Train fares

[Colonel Bumcunt]

Hi forum, 

I don't use trains much, does anyone know tips on how to get the best fares weeks in advance of travel? 

[Mook]

2 minutes ago, Colonel Bumcunt said:

Hi forum, 

I don't use trains much, does anyone know tips on how to get the best fares weeks in advance of travel? 

If you buy them 12 weeks in advance, you can usually get them a wee bit cheaper.

[Mudface]

If you're travelling with a few people, the Family and Friends card can save you a fair whack, although I think you have to have at least one child with you. It's worth seeing if you qualify for other types of card, too.

[Strontium]

I thought you had a great rail network on the Island of Sodor.

[tokyojoe]

40 minutes ago, Mook said:

If you buy them 12 years in advance, you can usually get them a wee bit cheaper.

Fixed it for you Mark.

[Remmie]

Split ticketing sometimes works though the discounts are nowhere near what they once were, plus you might have to move seats after stops. 

 

Some info:

 

https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/split-tickets

 

There are a number of websites that do it so might be worth trying out a few. 

 

 

[Remmie]

Despite the name megabus also does discounted train journeys https://uk.megabus.com/

[Clem H Fandango]

Book in advance and choose off peak.

[Tony Moanero]

Hide in the toilet.

[Barrington Womble]

I was talking to my train manager on the train back from London on Friday, he said as part of this new Great British rail thing the government have set up the ticketing systems will be changing from October. He didn't know if it was going to change type of tickets on offer etc. It might be something worth checking out for details if you're travelling after then. 

[dockers_strike]

Over 60's rail card. * taps side of nose*

[Mudface]

2 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Over 60's rail card. * taps side of nose*

I got knocked back for one of those and they made me take a 16-25 railcard instead. Fucking cunts.

[Bruce Spanner]

10 hours ago, Barrington Womble said:

I was talking to my train manager on the train back from London on Friday, he said as part of this new Great British rail thing the government have set up the ticketing systems will be changing from October. He didn't know if it was going to change type of tickets on offer etc. It might be something worth checking out for details if you're travelling after then. 

That’s what Remington was talking about above.

 

They now, by law, find the cheapest version of your journey, so if that’s splitting tickets it has to be done.

 

Not sure on the savings involved though.

[Champ]

13 hours ago, tokyojoe said:

Fixed it for you Mark.

Nah, not only are the fares astronomical but they only release them 12 weeks in advance or something.

 

My little bit of knowledge…if you book in a group of 3 or more you get a third off

[Colonel Bumcunt]

1 hour ago, Champ said:

 

My little bit of knowledge…if you book in a group of 3 or more you get a third off

Serious?

[Champ]

20 minutes ago, Colonel Bumcunt said:

Serious?

Certainly was the last time I went in a group

[Barrington Womble]

3 hours ago, Bruce Spanner said:

That’s what Remington was talking about above.

 

They now, by law, find the cheapest version of your journey, so if that’s splitting tickets it has to be done.

 

Not sure on the savings involved though.

The fella gave me the impression that when this new system is out, there will be just a single source for buying tickets - or certainly a single source for pricing. He said all the platform ticket machines were being replaced by new ones for this new system too, so the operator aligned ones they have today will cease to exist. He also said lots of the stations (like Euston and lime st) are run by the railway operators and that's going to change too and they'll be run by Great British rail. 

[Remmie]

The split ticketing I was talking about was a bit of an inside knowledge exploiting a strange pricing structure. In recent years the savings were significant enough for entire websites and companies to be founded on doing the split ticketing for you. Of course, like anything good the ticket operators got onto it and started closing the loops where the savings could be made. Ultimately you can still save some money on split ticketing, but the 50%+ discounts seem to be gone. I'm looking to go to Edniburgh in a few months and I suspect it'll be cheaper to fly than to get the train.