train help please

[lazzer]

The old bastard wants to go Newcastle instead as he thinks he will get to consett easier from there although the way he just coughed he might not feckin make it

 

[Blue Maniac]

The old bastard wants to go Newcastle instead as he thinks he will get to consett easier from there although the way he just coughed he might not feckin make it

**** it. Tell him to get the early morning coach to London...

 

[Jeff]

The old bastard wants to go Newcastle instead as he thinks he will get to consett easier from there although the way he just coughed he might not feckin make it

There are some £17.80 (with a disable railcard) advance singles available (so £35.60 total). You should be able to find them here: http://www.redspottedhanky.com/ or at a station. They might not be available much longer though, so the sooner he buys them the better.

 

[Joe_Fox]

A more sensible split of tickets is this (all off peak tickets that can be bought on the day of travel):
Leicester - Derby - £10.20 return
Derby - Sheffield - £10.80 return
Sheffield - York - £19 return.
York - Durham - £32.70 return.
Total £72.70

Although that uses four tickets, as long as you buy them all before starting the first journey there's only one change of trains required, at Sheffield.

What a ****ing shambles the UK's train fares are. Why should exactly the same journey cost more if less tickets are printed? Farcical and embarrassing.

 

[Jeff]

What a ****ing shambles the UK's train fares are. Why should exactly the same journey cost more if less tickets are printed? Farcical and embarrassing.

There are a few reasons for this.

Longer distance journeys don't have day returns, which are the cheapest return tickets. I think this is because people aren't expected to go there and back the same day. So only period returns (you can return up to 30 days later), are available. This extra flexibility costs more.

Another reason is that prices are set by lots of different train companies, and some are more expensive than others. For example the fares from Leicester to the North East are set by East Coast trains and Cross Country trains. But by splitting the journey you may be able to use fares on parts of the route that are set by East Midlands, Northern or Transpennine, which may be cheaper.

Often the cheaper fare will only be available on slower less comfortable trains.

There are also parts of the country where train fares are set by the local authority, so tickets within those areas can be cheaper.

 

[spionfox]

What a ****ing shambles the UK's train fares are.

There are a few reasons for this.

Longer distance journeys don't have day returns, which are the cheapest return tickets. I think this is because people aren't expected to go there and back the same day. So only period returns (you can return up to 30 days later), are available. This extra flexibility costs more.

Another reason is that prices are set by lots of different train companies, and some are more expensive than others. For example the fares from Leicester to the North East are set by East Coast trains and Cross Country trains. But by splitting the journey you may be able to use fares on parts of the route that are set by East Midlands, Northern or Transpennine, which may be cheaper.

Often the cheaper fare will only be available on slower less comfortable trains.

There are also parts of the country where train fares are set by the local authority, so tickets within those areas can be cheaper.

I'm with Joe-Fox on this.

 

[Jeff]

I'm with Joe-Fox on this.

I wasn't disagreeing with him, just explaining the reasons for it.

I'm currently trying to find the best way to get from Warrington to London during the morning peak in three weeks. My journey from Carlisle to Warrington is costing me £3 with Megatrain. If I want to stay on that train all the way to London it will cost another £122. I've looked at about 10 different options so far, with prices ranging from £19 to the full peak fare of £122. The cheapest alternative involves a 15 minute walk, a short train journey, then a 3 hour journey on an uncomfortable train. I'll probably take a slightly faster but a bit more expensive route that involves a change at Birmingham. But I'll get to London 2 hours later than I would have done if I'd got the fastest train.

The only option the journey planners would give me is the direct, but more expensive route. You need to know the system and have time to look at all the options to get the best fare for a lot of journeys.

 

[SwedeFox]

The only option the journey planners would give me is the direct, but more expensive route. You need to know the system and have time to look at all the options to get the best fare for a lot of journeys.

So is the trick to go to each regional train company and check the price for part of your route, for example Warrington-Birmingham? That's what I do to get the cheapest flight tickets with 'from a to b' airlines such as Ryanair. Involves stops in various small airports around Europe but if you don't mind that it's a lot cheaper...

 

[Jeff]

So is the trick to go to each regional train company and check the price for part of your route, for example Warrington-Birmingham? That's what I do to get the cheapest flight tickets with 'from a to b' airlines such as Ryanair. Involves stops in various small airports around Europe but if you don't mind that it's a lot cheaper...

