Best way to book train tickets

[London_Calling]

It really depends on the journey.

On longer trips it's usually better to split the journey; like a return from London to just outside London, from there a return to Exeter, and a third return from Exeter to Penzance - it's mad but you can save huge amounts that way rather than booking the whole journey in one ticket. Also, it's always more expesive travelling 'via London'.

The other tip is - if you know this far in advance - book up to 12 weeks before you go as that's when the train companies are legally obliged to publish their timetables and offer fares. It's when the biggest discounts are available.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

I'm going to try your tips london calling

I find that the national rail site isn't good for getting information about rail card fares

I generally try two to three different sites for the same journey - thats ludicrous that I have to do that

if its in the southeastern network
I tend to start with trainline for ease of timetable
then I google the train operator
then i go to that website direct - what a fucking faff!!!!!!!!!!

if its going north west
straight to virgin if its well in advance


tbh its easier booking tickets going to germany (and politer) than trying to get a good fare to do a day trip london to gloucestershire and back this sunday

 

[Miss-Shelf]

I've now been inspired to get a cheaper ticket by multi ticketing

I've got a fare down from 42 to 26 to go london to kemble on sunday and back - by buying a ticket for every stage of the journey (and can use network card on first two legs)

how ridiculous is that though??????

 

[London_Calling]

Nice one.

Mine's a pint!

 

[quimcunx]

Cunting Fucking National Rail Enquiries..

..... have just made me waste 15 quid of real money!



Stupid calendar running from Sunday to Saturday. Who fucking runs a calendar from Sunday to Saturday?!!!



And when did it start redirecting you to the operator's site?????

 

[Miss-Shelf]

dont buy from national rail - just use it to get train information - then go to another site

 

[quimcunx]

I didn't buy from them. When I pressed buy it took me to virgin. so virgin aren't going to give me my money back, it's not their fault. And NR aren't going to give me my money back as they didn't take any money off me.

 

[quimcunx]

http://www.splitfare.co.uk/

It's shut down.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

you can do your own split fare:

got to national rail to find out train operator destination and all the stops

then go to trainline or a direct site for the operator and split your journey into as many legs as you can be bothered to do and see if you save money

on first great western it saved money
virgin it worked out more expensive to split the fare

also if you've got a network care you'll be able to save on the initial legs of the journey

but the bottom line is we shouldn't have to do this to get a reasonable fare!!!!!!!

 

[quimcunx]

I was at the counter at Euston tonight (having failed to retrieve all of my tickets from the machine at lunchtime ) and asked the guy about the new ticketing structure. He said it was far too complicated.

I am a disaster when it comes to trains and tickets. You'd think I liked wasting money I don't have.

 

[chainsaw cat]

You should put them on expenses and then you wouldn't mind so much.


(((((Quimcunx))))))


I just hope you are going somewhere nice.

 

[zenie]

Hmm trying to go from London to Honeybourne in January, same day return is coming up as £32.00 does that sound right? It's on the Paddington to Worcester line I think. I've tried National Rail and FGW and Trainline.

Wondering where to split tickets on the line?

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/Route Map October 2007.pdf

I need to go here a couple of times next year so will be booking a few tickets.

 

[Roadkill]

£32 is the standard day-return fare, according to trainline. That's reasonable IMO, given the distance.

There's no hurry to book it, though: that £32 is the walk-up fare so you could leave it right up until the morning you go and it won't get any more expensive. Tickets for individual trains go on sale three months ahead, so if you're travelling later in the month it'd be as well to leave it a few weeks: cheaper fares booked on particular trains might become available.

Not sure what you mean by splitting tickets - it's a direct service, with one train company.

 

[Bungle73]

Not sure what you mean by splitting tickets - it's a direct service, with one train company.

For some odd reason it can be cheaper to buy two tickets for a journey rather than one. What you do is buy one ticket from your starting station to an intermediate station (as long as the train stops there), and another from the intermediate station to your destination.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

For some odd reason it can be cheaper to buy two tickets for a journey rather than one. What you do is buy one ticket from your starting station to an intermediate station (as long as the train stops there), and another from the intermediate station to your destination.

Very, very important.

 

[Roadkill]

For some odd reason it can be cheaper to buy two tickets for a journey rather than one. What you do is buy one ticket from your starting station to an intermediate station (as long as the train stops there), and another from the intermediate station to your destination.

There are instances where that is true, yes, but it usually applies to journeys involving a change, and more than one TOC. Neither of those applies here.

