Family trip from Milton Keynes to Canary Wharf/London

[oversteer]

I had a quick search but the various options have confused me!

Travelling from Milton Keynes to Canary Wharf on a specific day in December, to arrive around 10am and return late afternoon - likely some additional London travel inbetween

Myself, another adult, two children (7/9)

I have a Network Railcard and I could potentially arrive at Euston after 10am if it made a big different to price

Any ideas? I was going to get a Zip card for the kids, but their passports have expired and I'm not sure if that complicates things

 

[Haywain]

I have a Network Railcard and I could potentially arrive at Euston after 10am if it made a big different to price

Leaving MK after 1000 will make a big difference to the price as the Network Railcard isn't valid before then.

 

[Gaelan]

With the Network Railcard, £49 total gets everyone an Off-Peak Day Travelcard valid in/out of Euston on any train (arriving after 10:00) and for unlimited use on transport within London. You can get that slightly cheaper if you're willing to commit to either Avanti trains only (£48) or LNWR trains only (£38). Probably easiest bought from a ticket office, though online ticket retailers may be able to sell it too (of the ones I tried, only LNER managed).

(There's also a "family travelcard" which Avanti's website offers you - this is cheaper for the children, but not railcard-eligible, so the overall price ends up more expensive at around £55.)

 

[Haywain]

arriving after 10:00

Leaving after 10:00 - it's the railcard restriction that governs this.

 

[Gaelan]

Leaving after 10:00 - it's the railcard restriction that governs this.

Oops, thanks. Explains why I couldn't get discounted tickets to show up!

Of course, it's only £6 more to get the family travelcard with no railcard, if leaving after 10 isn't practical.

 

[100andthirty]

The two children (age 7 and 9) don't need anything on TfL services if they're travelling with adults. So they only need tickets MKC to EUS.

 

[miklcct]

The two children (age 7 and 9) don't need anything on TfL services if they're travelling with adults. So they only need tickets MKC to EUS.

They only need MKC to WFJ (Watford Junction), assuming that the train calls there.

WFJ-EUS is one of the lines where children travel free with an adult.

 

[JBuchananGB]

The Off Peak Family Day Travel Card, valid on trains arriving London after 10am is £55.80 (2 x £26.90 adults + 2 x £1 children) which beats trying combinations of fares with adult Travelcards and child tickets to Watford or Euston because the standard adult off peak travelcard is £28.30.

 

[100andthirty]

The OP asked a simple question and it's been amazing how this simple question highlghted some of the complexity of the fares system.

 

[30907]

The OP asked a simple question and it's been amazing how this simple question highlghted some of the complexity of the fares system.

It also highlights the fact that the obvious product for the OP's requirement is the cheapest available

 

[oversteer]

Bumping this up as my trip is soon!

It’s looking like 10am arrival into EUS will be too late.. needs to be closer to 9.

Is my best option then two adult travelcards*£54.60 x2 , two child off peak day returns to WFJ (and the train has to stop there?) £19.10 x2

* (two singles for mine with the Network Railcard on the off peak return, then contactless travel on tube)

I think I might drive to Stanmore and go straight onto TFL services from there..

 

[JBuchananGB]

If you are all travelling in to arrive at Canary Wharf by 9am on a weekday, you will be getting the top rate fares.
I ran this through one of the journey planners and the best it came up with was (without flexibility of travelling randomly around London): Anytime Day singles MKC to Canary Wharf (Elizabeth Line) £81, plus Off Peak Day Single Canary Wharf to MKC (using Network Card) £43.10. Total £124.10.
If you book to London Euston on same basis and sort out the Canary Wharf bit separately, it's £69.30 out and £37.30 back total £106.60, because Network card discount applies. From there the children are free, and you can use contactless for the adults for the bit between Euston and Canary Wharf.

PS I just spotted that the £69.30 fare is Avanti Only. The "any operator" fare is £70.80.

 

[oversteer]

In the end we drove to Stanmore (100 mile round trip) and used Underground services, arriving CW in good time.

Very thankful we did, as with all the disruption yesterday we’d have returned to Euston just as it closed, possibly putting the children off train travel forever! They found the Jubilee line exciting enough
Thanks for the suggestions, next trip will be off-peak