Great Western Coffee Shop

Its not FGW so posting here

Aberdeen to Long Buckby

The cheapest possible is the aim - splitting and everything else allowed

Are you including Advances? (i.e. can you give a date)

Cant give exact date but normally booked well in advance and focussed around cheapest

ie arriving friday on plane from aberdeen to brum then train - but was booked six months ago!

enough notice - a date can be specified

Looking for indication as to how cheap it canbe

I can do Advance fares, but I am not expert in splitting so I'll let others with a better command of Avantix answer!

Its a friend of mine who lives in Aberdeen visiting a friend of mine who lives in daventry - both are bankrupt single mothers due to ********** ex husbands

They meet up twice a year - cheapest they have found is over ^100 for a return train journey - flying is cheaper - however they prefer train!

I'm unofficially convinced with enough advance it must be possible to do it for less than that

And yes.....before the first haters chip in - I have offered to pay the fare but they wont on principle!  They will reward me in kind when we meet up!  usually in drink and food

To clarify - I end up booking it as they dont have CC cards

Is this (http://www.csa.gov.uk/) of any help?  ::)

Assuming times of trains are not an issue how about

Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street advanced single ^10 ( most trains)

Glasgow Central to Long Buckley via Birmingham advanced single ^ 13 but departs @ 17.40 and arrives at after 11 pm ( else about ^34.50)

Cost of single ^23 rising to ^ 44.50

Return Journey - Long Buckley to Glasgow - ^ 43.50 most trains and the a ^ 10 single to Aberdeen though an early start brings this down to ^34.50 + ^ 10

Best case total = ^67.50 but times are anti-social
Worst case ( aka sensible times) = ^98
Sane version i.e practical heading south, early start heading north = ^89

I have not tried splitting between glasgow and birmingham yet....

Aberdeen (08.42) to Crewe (14.59) via Glasgow    ^23.50
Crewe (15.22) to Long Buckby (17.22)   ^ 6 single

Long Buckby to Aberdeen cheapest single  (Virgin)  ^49.50

^29.50 & ^ 49.50 = ^79

lots of options produce a cost of about ^80-90

How about a Family railcard.  As you say they are single mothers so assume they have children. If they are making two journeys a year the railcard will pay for itself on that basis.

Also any two people can be named on the railcard so they could have both their names on it and depending who is travelling to who can pop it in the post to the other person

Can also be used on other journeys throughout the year.

Now that is not a bad idea!  That would make it significantly cheaper!

For clarification - does the sprog have to be present when its used?  Kids get offloaded to granny for the duration of the weekend!

Yes, on a Family Railcard you must have at least one adult and one child using it at all times.

Do you need a child travelling or would a ticket for a phantom child be within the rules (i know you are allowed to use the card with a child under 5 who wouldn't normally need a ticket if you buy that child a child ticket).?

Whats so specially about Long Buckby?

Perhaps it's the OP's destination?
Apart from that it can be useful to know it is the furthest outpost of the Network Railcard validity in that general direction...

Paul

Isn't Long Buckby further from the seaside than any other station in the British Isles?

3. Group size: To enable discounted tickets to be used the minimum group is at least one child and one named Railcard holder. The maximum group size is up to four adults (aged 16 years and over) including the named cardholder(s), and four children (aged 5-15 years).

That's from the official terms and condition, suggests you do need a child. Would be silly paying for one when there isn't one, you would pay more than just paying full fare.

Well, it had a moment of fame in 1997: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Buckby_railway_station

Yes indeed - one of my friends lives in Aberdeen and wants to visit the other who lives in daventry!

Yes you must have a real child with you  :)

If adult fare is ^20 and child fare ^10/  With a railcard adult fare is ^14 and child fare ^4, saving = ^2