MoneySavingExpert.com Cheap Train Tickets Article Discussion

paul_mcl

Not sure if this true elsewhere but GUILDFORD to LONDON...

If you travel after 11:30 am it's even cheaper, about 10%.

BUT the TICKET machines don't offer this, only the ticket offices.

This was only for 2 people day returns, including tube.

Thanks

dzug1

paul_mcl wrote: »

Not sure if this true elsewhere but GUILDFORD to LONDON...

If you travel after 11:30 am it's even cheaper, about 10%.

BUT the TICKET machines don't offer this, only the ticket offices.

This was only for 2 people day returns, including tube.

Thanks

It's true of most SouthWest trains services, and a few others (eg Chiltern)

Are you sure the ticket machines didn't offer it? You might have to hunt for it rather than being offered it upfront.

MoneyMiser

Hi,

I have got myself a hoxton hotel room for £29 and trying to get some cheap tickets from Manchester to London using the link below. For the last week it has said 'Site Busy', anyone know why and how I can get some of these cheap tickets?

http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/VT/MaxUsersOnSite.aspx

MM

stevros88

MoneyMiser wrote: »

Hi,

I have got myself a hoxton hotel room for £29 and trying to get some cheap tickets from Manchester to London using the link below. For the last week it has said 'Site Busy', anyone know why and how I can get some of these cheap tickets?

http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/VT/MaxUsersOnSite.aspx

MM

I've just tried it now and it still says site busy, so there could well be a problem with the system, as it's highly unlikely that the site will be at maximum capacity for a full week. When are you actually going down to London and coming back?

ticketcollector

rcgras wrote: »

hi

anyone can travel for cheap if they have registered and have a WAP enabled phone.

a sub-service of virgin trains allows you to buy tickets usually for within the next 2 weeks (a couple of days in advance is usually needed aswel) for anything between £3 and up.

This is for service specifically between Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston. I find this service particually useful as a student in london from manchester.

Once registered all you have to do is follow instructions on how to register mobile phone.

This service does state it is beta and possibly only around a little while. But for now its very useful, have a look
http://www.mobitix.thetrainline.com/vt/

the site often comes back to say 'busy' and quite possibly it is, but keep trying as it will load if you give it a few minutes/hours

love rob

Good luck getting it to work. I have been at throats with virmin over this and im still waiting for my tickets.

MoneyMiser

stevros88 wrote: »

I've just tried it now and it still says site busy, so there could well be a problem with the system, as it's highly unlikely that the site will be at maximum capacity for a full week. When are you actually going down to London and coming back?

Hoping to go down on the 23rd December and come back the following day.

Thanks,

MM

JayTeeBee_2

Its worth having a look at the Rovers and Rangers section on NR's website.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/rangers_and_rovers.html

For example, an Off Peak return (The new name for a Saver) costs £53.90 from my house in Hexham to Sheffield.

Yet, I can do this trip everyday of the week for £82 using a Freedom of the North East 7 Day Rover - A huge saving of £295!

You can use Railcards on it (except the Family Railcard), which means if you are Disabled, Under 25 or an owner of a Senior Railcard, you can get it for £54.

The catch? You can only travel after 0845 on weekdays.

Bueno_2

simply go to the first great western website and sign up for a £5 voucher, it states that it is one per journey but if you create some other email addresses and split your journey up you can use as many as you like as long as each bit is over £5!

BrianBlackmore

Some general tips for those that want to make the effort:
- If you have access to the electronic fares manual (known as Avantix Traveller, you can get it from the TSO bookshop, and it has leaked onto the web), you can find out every fare between any two places, all of the conditions, and who prices it!
- Different rail companies have different pricing policies, so simply knowing who prices where helps you work out how to get the best combination of tickets.
- It may be illegal to "travel short", however nearly all off peak, and anytime tickets now allow you to break your journey in either direction. So if anyone asks why you are getting off/on simply say you are breaking/resuming your journey, its almost impossible for them to prove otherwise. Check that a break of journey is permitted on your ticket before doing this though!
- If you are travelling on a Virgin train and have a railcard the "off peak" restrictions are relaxed, and you can travel on any train.
- Sometimes "borrowing" a kid can actually save you money, since then you can use a family railcard! Mix this with the Virgin trains relaxation and it can save you even more.
- Travelling from a PTE area (e.g. Centro, or West Yorkshire) a day rover to the boundary, followed by a ticket to cover the extension often saves you money. Some PTE's even have special cheap extensions, not all of which are very well advertised.
- Time restrictions are generally on specific trains not the ticket, sometimes using the same ticket but going a different route can save you money. The ATOC national routeing guide ( http://www.atoc.org/rsp/_downloads/Routeing_Guide/enrg.htm ) lets you know all the possible routes you can use with your ticket.

stevec59

Hi,
Is there a site comparison site for rail fares?My daughter wants to go From Great Yarmouth to Edinburgh,not bothered when,so flexible,might just be 1 way,she is 20yrs old, so she could get a 16-25 rail card(£24),but might not be worth it 1 way, I found £52.20 on National Rail,anything cheaper, she would like to get up there in the next week or 2..

Thanks

Steve