I want to go to York for a few days with the GF and our baby who is 2 months, I think getting on a coach with the baby for a journey that long would be a bit much so I reckon the train is the way to go but it is really expensive.
Anyone got any knowledge of how to find the cheap rail fares? Not too fussed about dates just 3 days in the near future mid week or weekend
Cheers
Steve
www.trainline.com
london - doncaster, doncaster - york.
I'd take a coach, it isn't as bad as people think.
Go onto Trainline, choose the dates you want then ask for single fares as they are normally cheaper than returns for some reason.
You should be able to get a couple of tickets for around £50 if you are flexible with timings. I have had two singles for as little as £18.
Don't go via Donny - get a direct train - you don't need the hassle of a change with a 2 month old baby in tow!
And it is .co.uk, not .com. That is a very different site Pook.
If you're booking a couple of weeks ahead it's ok, using nat express website I got Donny-London £9 each way a couple of weeks ago.
Just had a quick look and singles for outward and return for two adults is around £58 in total at the moment - direct.
as well as going for singles, you could also get the tickets between major stations cheap, e.g. london-sheffield, then buy a sheff-york return. It can very often work out cheaper than tickets all the way through, even if you physically stay on the same train with your multiple tickets.
As a semi-frequent York-London traveller, most of the above applies. NXEC are a bunch of lying barstewards if you ask me with their £9 tickets. They do exist but are very few and far between and you have to be very lucky to get one. If you're struggling with NXEC have a look at Grand Central. Tickets are generally cheaper and they use refurbished old carriages so there is loads of room on them, not like the new(ish) NXEC trains that are very cramped. I managed to sit in an "airline" seat with a frame and wheel wedged up against the window and someone sat next to me a few weeks ago on a GC train and was still very comfortable. Wouldn't stand a chance of doing that on NXEC trains. Oh yeah, and sometimes you get free tea or coffee on GC trains 🙂
Assuming that you do not already own one, hire a car for a few days. You can all get in it. Go out and about if you want to visit stuff. You're not limited to timetables.
Hairychested - MemberI'd take a coach, it isn't as bad as people think
You're having a laugh, right!
4 hours journey time, always longer due to silly amounts of traffic on the M1.
Cramped seats with no leg room.
Inefficient air con so if its a slightly warm day you will suffer. tatty, scruffy, unclean buses.
Definitely wouldn't want to add travelling with a baby to the above.
Will gladly pay more to use the train over the bus after too many nightmares travelling from Leeds to London and back.
The £9 tickets are probably sold in the same way as the advanced tickets Virgin sell, eg if some one buys the a ticket from say sheffield to york then thats one ticket for the whole journey sold, thats one less cheap ticket available, IIRC someone else couldn't purchase the London to Sheffield part of the journey seperately! 🙁
you could also get the tickets between major stations cheap
York is the most major station on the ECML between London and Edinburgh.
I think the Sheffield to York trains are still pulled by horses wandering along the tracks.
maybe, but it's a tactic that's worked for me in the past 🙂
it must be way more than 4 hours by coach - it's that long london to sheff, never mind another hour to York. Wouldn't like to do that with a sprog.
There again, I wouldn't want to be stuck on a train with a 2 month old baby for 4 hours.
😯
What about taking the baby to Lost property claiming you found it?
Then pick it up after your weekend away? free babysitting - woo hoo.
LOL
just looked on megbus and worked out £16 rtn london to york if that take your fancy