Great Western Coffee Shop

Hi,

This post I guess is similar to other ones I've seen recently about the problems of getting the cheapest available advance fare to somewhere on the network.

Each year I do a trip from Reading to Penrith and I've managed to plan ahead and get 16pound single advance tickets each year so far (last year this involved a XC to Manchester followed by a connecting Transpennine Express to Penrith).  Easy, simple and cheap (total cost per person of 32pounds there and back!).

Yesterday I started to look around the various fare websites to plan for maybe doing the same journey in March.... the situation seems to have deteriorated significantly price-wise.

I've tried looking at the various routes.  The cheapest single advance fare seems to be of around 70 or so pounds!  (Going via London and the West Coast Mainline seems to work out about as cheap now as going via Birmingham or Manchester from Reading)

I can't believe that the change in the advance fares structure is responsible for such a hike in the advance fare - I am guessing that various factors are responsible - changes to the west coast mainline, transpennine routes - I'm not sure.

Does anyone know if I can do this journey still for what I used to be able to do it for?  Maybe I've not searched hard enough or maybe Fridays in March are a bad day for the journey involved.  Also I notice that for Euston to Penrith that Offpeak tickets are generally cheaper than Advance????!!!!  Kind of defeats the point in planning ahead if that's going to be the case.

I'd much rather get the train than drive but if the cost is going to be so much more now for doing such journeys then it won't be value for money for me and my friends.

Boppy

Does this help?
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/booking_horizons.html (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/booking_horizons.html)

Try nearer the time.

It sometimes takes a little while for the cheapest fares to be "unlocked."

You might want to look at NXEC's website - it may indicate if a cheaper fare is waiting.

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions.  I did try NXEC's website and it does give alternative cheaper fares which don't appear to be available - I guess this is what you may mean by "unlocked".

I'll try keep trying weekly and see what becomes available.

Thanks,

Boppy.

Used NXEC's site for the first time today... Kings Cross - Glasgow ^9.40 each way on the 6th and 9th of Jan.
I'm very impressed, the most i'd wanted to ideally pay for an advance ticket was ^50.. had no idea i'd get it that cheap !!

NXEC do let you see if a cheaper fare is hiding.

Other booking firms don't.

I often manage to reduce the price of a ticket on NXEC.com

Why does it have to be so difficult to buy a rail ticket?

Mainly due to the awfully complicated way the railway was privatised ::)

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

• I've had more of a look via nxec's website - which now seems to have moved from nxec.com to nationalexpresseastcoast.com only with their site being revamped.  It still seems to find the cheapest fares though.
• Steve44 - good point about the cheap fares from King's Cross.  I can get from King's Cross to Leeds or Skipton very cheaply (9quid single).  I'm then stuck about getting a cheap fare form either of those stations to Penrith
• Since last checking it looks like the cheapest fare from Euston to Penrith is now 28pounds so that's an improvement at least (although I need to add 18 or so for the Reading to Euston part).  Plus that cheapest is for an early start from Euston which means doubling the Reading->Euston fare due to Peak travel maybe?

Anyway, I think things are looking slightly more optimistic.  Things are still some way off last year's 32pounds return.  The King's Cross to Leeds route may be an option if the fares are that cheap on that line.  If anyone knows a better way to find the cheapest fares to get to Penrith from Leeds or Skipton then please let me know as if I can do that part really cheap that it may be problem solved!

Cheers,

Boppy.