MoneySavingExpert.com Cheapest Train Fares Article Discussion

KeithP

mooseshapedfrog wrote: »

<snip>
Does anyone use trainline.com anymore? Is there any reason to use it?

I hope not too many people use thetrainline. They charge a card fee and postage. Use one of the actual train companies instead.

I guess we will all have to wait patiently until June for the real bargaintrains, eh?

elliewelly_2

Hi,
I am taking my OH to London to see a show as a suprise in July. Obviously the price is going to mount up so I thought I was being really organised and set myself a reminder to buy tickets 12 weeks in advance of the date to get cheap train tickets.

But when I checked, tickets for Manchester to London going 26th July and returning 27th are approx £62 for the cheapest return ticket.

I thought that by booking in advance I would be able to get a discounted ticket.

Should I book now or wait? Does anyone know when the best time is to buy discounted tickets?

Your help would really be appreciated.

Thanks

dzug

You are trying to book too soon - just wait. (More detailed answer in the other thread you posted to)

Altarf

mooseshapedfrog wrote: »

My first post here! Was passed this link by a friend (www.spam.com).

Of course you were. Do you talk to yourself much?

HAVEFAITH

Hi, I am looking for 2 tickets for the next bank holiday weekend 24th ... returning on the 26th ... London to Newcastle ... anyone out there got any tips for train deals please?

greyjaybee

I know this has been covered in some depth here before, but I recently bought 2 excellent value single tickets for my journey in June, from Bath Spa to Angmering and returning 2 days later. (£7 each). Now I find, due to unforseen circumstances I wont bore anyone with I will have to get on the train at the first stop after Bath (Bradford on Avon) and get off there, to collect my car, on the return journey. I realise that technically this will be considered to be 'travelling short', but dont want to waste the tickets and wonder if, as I never intended trying to purposely avoid paying a standard return but merely took advantage of the cheap singles because I was able to book early, before things changed, if, should my tickets be checked, especially on the outward journey I will be asked to pay for another ticket, or indeed get chucked off ! Should I chance it ?:rolleyes:

dingleyhythe

I'm currently trying to book a number of journeys and, at least for journeys within the old Network Southeast area (Southern, Southcentral, FCC etc) thetainline won't find ANY return fares and hasn't for at least a week. The National express site finds them no problem (saving about £10 on the Kent-London ticket I need).

sawanderer

The following links are advertised as a trial for e-tickets that you need to print before travelling. Some also allow you to receive your ticket to your mobile phone.

The date up to which the tickets are available (the booking horizon) seem to change quite randomly and can often be quite close to the current date.

I've used the Virgin print@home a few times and they have worked really well and saved me LOADS!


London to Manchester
Virgin Trains e-ticketing
£7 - £9 each way
http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/VT/advancePurchase.aspx


London Liverpool Street to Cambridge
National Express East Anglia Digitix
£6 each way
http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/ONE/advancepurchase.aspx


Travel between: London Kings Cross, Eagleslciffe, Hartlepool, Northallerton, Sunderland, Thirsk and York
Grand Central Trains Digital Tickets
Standard Class and First Class tickets available
£2 - £117 each way depending on route and time
http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/GC/advancepurchase.aspx

London Thameslink Stations* to Luton Airport
(*St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge, Elephant and Castle)
First Capital Connect Airlink
Standard Class = £10
First Class = £16
http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/fcc/advancePurchase.aspx


London Marylebone to Birmingham, Stratford upon Avon, Great Missenden, Banbury and Bicester
Chiltern Railways E-Day Tickets
From £4
http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/tickets-and-fares/special-deals/e-day/

dzug1

dingleyhythe wrote: »

I'm currently trying to book a number of journeys and, at least for journeys within the old Network Southeast area (Southern, Southcentral, FCC etc) thetainline won't find ANY return fares and hasn't for at least a week. The National express site finds them no problem (saving about £10 on the Kent-London ticket I need).

mmm odd.

For many (but not all) journeys in the Network Southeast area there are simply NO period returns available, ever, and never have been. Day returns, yes, but otherwise just singles each way.

The National Express site should find the same fares (although it searches for them in a different way, it uses the same database) so something strange is happening. Maybe to do with today's fares 'simplification' - perhaps someone has programmed it wrong somewhere. Doubtless it will eventually get put right - whatever right is.

dingleyhythe

True for shorter journeys but for longer ones the old network awaybreaks etc were replaced by Savers some time ago and thus should either still be savers or be the new off peak returns unless 'simplification' (from the same brand of English as rationalisation - ie cuts) is being used as an excuse to drop them (in which case a complaint is in order as Savers are/were regulated and the only change should be the tightening of the peak restrictions). All the ones I've been looking at had Savers last year. Try Folkestone - Stansted for example (Trainline may be fixed now but the national express site is so much better I no longer use trainline).

dzug1 wrote: »

mmm odd.

For many (but not all) journeys in the Network Southeast area there are simply NO period returns available, ever, and never have been. Day returns, yes, but otherwise just singles each way.

The National Express site should find the same fares (although it searches for them in a different way, it uses the same database) so something strange is happening. Maybe to do with today's fares 'simplification' - perhaps someone has programmed it wrong somewhere. Doubtless it will eventually get put right - whatever right is.