You don't need to go to lots of train websites, they all sell tickets for each others trains. There are a few exceptions to the rule though. The trick is knowing what the cheaper options might be, and how to make the ticket sites show you those options. Often the cheaper options don't need a change of train company or train, just a split of tickets.

 

[Joe_Fox]

Cheers for the rationale webbo but I still think it's pretty shambolic

 

[bocadillo]

Cheers for the rationale webbo but I still think it's pretty shambolic

The option is probably two standard prices; one for peak and another for off-peak - with no bargain prices available.

 

[Jeff]

The option is probably two standard prices; one for peak and another for off-peak - with no bargain prices available.

But you'd have to have the option to have a difference in prices between two different operators on the same route. For example it wouldn't make sense to pay the same for a Virgin train from Crewe to London as it would for a London Midland train on the same route.

 

[Blaarev]

:icon_eek: :icon_eek: :icon_eek:

Right then, this sounds too complicated for me;

So how do I get from London to Birmingham on Tue Oct.22 without going broke? Need to be in B'ham before 3PM but earlier would be fine. No return needed as I'm flying out from B'ham Airport

 

[Jeff]

:icon_eek: :icon_eek: :icon_eek:

Right then, this sounds too complicated for me;

So how do I get from London to Birmingham on Tue Oct.22 without going broke? Need to be in B'ham before 3PM but earlier would be fine. No return needed as I'm flying out from B'ham Airport

The station for the airport is Birmingham International.

You should be able to do the journey on a nice fast train, for £1.50.


If you buy now you can get tickets for £6 on London Midland (slow uncomfortable trains), or £7.50 on Virgin (better, faster trains).
You can buy now and collect at the station before you travel. http://www.redspottedhanky.com/

You can also buy tickets for some of the Virgin services from http://www.Megabus.com but they've not got any yet for the date you want. I expect a suitable train for your journey will be available for £1 (+50p booking fee), in a couple of weeks. No ticket required for that, you just need the reference number they give you when you buy.

 

[Blaarev]

The station for the airport is Birmingham International.

You should be able to do the journey on a nice fast train, for £1.50.


If you buy now you can get tickets for £6 on London Midland (slow uncomfortable trains), or £7.50 on Virgin (better, faster trains).
You can buy now and collect at the station before you travel. http://www.redspottedhanky.com/

You can also buy tickets for some of the Virgin services from http://www.Megabus.com but they've not got any yet for the date you want. I expect a suitable train for your journey will be available for £1 (+50p booking fee), in a couple of weeks. No ticket required for that, you just need the reference number they give you when you buy.

Thanks . Sounds like I can get there without going broke.

But I see that I wasn't clear enough. I'm staying over in Bham until the next day so what I really need is to get to the City Centre, not the airport.

Will check out the links you posted.

 

[Blaarev]

I checked http://www.redspottedhanky.com/

That wasn't complicated! What was I afraid off in the first place? (I understand that Carlisle-Warrington-London can get a bit more complicated though)

Thanks for your help, Jeff!

 

[bocadillo]

But you'd have to have the option to have a difference in prices between two different operators on the same route. For example it wouldn't make sense to pay the same for a Virgin train from Crewe to London as it would for a London Midland train on the same route.

Agreed. But that would lead to people feeling that they had to split-ticket again.

 

[bocadillo]

I checked http://www.redspottedhanky.com/

That wasn't complicated! What was I afraid off in the first place?

Ah! But did you compare the prices from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street?

And did you consider the slower (and usually cheaper) London Midland service which uses almost the same route as the Virgin service?

 

[Nottingham Fox]

Ah! But did you compare the prices from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street?

And did you consider the slower (and usually cheaper) London Midland service which uses almost the same route as the Virgin service?

I think you're going even more senile :icon_sad:

 

[Blaarev]

Ah! But did you compare the prices from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street?

And did you consider the slower (and usually cheaper) London Midland service which uses almost the same route as the Virgin service?

Eh.......... no? Or does redspottydotty do that for me?
And yes, £7.50 sounds reasonable for Virgin. Would only save £1.50 with London Midland.