o/t Train Bookings?

[Keith]

Any advice regarding the cheapest way to book train tickets? I'm considering train from Morecambe or Lancaster to Heathrow in December/January, but not sure how to get best prices?

[redrobo]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/trave ... n-tickets/

Worth a read.....but also give the Unions a ring to see if they will be back in work when you go.....

[BerlinWaller]

The resident Train Guru Hodgie is the man

[Lonesome Prawn]

Have you tried Trainline.com?

[Keith]

Have you tried Trainline.com?

It just says,"tickets coming soon". Since posting on here, I've found a site that says advanced tickets are released "up to 12 weeks ahead", so I'm guessing that's why they aren't out yet?

[Lonesome Prawn]

Yep - looks like ticket deals are only available up to about mid December at the moment… not sure of any sites giving prices beyond that

[marky No.1]

Used to get loads of cheap advance tickets with Virgin, since Avanti arrived that's pretty much gone but at least they still don't charge a booking fee whereas Trainline does.

For long away trips Friday to Sunday you can often get a good deal for the Friday one way but they don't announce the Sunday tickets till the strike dates are announced.
I've had more refunds this last year for delays and cancellations than i have trains on time.

Quite often if you split your journey into 2, 3 or even 4 seperate tickets it is often cheaper.

Used to split a journey via Crewe not long ago and got 1st class with food and drink for £10 to £15
Its now about £140 , lol

[Hodgie1978]

If you don't mind changing.
Single from Lancaster to Birmingham NS and a then Birmingham MS to London Marylebone

[Jack Poulton]

The info in previous replies is correct. Usually advance fares are released 12 weeks before date of travel. However as this borders on festive season they sometimes release them a bit earlier. Either go direct to Avanti site as Trainline charges a fee, or try the fare splitting sites - Trainsplit or Ticketysplit. They calve the journey up into connecting parts and find cheaper tickets for each. Often they are on the same train. The only downside is you end up with a load of different tickets. Still, always worth trying. In London there used to be a good bus service direct to Heathrow from Euston which is a lot cheaper than the train or tube and more convenient. Many years since I used it so may have changed now. Again, worth checking.

[Redalert1970]

I use train line on a weekly basis and they are brilliant

Get single from Blackpool to Bolton for as little as 3.80 but never pay more than 5.00 per journey

[RedRedWine]

I use train line on a weekly basis and they are brilliant

Get single from Blackpool to Bolton for as little as 3.80 but never pay more than 5.00 per journey

Try booking directly through Northern Rail; they sometimes have promotional tickets/prices on their own services, but at worst you'll be able to get the same tickets as trainline and avoid the admin/transaction fees.

The Trainline are just a booking agent - I think people use them because they are established and the website is easy to to use; but they're no cheaper than anywhere else - they don't provide the service or set the prices and merely offer a bridge so you can book tickets rather than using the operators themselves or national rail for this purpose.