying these tag along booking companies ? can they be cheaper than NRI ?.. I always associate booking websites for hotels , theatres etc as just grossly inflating the prices just for the convenience of booking over the internet.

The sites like Trainline cannot possibly be cheaper than buying directly from the companies that operate the trains. I have never tried NRI but would expect that most of the time it would be similar to the train operating companies (and when you buy from it you are passed on to a train operating company to complete the purchase).

The exception is that some companies sometimes offer special fares on their own websites that are not offered elsewhere, so unless you check with the company that is operating the train on which you propose to travel you might possibly miss out on a lower fare.

yorkie2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

The sites like Trainline cannot possibly be cheaper than buying directly from the companies that operate the trains. I have never tried NRI but would expect that most of the time it would be similar to the train operating companies (and when you buy from it you are passed on to a train operating company to complete the purchase).

The exception is that some companies sometimes offer special fares on their own websites that are not offered elsewhere, so unless you check with the company that is operating the train on which you propose to travel you might possibly miss out on a lower fare.

Not just special offers, and on their own websites, for example some fares that are set by Greater Anglia:-

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/possible-to-buy-this-fare-online.182370/#post-3996070

arb wrote:

I've also had this problem before (albeit to London Terminals rather than a travelcard, and with a Gold Card discount rather than Network Railcard). See https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/greater-anglia-only-weekend-super-off-peak-day-return-cambridge-to-london.178261/ - the conclusion was that it's been given a non-standard ticket type code and not all booking engines know that they're allowed to sell it. Greater Anglia, CrossCountry and TrainSplit would sell it to me, but nobody else.

And some fares are not available on a train company's own website, e.g. Serco Caledonian Sleeper: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/caledonian-sleeper-walk-on-fares.183329/#post-4028105

Hadders wrote:

Online ticket sites won’t sell a ticket, even without a reservation, for this train (Trainsplit excepted). While those of us in the know on this forum would simply select another journey and travel anyway a ‘normal’ passenger isn’t going to realise this and take a risk, especially when all the publicity says reservations are compulsory.

It’s long been my view that Serco are trying to kill of the use of the sleeper as a ‘day train’ by stealth.

Hadders wrote:

It's not easy to get a seat reservation though, even their own website won't do it. Trainsplit will do it though.

laserbeam

I always use Rail Easy and have never had a problem but always book well in advance the further in advance the better.