Oxford - Durham. Fares advice needed.

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

AP tickets for the East Coast route have now been released for your outward journey date. Some fairly good prices for 1st Class if you book online at eastcoast.co.uk.

Friday October 21st Durham - Kings Cross on the 1737, ^29.35* 1st Class Advance with railcard and web only discount. Inclusive food and drink from the 'All-Day' offering. Example menu here.

I'd go for a Standard Class Off Peak Return (SVR) for Paddington - Oxford at ^15.50. Two reasons. First, little value paying extra for 1st Class on that journey (cuppa and biscuit at best) and secondly, on Sunday 23rd October there is engineering and you'll be on a bus from Oxford - Didcot.

Use Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) for your cross London transfers. Remember to allow the minimum recommended connection times between terminals. That way you are covered for delays, even with a combination of tickets. For Kings Cross <->Paddington the minimum transfer time is 45 minutes.

Sunday 23rd October has yet to see Advance Purchase released for Kings Cross - Durham. Keep 'em peeled! 

I'm not going to look too deeply at CrossCountry fares. No real splitting opportunities on the route via Birmingham with a period return. Expensive Advance Purchase fares and hellishly crowded trains on Friday evenings and all day Sunday. Avoid.


*Price correct as at 2330 12/08/2011

[Btline]

Thank you very much. I'll look into this. I agree about the Oxford leg too, as I may only get a Thames Turbo (so not 1st class seating).

I will need to get some work done, so I might upgrade on the Sunday if it's an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) (or 180!).

[Btline]

One really weird thing is that if you type in OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) to DHM for the Sunday, there is one random standard advance fare for a departure at 1008 via the east coast. The online discount has been added. Should I wait, or should I snap this up.

I'm loathed to snap it up last there are cheap 1st class fares later...

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

If you don't want the hastle of crossing London and use XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains, from Oxford there is usually a quick saving to be made by splitting the Oxford/Durham journey at Banbury. Just one random comparison for a date in October - First Advance Single - Oxford Durham = ^60.45, Banbury Durham on the same train = ^39.25.

[Btline]

If you don't want the hastle of crossing London and use XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains, from Oxford there is usually a quick saving to be made by splitting the Oxford/Durham journey at Banbury. Just one random comparison for a date in October - First Advance Single - Oxford Durham = ^60.45, Banbury Durham on the same train = ^39.25.

Thanks - that's a lot! Also as there is a lot of engineering works, I may be on a bus to BAN or Lem so no point in paying 1st class! Might drive to BAN...

I've snapped up a cheap 1st advance DHM to London now. I wonder if I'll be served an evening meal? Just waiting for the email so I can check return fares and then decide whether to go XC or EC. Wish it would hurry up! As we speak the XC advances are being sold as I wait for EC to update their website.

[Btline]

Can I just ask - is there a problem with my date (Sunday 23rd Oct) why EC haven't released fares?

If this is the case, and cheap ones are unlikely, I'd better get booking XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))!

[Ollie]

Might be worth calling East Coast to ask why your date is specifically excluded at the moment. (East Coast booking until 11th November*)


*with the exceptions of the weekends of 22 and 23, 29 and 30 October, 5 and 6 November.

[JayMac]

If you don't want to wait for the EC 1st Advances for 23rd October to become available (I believe the delay is due to unfinalised engineering plans) then you could go ahead and buy the Standard Class Super Off Peak Single KGX-DHM at ^36.20 (Web only fare - 50% off {plus railcard disc.} available only at eastcoast.co.uk). This is a flexible walk-on ticket so any train on the Sunday would be fine. You can decide whether you fancy upgrading to 1st Class on the day by purchasing Weekend First for ^25. Or ^15 as far as York/Northallerton. Save ^10 and bail out of 1st Class back to Standard for the last half hour or so to Durham! At weekends with East Coast in 1st you still get fed and watered. Sandwich, snacks/cake and non-alcoholic beverages.

