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London to Birmingham and back twice monthly
DarrenHughes
Posts: 10 Forumite
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?
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Comments
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Advance tickets can be quite a bit cheaper, if that helps0
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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?0
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prettyandfluffy said: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?
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).0 -
Chiltern Trains from Birmingham Moor Street are also much cheaper than Avanti.0
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