Another train price rant

[marzjennings]

Apologies for another rant about the price of trail travel, but this one has the additional angle of a warning to cyclists riding near Redruth and Gloucester. I may be traveling to the Middle East for work soon and thought to take advantage of a stop over in London to quickly visit family in Cornwall and Gloucestershire. After a 10 hour flight from Houston I thought I'd take a train to Redruth to see mum, Heathrow to Redruth, 5 hours and chance to kip on the way down. Spend a day or so with her before heading back to catch my next flight on. But at almost 400UKP for an open return ticket, knickers to that. I can rent a car for more than half that price, plus I'll be there quicker. I can't book off-peak as I won't know before I land when I'll actually be boarding the train. So yes, apologies in advance, but the roads around Redruth will be slightly more interesting due to the presence of a knackered old man driving a car on the wrong side of the road (it's been a few years since my last visit home).
Oh and I'll be doing the same to Gloucester a week later when I stop by our dad's.

 

[irw]

When are you travelling? I know the prices are a bit silly at times, but £400 sounds like there will be a way round it...!

 

[Sharky]

Have you investigated coaches (National Express)?

 

[Tim Hall]

Have you investigated coaches (National Express)?

Any excuse to post a Danny MacAskill video:

 

[User10119]

400 quid is an open anytime first class return - namely the most expensive train ticket it is possible to buy. An anytime return - valid on any service there and any back within a month - is under 300.

Travelling off-peak (basically any service you like apart from rush hour ones) in ordinary class drops it to about £110.

All of the above are walk up fares that require no advance booking.

 

[Bodhbh]

Funnily enough, was reading the Bryson book today where he rages about the trains to Cornwall taking 5hrs, rigor mortis with scenery.

 

[Fnaar]

Have you investigated coaches (National Express)?

Any excuse to post a Danny MacAskill video:

 

[marzjennings]

Have you investigated coaches (National Express)?

I'll take a look, thanks.

 

[swee'pea99]

I'll take a look, thanks.

The £110 off-peak option also looks worth checking out. You'd have to google to find out when 'peak' is, but my guess is you'd find at worst you'd have to kill an hour in a Costas or a pub to get to an off-peak. And trains are more pleasant than buses, especially if you're feeling a bit crap.

 

[irw]

I'll take a look, thanks.

I really wouldn't...not if you actually want to get there and back in the time you have available!

 

[marzjennings]

The £110 off-peak option also looks worth checking out. You'd have to google to find out when 'peak' is, but my guess is you'd find at worst you'd have to kill an hour in a Costas or a pub to get to an off-peak. And trains are more pleasant than buses, especially if you're feeling a bit crap.

I checked the prices for off-peak, but the chances are my flight will get delayed and I'll be leaving London in rush hour. The bus/coach is a bit cheaper, but takes over 7 hours, so it's a car for me.

 

[steveindenmark]

A while back, someone posted a site on here where you could get big savings on train travel.

Has anyone got the link?

 

[User10119]

What time is your flight due in?

 

[Cycleops]

Try https://www.thetrainline.com/m/ for cheaper fares.

 

[robjh]

Try https://www.thetrainline.com/m/ for cheaper fares.

The trainline gives you the same prices as any any other booking site, and charges you an extra £1 fee for the privilege.
You get the same without the fee at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/, and there's also http://www.splitmyfare.co.uk/ which looks for savings by buying multiple tickets (a quirk of UK train ticketing), again without the fee.