MoneySavingExpert.com Cheap Train Tickets Article Discussion

stevec59

Going away in March.looking to buy advance tickets but can't find anywhere for Debden (London Underground) to Gatwick Airport.Any thoughts?

Thanks

Steve

dzug1

stevec59 wrote: »

Going away in March.looking to buy advance tickets but can't find anywhere for Debden (London Underground) to Gatwick Airport.Any thoughts?

Thanks

Steve

There aren't any. Just buy on the day. FCC and Southern are cheaper than the Gatwick Express if you want to save

Suburban journeys generally don't have cheap advance tickets. It would be far too early to get them anyway.

dzug1

Skint_Student wrote: »

Was also intrigued by the mega bus deal from birmingham to sheffield for a quid I think. Wandered if anyone had worked this into a similar journey and had success.

Cheers.

Try it and see - I'd be surprised if after adding in the trip to Birmingham and then Sheffield to Lincoln it would work out any cheaper - or at least not enough to warrant the longer journey time unless you are really skint.

The £1 megabus deal you'll only get if you book soon after tickets come out - but they are still cheap even at the higher fare you pay nearer departure.

On the journeys I have done with them they have never actually sold out - but I suppose it can happen

looktothefuture

I commute every day from Wickford in Essex to Embankment and a day travel card is £25.60 :eek: . This commute involves a change at Liverpool street onto the London Underground (+/- 1 1/2 hrs in travelling one way!) and by golly it works out expensive, even with a weekly ticket which is in total £83.00 a week!

BUT

If you go to Upminster station (A short 15 minute car journey), use an Oyster card and get onto the District line the cost for the day from Upminster (Zone 6) to Embankment (Zone 1) is only £7.00! That's a whopping £18.60 saved a day! Now that's what I call a money saver! :T

stevec59

dzug1 wrote: »

There aren't any. Just buy on the day. FCC and Southern are cheaper than the Gatwick Express if you want to save

Suburban journeys generally don't have cheap advance tickets. It would be far too early to get them anyway.

Thanks,I am going with my friend and he (or his wife) has an Oyster card, will that save me anything?
I don't travell by rail, so i don't know anything about the Oyster card, is it worth me geting one? (I guess not for 1 return journey)

Steve

Shelle

I have been looking at trying to get the cheapest possible tickets for Newcastle to London for december. I do normally book 12 weeks in advance thus getting really good deals. However this trip has been sprung on me and very last minute hence expensive prices.

I have tried doing the split ticketing method, but it worked out about £8 MORE than the whole journey method. Anyone know of anything else I can do?

What I have done so far is:

one ticket (or 4 singles!):

4 December
Newcastle 3.55pm train £34.25

5 December
London Kings Cross 5pm train £124.50

Total cost for Whole tickets £158.75

Splitting Tickets


4 December
Newcastle 3.55pm train to York £10.70
York to Kings Cross £27.60

5 December
London 5pm to York £21.90
York to Newcastle £103.00

Total cost for split tickets £163.20

Can consider 4.28pm train to London on 4th, and 5.30pm train from London on 5th.

Any ideas how I can save more money as the split ticket at York doesnt work (or rather it works but is more money!)? Tried Doncaster but had difficulty finding trains at right time.

Really hoping someone has an idea?

Thanks

dzug1

The Oyster card will (depending on the type) cover or give a reduced price for the underground part of the journey.

It will save you a pound or two if you get one if you can be bothered to pay the £3 deposit and get it back after you return, but for one journey the savings are not massive.

Livingthedream

Shelle wrote: »

I have been looking at trying to get the cheapest possible tickets for Newcastle to London for december. I do normally book 12 weeks in advance thus getting really good deals. However this trip has been sprung on me and very last minute hence expensive prices.

I have tried doing the split ticketing method, but it worked out about £8 MORE than the whole journey method. Anyone know of anything else I can do?

What I have done so far is:

one ticket (or 4 singles!):

4 December
Newcastle 3.55pm train £34.25

5 December
London Kings Cross 5pm train £124.50

Total cost for Whole tickets £158.75

Splitting Tickets


4 December
Newcastle 3.55pm train to York £10.70
York to Kings Cross £27.60

5 December
London 5pm to York £21.90
York to Newcastle £103.00

Total cost for split tickets £163.20

Can consider 4.28pm train to London on 4th, and 5.30pm train from London on 5th.

Any ideas how I can save more money as the split ticket at York doesnt work (or rather it works but is more money!)? Tried Doncaster but had difficulty finding trains at right time.

Really hoping someone has an idea?

Thanks

If you don't mind traveling back from London Euston via Manchester then try this;
4 December
Newcastle 3.55pm train £34.25 as you described

5th Dec Rtn
London Euston to Manchester Picadilly 18:05 £64 Advance Single
Manchester Picadilly to Newcastle 21:42 £14 Advance Single
Total £112

If you can travel earlier it will work out cheaper going Kings cross - Leeds - Newcastle
It's a start I'll keep looking but it is a Friday and the trains are always very busy:T

Shelle

Thanks for that. Hadnt thought of using a different london station, although I wasnt aware of trains from Newcastle to anywhere but Kings Cross! You learn something new every day :j

Livingthedream

Shelle wrote: »

Thanks for that. Hadnt thought of using a different london station, although I wasnt aware of trains from Newcastle to anywhere but Kings Cross! You learn something new every day :j

Sorry if my post confused, you have to change trains at Manchester Picaddily