Cheap advances to anywhere?

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

I have a few weeks spare to myself in July, just trying to find is there anyway to find cheap advances without having a destination in mind, I want to explore - I have a NUS card so I believe on Cross Country advances I can get a further 10% discount I think.
Or any recommendations from the forum for cheap destinations?
Any weekday between 10th and 25th July, any destination and back, with an origin of Liskeard. Don't mind overnighting for up to 1 night before returning.

[teamsaint]

advances to most destinations in the Abellio Greater Anglia area are often plentiful and cheap.
Lots of returns from Liskeard to Norwich for under £100.
( £42.70 each way the cheapest I could find).

[eightf48544]

I've got a weird cheap Advanced on Cross Country from Taplow to Weymouth. I even have a seat reservation from Readiing to Basingstoke.  Where I am required to change to another reserved  seat (unallocated) on the following  SWT^▸ (South West Trains) train from Basingstoke, rather than stay on the Voyager to Bournemouth. However, for me the shorter the journey on the Voyager the better.

[ChrisB]

Yes, it's frankly stunning to see the extent of the fares grab that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have masterminded since the start of their franchise. That really ought to be Voyager travel to Bournemouth or SWT^▸ (South West Trains) ought to have the fare as the greatest-mileage provider.

[Brucey]

Virgin Trains occassionally have first class fares between London and Glasgow for £55, if you can find them.  The weekday service is generally very good (check the timetable first though, to see what will be on offer), with friendly catering staff.  Get a single seat and you'll find the five hour journey passes quickly and comfortably.

On an evening journey (arriving in London around 10pm), I seem to recall consuming a hot main meal, cheese and port, about 5 bottles of beer, 2x vodka and cokes, pack of sandwiches, crisps, cold dessert, several pieces of fruit and walking away with half a bottle of wine "to take home as it would otherwise be thrown away".  All included in the fare (I paid less than £40 with a railcard).  Crew change at Preston, so you get all the catering offered again after this station.

Glasgow via London would obviously need an overnight stay.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Yes, it's frankly stunning to see the extent of the fares grab that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have masterminded since the start of their franchise. That really ought to be Voyager travel to Bournemouth or SWT^▸ (South West Trains) ought to have the fare as the greatest-mileage provider.

I quite like CLC^▸ (Castle Cary)-HON which they have managed to grab

[Richard Fairhurst]

Charlbury-Birmingham via Worcester is the one that astonishes me (walk-up, not advance). No-one would catch a CrossCountry service for that - unless you were especially bloody-minded and decided to change to one of the two trains a day at Bromsgrove. Yet CrossCountry set the (too high) fare. It's long overdue that some impartial rules are applied on this and that the majority TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) on a journey, however that is defined, is the one that sets the fare.

[Chris from Nailsea]

However, for me the shorter the journey on the Voyager the better.

Seconded.  CfN.