Freshfield-Wareham (Dorset) Cheapest ticket

[gray1404]

Can you please help me find the cheapest way of doing this journey

Freshfield to Wareham (Dorset) on an open return with no railcard and avoiding central London - this is really important to the passenger.

This is for a friend of mine who makes this journey often and at short notice and will not know what day she needs to come back on at the point of making the outward journey. She does not hold any railcards. Right now she is paying £126

She said that by the time she comes to book, as late as the night before, all of the Advances have sold out. She has therefore just been opting for this ticket: -

http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=FRE&dest=WRM&expert=on&flow=1&multi=1&fare=4&rte=700&tkt=SVR

She prefers to avoid having to go through London and also avoid Birmingham New Street. She has therefore been changing at Liverpool South Parkway, Stafford and Bournemouth.

I have tried looking on trainsplit/raileasy and the cheapest option there is only saving less then 50p. I am wondering if there is something better she could be doing?

Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Paul Kelly]

A Network Railcard would probably be a good investment (£30) for your friend. This is valid between Banbury and Wareham. Then you could get combinations such as this one, which allows travel on the same trains changing at LPY-STA-BMH:

£2.70 Freshfield to Hightown (ANYTIME DAY S, ANY PERMITTED, outbound)
£28.00 Hightown to Birmingham Stns (SUPER OFFPEAK R, VIA CREWE, return)
£19.10 Birmingham Stns to Banbury (OFF-PEAK R, ANY PERMITTED, return)
£15.70 Banbury to Reading Stations (OFF-PEAK R, NOT VIA LONDON, Network Railcard, return)
£30.45 Reading Stations to Wareham Dorset (OFF-PEAK R, ANY PERMITTED, Network Railcard, return)
£2.70 Hightown to Freshfield (ANYTIME DAY S, ANY PERMITTED, inbound)

Total £98.65
Saving £27.35, so nearly paying for the Railcard in one trip.

The Hightown to Freshfield ticket would need to be dated for the correct return date, so would need to be bought on the day, and you'd need to watch out for the rather stringent time restrictions on the Hightown to Birmingham Super Off-Peak Return. To avoid both of these potential issues you could just get a Freshfield to Banbury Off-Peak Return for £58.70 to replace the splits at Hightown and Birmingham. That would cost £6.20 more in total.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks so much. I shall certainly pass that information on.

I came up with the following: -
£4.80 Freshfield to Liverpool Stations (ANYTIME DAY S, ANY PERMITTED, outbound)
£11.00 Liverpool Lime Street to Southampton Central (ADVANCE, SN&LM ONLY, outbound)
£27.60 Southampton Central to Wareham (OFF-PEAK R, ANY PERMITTED)
£11.00 Southampton Central to Liverpool Lime Street (ADVANCE, SN&LM ONLY, inbound)
£4.80 Liverpool Stations to Freshfield (ANYTIME DAY S, ANY PERMITTED inbound)

TOTAL £59.20 (saving to current ticket = £66.80)
I have chosen this Advance fare because there tends to be good availability with it and it could even be booked as late as the night before.
HOWEVER, this journey does have a much longer journey time due to the TOC restrictions. Also, she may consider the change required at Clapham Junction or indeed the MKC to CLJ leg to be "via London".

 

[Merseysider]

That's certainly going the long way round! Whilst a decent price, I've found the LM services from Liverpool to be unbearably slow, uncomfortable and tedious.

Clapham Junction can also be a nightmare in the morning or afternoon peak.

 

[gray1404]

I know tell me about it at CLJ. I just tell myself "right Gray its like your living in Asia again at Hong Kong rush hour." I cannot really see a cheaper way of doing it though. Even with the suggestion given in the first reply, its only really a decent saving if she bothers to get a Network Railcard.

It really pieves me off how in the UK the British traveling public deem a train to be "full" then stop boarding it and let the train depart, even though in my head I could get another 20 people in that carriage. There has been many a time people have tutted at me or passsed other remark because I've forced my way onto a "full" service. Personally, I don't get intimidated easily by crowds.

Out of interest, is it LM in general you've not enjoyed or mainly just the departures ex/to LIV? Do you not like their STA-MKC/EUS service either? I totally love their services because I love their cheap fares (even though I could afford to take VT). I get satisfaction out of not being ripped off.

 

[Merseysider]

I know tell me about it at CLJ. I just tell myself "right Gray its like your living in Asia again at Hong Kong rush hour." I cannot really see a cheaper way of doing it though. Even with the suggestion given in the first reply, its only really a decent saving if she bothers to get a Network Railcard.

Out of interest, is it LM in general you've not enjoyed or mainly just the departures ex/to LIV? Do you not like their STA-MKC/EUS service either? I totally love their services because I love their cheap fares (even though I could afford to take VT). I get satisfaction out of not being ripped off.

To be completely honest, this is one I'd be tempted to fly (See screenshot for sample date in July). £75 for a day return with flybe, 8.30am out 8pm back. Throw in another £20 for connecting trains at both ends and you've got a 3 hour journey each way for quite a reasonable price. Cheaper dates or airlines may be available.

London Midland services in general rank way below Virgin or XC but I suppose you get what you pay for. Mind you, I rarely travel on LM without a few beers, that seems to make the journey a bit more bearable. I just hate the excessive padding (10 minute wait at Birmingham or Northampton or MKC or wherever). The guards are always friendly though.

Flying one way and getting the train back would also be an option if the return date is unknown.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks for that suggestion!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who "comes equipped" on LM with beer (its part of my standard kit these days). We should do a LM Great Escape for good measure!

 

[47421]

How often does she travel? Annual gold card Lichfield City to Trent Valley at £144 might be worth the investment. Gives 1/3 off after 0930 Mon - Fri anytime weekends as far north as Stafford.

However GC discounted tics are not valid north of Banbury on XC and not on VirginWC at all, so you are looking at the long slog down the west coast on LM n then Southern via KO or LM to New Street and walk to Snow Hill or Moor Street for Chiltern to Banbury before picking up XC on to Bomo.

Stafford - Wareham off peak return not via London £68.70

 

[gray1404]

thanks so much for the suggestion. She does it about every 3 months and sometimes every other month. I'll put all these thoughts to her