 

[London_Calling]

Wondering where to split tickets on the line?

Fwiw, I work on the unproven principle that anything that involves London is more expensive so what I do to begin with is take the shortest journey out of London (so probably to the first stop) and the rest is the second ticket. If it's a long second journey it might be worth playing around with splitting that as well.

 

[ethel]

£9 one way offer on nxec http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/9

 

[_pH_]

I've found a way to get free travel on Southern, Southeastern and London Midland and 75% off with other TOCs.

 

[roryer]

For a sticky thread I would add some important numbers for your cell phone, not for buying a ticket, but its very useful to know train and bus times when on the move.

08457 48 49 50 national rail enquiries, tells you times, delays, route options etc..

0871 200 22 33 traveline for trains and buses out of London

0207 222 1234 - TfL enquiries -

 

[moose]

One thing I observed this weekend, when I took a cross-country train ride for the first time for decades: always reserve a seat (luckily I had). There were lots of people who had to sit on the floor or stand, all the way from Manchester to Edinburgh.

 

[London_Calling]

For people going up north this may be interesting - but you only have until tomorrow:

National Express East Coast £9 tickets
URGENT! Ends Wed 4 Nov

You can get £9 one-way tickets to and from anywhere along the National Express East Coast route, a great offer as the line runs from London right up to Edinburgh, with destinations including York, Glasgow and Newcastle.

It’s valid for travel between Thurs 19 Nov 09 and Sun 24 Jan 2010, excluding the festive period 18 Dec 09 – 5 Jan 2010. To get it, book online by midnight on Weds 4 Nov, print the travel voucher and make sure you take it with you.

The offer’s subject to availability, so grab your tickets early. There’s limited availability on Friday and Sunday afternoons, and it’s only valid for Standard Class seats on selected off-peak services. It isn’t valid with railcards, child discounts or other offers. See full terms.

Voucher

 

[Doppelgänger]

I'm really pleased with myself as I managed to book a ticket to Brighton for just £3 (£6) return for December. Normally an on the day open return is £27! I know that I'll be restricted to which train I use but I'm still pretty happy.

 

[aylee]

I'd start here http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ - you can check times and prices

I used to, but the new website is shockingly rubbish.

 

[Shevek]

One thing I observed this weekend, when I took a cross-country train ride for the first time for decades: always reserve a seat (luckily I had). There were lots of people who had to sit on the floor or stand, all the way from Manchester to Edinburgh.

fucking disgraceful. You should get a reduction on your fare.

 

[London_Calling]

40% Advance Fare offer

For example: travel from London Victoria to Brighton for as little as £3.00 each way

To take advantage of this super deal you need to book your Advance ticket online before 30th April. Booking online is so quick and easy, simply choose which date and time you would like to travel, and remember we don't add booking fees or credit card charges. We hope you can take advantage of this great offer to make your Southern journey even better value.

Southern

 

[Miss-Shelf]

can anyone help me find information about travelling on southeastern out to one station and return from another

two single fares add up to £20 more than a return to one of them

Obviously I could go to the station at the start of the journey and find out (but where;s the fun in that?)

 

[Bungle73]

can anyone help me find information about travelling on southeastern out to one station and return from another

two single fares add up to £20 more than a return to one of them

Obviously I could go to the station at the start of the journey and find out (but where;s the fun in that?)

It depends where the stations are. If they're on the same line just buy a return to the furthest away station. If they're not on the same line just buy a return to the starting station, and when you arrive at the return station buy a single from there to where ever the line it's on joins up with the line your starting station is on (akfaik the train you catch has to call at that station). That's what I do.

For reference SouthEastern's customer service no. is 0845 000 2222 .

 

[punchdrunkme]

I just wanted to add that megabus have started doing train tickets now. Im not sure how they do it and the routes and times avalible are a bit random. But i managed to get a single from preston to birmingham for 3 quid. Worth checking when booking tickets.

 

[Badgers]

I just wanted to add that megabus have started doing train tickets now. Im not sure how they do it and the routes and times avalible are a bit random. But i managed to get a single from preston to birmingham for 3 quid. Worth checking when booking tickets.

They have for a while now. Usually you have to book fairly early to get on a train but wifey and I got to Sheffield from London on the train for £11 single on the train and £5 single back via Megabus. I am off to Birmingham tomorrow on an open return for £17 booked via thetrainline.com which is pretty fair.