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London to Birmingham and back twice monthly

Hi all, I travel to Birmingham from London and back regularly but not enough for a season ticket etc. it’s generally 2 or 3 times a month, I can go from Marleybone or Euston and into new st or moor st with any service and I’m trying to work out if there’s a way of saving money on these bookings. It feels like they’re should be but unless I travel more regularly I can’t see anything that works? 

Comments

  • amanda1024
    amanda1024 Posts: 413 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Advance tickets can be quite a bit cheaper, if that helps
  • Sometimes a return ticket is cheaper starting from B to A to B than from  A to B to A if that makes sense? Worth checking.  At one time I had to travel from London to York once a week and the ticket starting from York was quite a lot cheaper, so I bought a single London to York and thereafter bought a return from York.  Also, are you eligible for any of the railcards?
  • MilesT6060842
    MilesT6060842 Posts: 230 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Sometimes a return ticket is cheaper starting from B to A to B than from  A to B to A if that makes sense? Worth checking.  At one time I had to travel from London to York once a week and the ticket starting from York was quite a lot cheaper, so I bought a single London to York and thereafter bought a return from York.  Also, are you eligible for any of the railcards?
    If you read the ticket conditions for most return tickets on the National Rail website you will see that to use the return portion of a ticket you must have used the outbound first (I think it even says you have to be in possession of the outbound to "validate" the return). 

    With modern electronic verification of many tickets using the tickets the "wrong way round" can be checked, and you might eventually be caught and prosecuted.  Similarly if you use a ticket that needs a tube transfer through London and don't actually use the final portion.

    However, what would be valid within the conditions is to have multiple sets of tickets on the go, such that you always use the outward and return portions in the right sequence but from a different starting point e.g. single A-B, outward B-A, return A-B, single B-A (or use a period return instead of the singles).

    To the OP's question:  ensure you check all the options for advances, splits (including "beyond and back" to a station a little way beyond where you want, and a local ticket back, which sometimes can be cheaper--the split ticket websites usually don't find those).  If you can start the journey a at a smaller station closer to london (car or bus first) you may also find a cheaper fare.  Especially if you can go to a station where service is from a different train operator.  Also ending your journey in London Zone 2 and completing by bus/Overground/Underground is worth a look.

    Finally, you may find the WMR/LNWR is cheaper/more reliable than Avanti.  XC may also be cheaper if possible for the trip (routing via Reading and then using Elizabeth line).
  • millie
    millie Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Chiltern Trains from Birmingham Moor Street are also much cheaper than Avanti.
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