never brought a train ticket before?! where do i start?

BP77

hi,
i need to travel to cardiff from exeter, probably at the weekend in the next couple weeks (date not confirmed yet).

I have never actually purchased a train ticket as i usually drive everywhere, but not possible for this journey, and dont know where the cheapest place to look would be. it would be for 2 possibally 3 adults, need to arrive in cardiff between 8am and 5pm. It would be a one-way journey.

any help appreciated. thanks

dzug

BP77 wrote: »

hi,
i need to travel to cardiff from exeter, probably at the weekend in the next couple weeks (date not confirmed yet).

I have never actually purchased a train ticket as i usually drive everywhere, but not possible for this journey, and dont know where the cheapest place to look would be. it would be for 2 possibally 3 adults, need to arrive in cardiff between 8am and 5pm. It would be a one-way journey.

any help appreciated. thanks

The booking office at Exeter St Davids (or Central - not sure if it has one though) may be the best place to start. Ask them if there are advance purchase singles available. They will have access to the same range of tickets as booking on line, at the same prices. Also ask about Groupsave - not available online. 3 (or 4) travel for the price of 2, off-peak.

If you want to book online http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/ is as good as any. You'll need to register and pay by debit or credit card. Tickets can be posted or picked up at a fast ticket machine if Exeter has one.

Make sure you specify single when it comes to looking for fares (after the times are displayed) - it defaults to an open return if you don't.

teeb

The cheapest way to buy a train ticket (I am amazed you have never bought a train ticket before, that must take some doing!) would be on the internet, as far in advance as possible as generally it's cheaper in advance.

First, look at what train companies serve the route you want - in this case, it appears to be Cross Country from Exeter to Newport, then change onto an Arriva Trains Wales train to Cardiff. Total journey time tends to be about 2 hours 15 minutes. Cheapest ticket I can find, booking the journey in one big go, is £17 per person. You can probably make that cheaper by playing around with fares, as described in Martin's train ticket article.

dzug

teeb wrote: »

The cheapest way to buy a train ticket (I am amazed you have never bought a train ticket before, that must take some doing!) would be on the internet, as far in advance as possible as generally it's cheaper in advance.

.

Exactly the same offers are available at station booking offices - ie cheap advance purchase fares. And by phone. You don't HAVE to use the internet to get them, but it's often the most convenient way.

dzug

The cheapest possible fare is £8 - though on a couple of days in early March I couldn't find any availability. £10.50 fares were available on virtually every train.

Even at short notice you should be able to beat the £30 odd standard single.

Nikko5

teeb wrote: »

First, look at what train companies serve the route you want - in this case, it appears to be Cross Country from Exeter to Newport, then change onto an Arriva Trains Wales train to Cardiff. Total journey time tends to be about 2 hours 15 minutes. Cheapest ticket I can find, booking the journey in one big go, is £17 per person. You can probably make that cheaper by playing around with fares, as described in Martin's train ticket article.

If you get a Great Western Service from Exeter, rather than Cross Country - and change at Bristol - you can get a 1st Minute Fare Exeter-Cardiff for £8 single if you book far enough in advance. Same fare £5.50 from Taunton-Cardiff if you live to the North of Exeter and that's an option. £8 is also the approx. price for a GroupSave day single fare if you have 4 people travelling (or multiples thereof).

There used to be one direct train on a Saturday Exeter-Cardiff with Arriva Trains Wales, but I can't see it listed for the next couple of Saturdays so perhaps it doesn't run any more.....

There IS a fast ticket machine at Exeter St. David's, but not Exeter Central.

teeb

dzug wrote: »

Exactly the same offers are available at station booking offices - ie cheap advance purchase fares. And by phone. You don't HAVE to use the internet to get them, but it's often the most convenient way.

Oh, but that means talking to a real person...:p