Train price nightmare part 9

[Joe_Fox]

Yet again, the pricing system of Britain's rail network is confusing the hell out of me.

I simply want to get from Leeds to Birmingham on 22/11/08 and return to Leeds on 23/11/08.

I want to set off at around midday for both legs of the journey.

The cheapest I can find is £45.20 which is frankly too much.
I see that there are single tickets for £7 outward and £11 return but not at the times I want to travel.

Surely the advance tickets for this journey have not sold out already??? It's over a month before I plan to travel.

Are these train ticket prices accurate or are they just another example of the rubbish pricing systems we have in this country?

 

[bocadillo]

Yet again, the pricing system of Britain's rail network is confusing the hell out of me.

I simply want to get from Leeds to Birmingham on 22/11/08 and return to Leeds on 23/11/08.

I want to set off at around midday for both legs of the journey.

The cheapest I can find is £45.20 which is frankly too much.
I see that there are single tickets for £7 outward and £11 return but not at the times I want to travel.

Surely the advance tickets for this journey have not sold out already??? It's over a month before I plan to travel.

Are these train ticket prices accurate or are they just another example of the rubbish pricing systems we have in this country?

Weekend travel is often subject to disruption because of engineering works. To avoid inconvenience to passengers and no little embarrassment to themselves, Train Operating Companies do not issue Advance tickets until they have confirmation from National Rail about the services that they will be able to run on a given date.

I've checked the 'Booking Horizon' for weekend travel on Cross Country and they are only offering Advance tickets for weekend travel upto and including 15th/16th November, the weekend before you want to travel. You say though that you have found some Advance fares and I have been able to find them too; Cross Country have obviously been told that these particular trains are not going to be affected, so they have put them up so that people can get booked.

I would expect that Advance tickets will very soon be more generally available for your dates.

 

[Joe_Fox]

Thanks Boc - what prices are the return fares on the advance tickets for 15/16th Nov?

 

[bocadillo]

Thanks Boc - what prices are the return fares on the advance tickets for 15/16th Nov?

Nearest to your times is £35 return:

15/11 12:10 LDS - BHM - £18.50 First Class Advance
16/11 12:03 BHM - LDS - £16.50 Standard Advance


There's not a huge amount of availability though. Cross Country trains do not have many empty seats that need selling off.

 

[bocadillo]

If price is the main driver for your journey, you can do it on Megabus for £8.50 RETURN.

 

[Darth Vodka]

If price is the main driver for your journey, you can do it on Megabus for £8.50 RETURN.

or walk