Admittedly late December isn’t the best time to travel. I’m planning a quick trip back to the fatherland, but Manchester airport to Cumbria, two adults = seventy quid one way. It was about twenty quid last time, not three years ago. Return tickets almost as dear as the flights!

Splitting the journey at Preston saves a fiver, any other cunning tricks to get the price down? Not UK residents, so I guess railcards etc are no use.

Is it worthwhile to hire the cheapest car possible?

Probably, Somafunk. I do like going by train but it seems to be the luxury option here.

Where and when in cumbria,there is a split ticketing web site that finds cheaper tickets, also try the various train operating companies, eg virgin, and cross country.

als try trains from Mcr that stop at airport and go further than cumbria, as long as train stops at station you may find cheaper tickets by getting on later or off sooner.

You could get a Two Together railcard, for £30 per year. It would save you 1/3 on the tickets, so maybe worth it even for a single journey.

Which station? Just had a random look on trainline – manchester to penrith mid dec mid week can be got for as little as £9 and plenty at under £20

Might be a bit early to get a cheap ticket? Someone showed me a website which alerted you when the best deals were on for a particular route and day you wanted to travel, can’t remember what it’s called now sorry.

I did wonder if it was too early. Thetrainline’s cheap ticket finder doesn’t go into December yet. Just pricing it up now as I’ve got to get the flights soon before they go through the roof.

It’s Mcr to Ulverston, specifically.

Deffo too early. 12 weeks is the release ‘horizon’ for rail tickets, but Christmas is a nightmare for operators because of the engineering works planned by Network Rail. Frequently, the booking horizon shrinks from Sept due to NR not getting their act together so operators can’t release their trains for booking until closer to the time. Some years it can be down to about 2 weeks!

If the cheap tickets haven’t been released then booking websites (trainline for example) can only quote walk-up fares (i.e what you pay on the day – the most expensive ticket).

Oftentimes the best prices can only be found by talking to the chappie/chappess at the station – if they’re of a mind to do it, and have the knowledge to figure out the optimal route/timing etc.

Sometimes a bizarre combination of single tickets is required.

Thank you Mr Blob. I live in hope of not having to deal with the airport car hire people!

A guys gotta maintain his lifestyle, don’t be so selfish, he only gets a few million in taxpayer subsidies !

No problem Bob. Latest timetable appears to be up to Dec 8th at the moment……. the December Timetable change is effective from 9th so that would match up…….

A journey on 8th at about 1500 costs £11.20 FYI.

Looking on national rail it looks to be about £10-15 each way off peak, that’s based on going manc Airport to Ulverston Monday Dec 4th and back to the airport on the 8th.
Might be worth looking into what an open return ticket costs.

Is that ^^ photoshopped? 😯

A guys gotta maintain his lifestyle, don’t be so selfish, he only gets a few million in taxpayer subsidies

Poor buggers got an island to rebuild don’t cha know

Why is rail ticketing so ridiculously complicated? A while ago I needed to travel Edinburgh to London return and got so frustrated trying to work through the 500 combinations of tickets that I just gave up and got a flight instead

Ten quid is almost too cheap! *
Airport bus at this end is more expensive than that at less than half the distance. Trains are brilliant if you don’t depend on them.

*assuming they don’t crank prices up for the holidays

Just looked up the price to get the train from Cheltenham to the bike show at the NEC next Thursday – £40!! 😯 That’s about 50p/mile

For that I’ll drive thanks.

Don’t forget the 12 quid to park at the NEC which gets your train ticket down to £28 so that is you down to 28p/mile

Only £25 for an off-peak return from Cheltenham to Birmingham International.

Just discovered rail cards that CraigW speaks of and they’re all worth it if you use them twice or more. Saved £80 on an upcoming trip for me and my daughter, who doesn’t need to have a ticket booked at 2 but doing so with the rail card makes it cheaper than my original fare alone and I don’t have to drive for 7 hrs.

Yup thanks craig.

Just got a 2 together via Tesco Clubcard vouchers, so it was “free”

Saved £70 on tickets, made the upgrade to 1st class for mrs b birthday trip more palatable.

Just looked up the price to get the train from Cheltenham to the bike show at the NEC next Thursday – £40!!

I got a return from Manchester to the bike show for less than that and the outward journey is first class!

Admittedly, trying to come back First Class would have been an extra £80 so there’s certainly a point in there somewhere…

Train’s always going to be the expensive option.

Not sure if it actually works but a colleague told me that if you needed to arrive during peak time, to try looking at a ticket to a station further on, that arrived after rush hour finished; but just get off earlier.
If that makes any sense…

Don’t know if it still applies, but careful getting off early.

https://www.splitticketing.com

Also Northern Rail now have an evening peak time, which is a pain in the arse.

Not sure if it actually works but a colleague told me that if you needed to arrive during peak time, to try looking at a ticket to a station further on, that arrived after rush hour finished; but just get off earlier.
If that makes any sense…

This can work; many commuters Paddington -> Reading take advantage of it.

I do mcr airoort lancaster a fair bit so book with tp express directly. If u use the trainline u dont get the 3 hour delay window u get with tpe. Set up an alert so u get an email when the low fares are available.

I usually pay 7 gbp mcr lancaster. Because of the 3hr delay window u can book a train allowing say 45 mins after flight lands, so if delayed at pp control u can get the next one.

As an aside……please don’t ever, ever use the trainline. com. They are, in my opinion, a complete den of c**ts if you pardon my tongue. You can use the booking system of any train operating company , regardless of which company you are travelling with an you won’t get charged booking fees or card fees. Standard post is usually free too if you are getting them posted out to you.

Allys correct. If u book via trainline you pay a fee and do not get the delay window you get by booking direct with tpe. Always book direct with the operator.

Just looked up the price to get the train from Cheltenham to the bike show at the NEC next Thursday – £40!!

Avoid peak time and it’s £25. Train companies are always expensive if you leave before 9:30am, so don’t. Have a lie in, get the 9:42, save £15. Sorted.

Rail prices are set at a level which ensures smelly prolls stick to the buses.

always expensive if you leave before 9:30am,

My regular train leaves at 09:29, wonder why that is.
I have a season pass but the amount of times it’s been a couple of minutes late and people have argued they should be paying off peak prices.. Conductors have non of it saying it’s scheduled for peak time so it still applies..

Bit wrong that, I think.

grtdkad – Member
Is that ^^ photoshopped?

Nope – as the story goes, he did this whilst his wife was on the beach watching.

There are certain things that become open to you when you are super rich.