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Hi, folks ... I am walking tomorrow into a meeting / suggestions for a chap in his 80s looking to go by train from Melksham to Boston "as early as possible" (in the day?) - I suspect that cost is important, and I suspect that he'll want to reduce his changes and avoid London.     Not a frequent destination / area for me to advise on - any thoughts please?

No, I don't know about coming back, specific dates, railcards yet ;-)

[[Initial silly thought - 07:21 from Melksham, changes at Cheltenham Spa and Nottingham?]]

I would have thought if he doesn't have a Senior Railcard it is almost certainly one of those journeys that will pay for one in a single trip.  (Assuming he has the time to complete the form and get one.)

We are talking Lincs and not Massachusetts yes? :P

I assume so …

Best I have come up with ... but I do not know what balance between fare, timing and number and ease of changes is.

Outbound journey:
Melksham to Gloucester - 07:21 to 08:45
Gloucester to Nottingham - 09:49 to 12:04
Nottinghham to Boston - 12:45 to 14:17
Possible an hour quicker, but adds change at Birmingham New Street and fare total will be higher

Melksham to Gloucester - anytime day single - £30.30
Gloucester to Boston - off peak return £100.20
Glouceter to Melksham - off day peak single £15.90
Total - £146.40.  Add senior railcard - 34% + £30 = £126.60 return or £96.60 if you already have railcard

Alternative routing: for earliest arrival (around 12:15)
Melksham - Swindon - Paddington - Kings Cross - Grantham - Boston

Errors and Omissions Excepted  :D


Return - included in fares above within 1 month
2-change option is 12:50 from Boston, 14:19 - 15:07 at Nottingham, 17:27 - 17:50 at Gloucester, 19:09 into Melksham.
4-chage off peak option  - 09:54 to 15:39, add Derby and Swindon changes

Although it probably doesn't suit his needs, there is a much cheaper routing he could take if that was what was most important for him. It would involve first travelling to Bath Spa, which he could easily do by bus for free after 9am (or pay for if earlier).

If bought at least one day ahead, there are tickets available from Bath Spa to Grantham for £29 each way without a senior railcard (so cheaper with one), travelling via Paddington and King's Cross. Earliest train in the day for these tickets is the 10.13.

The return from Grantham to Boston - without a senior railcard a day return is £20-50 and a period return is £33-60.

Overall it may well be the quickest route to take as well.

Without having the time for looking this up ,might he Corby offering via London be of any use ?..

The 07:21 option gives cheaper tickets under £100 return (third off that with a railcard) using advance/split tickets.  Down to around £80 for a later morning train.

As is the way these days it all depends on the exact date for availability etc. so very difficult to advise unless you know that detail.

I have met with / have further details ... passenger is making a return trip from Melksham to Boston - out on a weekday and back on another weekday a week or two later depending on how family stuff goes.  Looking to make as few changes as possible, and avoid London  / Birmingham type big-station changes. Happy to stay on same train through Birmingham.  Looking for Boston arrival before 15:30 and Melksham return while it's still light.  All tickets except the final Gloucester - Melksham single can be bought ahead with help and leave flexibility on the return day; passenger can be given details of the ticket to buy on the return day during his journey for that final leg.

Keys turn out to be time of arrivals, flexibility of return date, and few, easy, unrushed changes. Price is somewhat subsidiary, though a £240.20 anytime return Melksham to Boston would be excessive!

That 07:21 via Cheltenham, Derby and Nottingham would seem a good fit for the outward journey then.  Single is just £36.60 on 18th June, as an example, with Melksham to Beeston and Beeston to Boston split advance tickets.

Returning on 3rd July and it’s slightly cheaper than that at a similar time of day, but with an extra change.

Split tickets can go wrong if connections are missed though I believe, and whilst that outward example only has two, the return example has six!  Might not be suitable for the customer in question and they might be better off paying more?

Other dates may/will vary wildly!  1/3rd off with a railcard.

Welcome to your nice simple ticketing system.  Another version of the National Lottery.