Public Transport Costs

[Sandra6]

Even if you didn't own a car you could hire one for the weekend for as little as £50, keeping it as the cheapest option.
Sometimes, if you book far enough in advance, the train works out a good deal, but not often.

 

[asterix]

So I'm planning a day trip to that there London (from Nottingham) in a few weeks time and I think about the travel options. A bit of Googling and I reckon the costs for 4 adults are:

1 - Car = fuel + parking at Stanmore tube + tube tickets (zone 1 to 4) = £76
2 - Train = bus to train station + tickets + tube tickets (zone 1 and 2) = £290
3 - Coach = bus to coach station + tickets + tube tickets (zone 1 and 2) = £290

I'm fortunate in that I have a company car and only pay for fuel, but even in a private car (costed at 50p per mile), option 1 would work out at about £160.

There isn't a great financial incentive not to add to the congestion on the M1 is there?

Just checked a notorious airline and, for example, I could get from Leeds to Limoges, return, £50. Whilst Limoges ain't exactly exciting, I guess it wouldn't cost too much to get somewhere that is, and there is an airport near Nottingham.

 

[Archie_tect]

Car cost: divide by 4.
Individual public transport cost: multiply by 4

Big disincentive...

 

[Beebo]

If you were 4 indiviuals travelling independently then the car would be an expensive option and you would have 4 almost empty cars driving down the M1, which is a bad thing. The train option would appear quite reasonable to a single traveller.

 

[Night Train]

If you already have a car then the static running costs are paid anyway whether you use it or not and so the only real additional cost is the fuel and servicing miles.
Arch spends £25 for a return train ticket York/Manchester to visit me, journey time 2 hours station to station. I spend about £15-£18 on diesel to visit her, 1 1/2hours parking to parking.
Had I taken the train to York last weekend I would not have been able to come home with a 9' scaffold pole, a 5 ton ratchet strap and a bundle of pipe insulation along with my bags and Brompton.

There is no incentive for me to use the train. If I was heading to London I would probably drive and park in the outskirts and take the tube unless Arch spends time online looking for a cheap return ticket sometime in advance.

 

[crankyray]

So I'm planning a day trip to that there London (from Nottingham) in a few weeks time and I think about the travel options. A bit of Googling and I reckon the costs for 4 adults are:

1 - Car = fuel + parking at Stanmore tube + tube tickets (zone 1 to 4) = £76
2 - Train = bus to train station + tickets + tube tickets (zone 1 and 2) = £290
3 - Coach = bus to coach station + tickets + tube tickets (zone 1 and 2) = £290

I'm fortunate in that I have a company car and only pay for fuel, but even in a private car (costed at 50p per mile), option 1 would work out at about £160.

There isn't a great financial incentive not to add to the congestion on the M1 is there?

ello mate.

National Express is the eay to go ... Funfare fare

Nottingham station-London Victoria - depart 7.40 arrive 10.50 £33.00
return, depart 22.00 arrive 00.45 £29.00

= £62 return for 4 people.

off the Nation Express site .

that example is for 6th of Oct btw .

edit.. just noticed you specified a Friday.
same trip,roughly same times Friday the 5th of Oct...£51 for 4 people return .

 

[Archie_tect]

Megabus... £5! But be prepared for delays and a tortuous route...

Just looked at their website... cheapest Nottingham to London for 4 is £60
Cheapest London to Nottingham for 4 is £80.
That was a disappointing surprise!

 

[dellzeqq]

 

[Beebo]

The third man is pushing a mighty big gear!

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

A blackjack or a Rhubarb & Custard.

Black jacks... Mmmmmmmmmm

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Last year, for our anniversary, Mrs Tony and I went to London for the weekend.
I was booking train tickets ( Newcastle to London) and at 08:05 for the trip down on the Friday, they were £56 for the two of us and upgrade to 1st class was just another £24 including breakfast and refreshments.
The return tickets, standard class on Sunday afternoon were £170!
flights from Heathrow for the return journey were £110 for the two - quicker, easier and included a drink and snack.

Pays to look at the options

 

[Chromatic]

Why hasn't anyone been along to say the chain's a bit slack?

 

[Archie_tect]

But you can't beat an anniversary treat of getting into Kings Cross after a good breakfast, relaxed and ready for the day, then a comfortable journey home and a nice meal... only done it once but would definitely do it again one day.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

But you can't beat an anniversary treat of getting into Kings Cross after a good breakfast, relaxed and ready for the day, then a comfortable journey home and a nice meal... only done it once but would definitely do it again one day.

I booked separately, lovely comfy journey down in our pre-chosen seats with waiter service in the posh carriage, arriving in London refreshed and sated - mucho brownie points or me.
It was a surprise weekend including a stay in the Hyde Park Hilton and front row tickets for
Les Miserables then fly home.

 

[Archie_tect]

Sounds great Tony!
Roll on the 40th!