Looking at the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) 1st Advance fares for that day, the above option still looks the cheaper and least hassle. With your ticket to/from London on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) you only have to endure a bus ride to Didcot. Going via XC before 3pm (you did say, the earlier the better, for the Sunday) you have a bus from Oxford - Leamington.

[Btline]

If you don't want to wait for the EC 1st Advances for 23rd October to become available (I believe the delay is due to unfinalised engineering plans) then you could go ahead and buy the Standard Class Super Off Peak Single KGX-DHM at ^36.20 (Web only fare - 50% off {plus railcard disc.} available only at eastcoast.co.uk). This is a flexible walk-on ticket so any train on the Sunday would be fine. You can decide whether you fancy upgrading to 1st Class on the day by purchasing Weekend First for ^25. Or ^15 as far as York/Northallerton. Save ^10 and bail out of 1st Class back to Standard for the last half hour or so to Durham! At weekends with East Coast in 1st you still get fed and watered. Sandwich, snacks/cake and non-alcoholic beverages.

Looking at the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) 1st Advance fares for that day, the above option still looks the cheaper and least hassle. With your ticket to/from London on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) you only have to endure a bus ride to Didcot. Going via XC before 3pm (you did say, the earlier the better, for the Sunday) you have a bus from Oxford - Leamington.

True - plus I'll also have the OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) - London return portion. Plus at least on EC if a seat is unreserved at London there isn't a chance of being kicked out at Stevenage! [Goes down and makes a cup of tea before a XC rant starts]

Shame about no free alcohol - sigh...

Ok, two questions:

*Can you buy Weekend First for not the whole journey? I assumed they upgraded for your whole ticket. Otherwise Cotswold folk would upgrade after Hanborough instead of OXF. Then again, standard on East Coast isn't as bad as XC.

*How long is the web only fare available for? If it goes on for a while, I may wait a bit. But if it's limited offer, I'll snap it up...

Thanks again for the advice!

[Ollie]

The web only fare (50% off super off peak single) is only valid for journeys up until and including the 7th October so wouldn't apply to you unfortunately.

Source: http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/special-offers/flexible-off-peak-travel-for-less/

[JayMac]

Don't see why you can't buy a WF upgrade for just a part of the journey. As long as you don't take the p*ss and stay in 1st beyond York/Northallerton (dependent on calling pattern). You could quite easily be breaking your journey at either of these stops anyway.

As for your 2nd question, that's an interesting dilemma. The T&Cs for the "Flexible off peak travel for less!" offer from East Coast state that bookings must be made before 30th September and travel is permitted until 7th October. BUT their booking engine will sell you Super Off Peak Singles (SSS) at the 50% off rate for travel dates beyond 7th October.....   As the booking engine is selling them then they are valid despite what the T&Cs say. I checked as far ahead as Nov 25th and these half price SSSs are available to purchase!

Best make up your mind sooner rather than later is my advice. As well as re-iterating what Ollie said. Give East Coast Customer Services a call and see if they'll give you some idea when the Advance Purchase tickets for Sunday 23rd are likely to be released.

The web only fare (50% off super off peak single) is only valid for journeys up until and including the 7th October so wouldn't apply to you unfortunately.

Source: http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/special-offers/flexible-off-peak-travel-for-less/

Someone ought to tell East Coast's booking engine then. 

[Btline]

Ok, cheers - and please don't tell EC until I've decided!

[Btline]

Bought a First Advance. It was ^36 - so I'm glad I didn't bottle it and get the ^36 Super Off Peak and upgrade.

Annoyingly I can't access the First Class lounge. Will pay ^5 supplement if delayed.

Many thanks for all your help (inc Bignosemac)!

A few more questions:

Shall I get an Off Peak Return for the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) or should I wait for advances? Can get a ^3 ticket on the 21st. Will advances OXF (or Didcot) to PAD be available on the 23rd? Not yet...

[ChrisB]

No Did-Pad advances - I don't think they exist