Season ticket Stoke to London

island · 26th June 2012, 08:30

I have a rather mad friend who commutes from Stoke-on-Trent (SOT) to central London. (Don't ask.) Currently she buys monthly travelcards from SOT to London Zones 1-6 (0035) at £1,003.80. I have told her to start buying odd period tickets but haven't been able to come up with any better suggestions to save money. Splitting at Rugby, the only calling point of many of the trains she uses, is more expensive.

The constraints are that she wishes to use Virgin services and uses the tube in zone 1 most days. (She wouldn't benefit from buying just to London Terminals (1072) and using an Oyster card, as the difference is only around £55 a month.)

Any ideas?

Clip · 26th June 2012, 08:34

Where in Zone 1 does she go to. She may not even have to take the tube.

calc7 · 26th June 2012, 08:41

Does she commute every day? If not, a SOT-MKC season with a MKC-R1256 (Virgin Only) ADT may be effective.

Also, who wants to live in Stoke-on-Trent?!

island · 26th June 2012, 08:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clip

Where in Zone 1 does she go to. She may not even have to take the tube.

London Bridge usually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by calc7

Does she commute every day? If not, a SOT-MKC season with a MKC-R1256 (Virgin Only) ADT may be effective.

Also, who wants to live in Stoke-on-Trent?!

Yes, pretty much every day. But she might be cutting back in a while; break-even point is 12 days per month so I'll mention it.

34D · 26th June 2012, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by island

I have a rather mad friend who commutes from Stoke-on-Trent (SOT) to central London. (Don't ask.) Currently she buys monthly travelcards from SOT to London Zones 1-6 (0035) at £1,003.80.

I'm guessing that you don't want to read messages advising the cost of studio apartments or of block bookings in hotels?

island · 26th June 2012, 10:51

She doesn't, no

Clip · 26th June 2012, 11:19

I cant see anyway around this one and ive been thinking about it most of the morning.

island · 26th June 2012, 12:18

No worries, I thought it might well be out on a limb. Thanks for the effort

sonic2009 · 26th June 2012, 12:22

Which service does she use from Stoke?

All Line Rover · 26th June 2012, 13:28

Unless she qualifies for a 16-25 Railcard, I see no way to save money on the usual £315.60 a week using "reasonable" methods. £63.12 a day is quite reasonable anyway, costing less than an Off-Peak Return + Off-Peak Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard.

I don't consider 90 minutes to be an excessively long commute.

gooses · 26th June 2012, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by All Line Rover

I don't consider 90 minutes to be an excessively long commute.

Try doing it and see what you think

40fan · 26th June 2012, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by calc7

Does she commute every day? If not, a SOT-MKC season with a MKC-R1256 (Virgin Only) ADT may be effective.

Also, who wants to live in Stoke-on-Trent?!

I've been to far worse places e.g. Luton and Sheffield.

Deerfold · 26th June 2012, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooses

Try doing it and see what you think

There's plenty of people in my office do a 90 minute commute. I have done myself.

I'll mention there's some good, cheap hostels in the London Bridge area which I use so that I don't have to do my 3.5 hour 1-way commute every day

There is one person in my office who does a 160-180 minute commute each way each day.

island · 26th June 2012, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic2009

Which service does she use from Stoke?

Typically one of the first two Virgin trains of the day.

26th June 2012, 08:30	#1
island I'm from M390 Established Member Join Date: 30 Dec 2010 Location: SE12 Posts: 5,587	Season ticket Stoke to London I have a rather mad friend who commutes from Stoke-on-Trent (SOT) to central London. (Don't ask.) Currently she buys monthly travelcards from SOT to London Zones 1-6 (0035) at £1,003.80. I have told her to start buying odd period tickets but haven't been able to come up with any better suggestions to save money. Splitting at Rugby, the only calling point of many of the trains she uses, is more expensive. The constraints are that she wishes to use Virgin services and uses the tube in zone 1 most days. (She wouldn't benefit from buying just to London Terminals (1072) and using an Oyster card, as the difference is only around £55 a month.) Any ideas?

26th June 2012, 12:22	#9
sonic2009 The Secret Warrior Established Member Join Date: 19 Jan 2010 Location: Atherstone Posts: 3,018	Which service does she use from Stoke? __________________ I'm a Real Human, as well as a Cartoon Character

26th June 2012, 08:34	#2
Clip Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 2,946	Where in Zone 1 does she go to. She may not even have to take the tube.

26th June 2012, 08:41	#3
calc7 InterCity Established Member Join Date: 8 Aug 2011 Posts: 1,992	Does she commute every day? If not, a SOT-MKC season with a MKC-R1256 (Virgin Only) ADT may be effective. Also, who wants to live in Stoke-on-Trent?!

26th June 2012, 10:51	#6
island I'm from M390 Established Member Join Date: 30 Dec 2010 Location: SE12 Posts: 5,587	She doesn't, no

26th June 2012, 11:19	#7
Clip Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 2,946	I cant see anyway around this one and ive been thinking about it most of the morning.

26th June 2012, 12:18	#8
island I'm from M390 Established Member Join Date: 30 Dec 2010 Location: SE12 Posts: 5,587	No worries, I thought it might well be out on a limb. Thanks for the effort

26th June 2012, 13:28	#10
All Line Rover Established Member Join Date: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 3,209	Unless she qualifies for a 16-25 Railcard, I see no way to save money on the usual £315.60 a week using "reasonable" methods. £63.12 a day is quite reasonable anyway, costing less than an Off-Peak Return + Off-Peak Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard. I don't consider 90 minutes to be an excessively long commute.