Cheap summer day break?

[causton]

I want to go on a couple of day trips this summer, and I reckon it's not too late to get some good advance deals on tickets... any good deals that I can use to get away? Looking for the cheapest journeys

• Don't mind if the train's not the fastest on the route
• No more than a couple of hours from London
• I like to explore cities
• Looking to leave London in early morning peak and arriving back in London about 10pm - could vary though!
• Any time from the end of next week to the end of August is fine
• If there is a *VERY* good First Class deal I may consider it
• I have a 16-25 railcard and an NUS Extra card

So far I've just been looking at the Megabus/train site with a couple of £4 seats to places around London with my NUS card which seems very reasonable
Any other places with very low prices such as those? £4 is nowhere near my maximum limit, I will consider any reasonable prices, I just don't want to pay £100 for the day out :P
Also, where are the best places to go on the train using Megabus?

Thanks in advance

 

[sonic2009]

http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/half-price-summer-rail-sale/..

This may help as well. London Midland's Sale.

 

[causton]

http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/half-price-summer-rail-sale/..

This may help as well. London Midland's Sale.

Thanks, quite a few of these seem very good

Edit: £9.55 for Watford Junction to Birmingham + PlusBus for early August! Didn't end up using the 50% off deal as the advances are still cheap enough
(Didn't expect the booking engine to ask me a philosophical question though )

You've asked to pick up your tickets from a different station than the one you're travelling from. Is that right?

Thanks very much

 

[bnm]

London Waterloo - Bristol Temple Meads, purchasing a London Terminals - Severn Beach (Route: WARMSTER-SALSBRY) Off Peak Day Return (CDR) for £19.45 with a railcard. A weird one where it is cheaper to purchase a CDR to beyond Bristol, Severn Beach is at the end of a 13 mile branch from Temple Meads!

Depart Waterloo any time in the AM, latest return from Bristol 1923 arrive Waterloo 2258.

This fare offers up opportunities to stop off (BoJ) at many places en route, Bath and Salisbury being probably the better picks.

If you prefer a quicker journey on one leg, with the additional benefit of a different route, then you can request a 'change of route excess' for either your OUT or RTN (I suggest RTN as you won't have time restrictions toward London in the evening) portion to a Route: ANY PERMITTED Super Off Peak Return for £6.40. That being half the difference in fares. You can then travel via Reading.

So for around £26.00 you can do a circular day return journey to Bristol, OUT via Salisbury, RTN via Reading. Plenty of interesting places to BoJ en route also. So much more flexible than AP tickets. You can even trundle down and back the Severn Beach Line (it's not a beach, just an estuary) if you want!

 

[causton]

That idea seems good - I might just check times etc and do that as well

 

[sonic2009]

Latest Times from Bristol T M to Waterloo are :

2023 Bristol TM - Sailsbury 2132
2226 Sailsbury - Basingstoke 2307
2313 Basingstoke - Waterloo 0009

 

[bnm]

Latest Times from Bristol T M to Waterloo are :

2023 Bristol TM - Sailsbury 2132
2226 Sailsbury - Basingstoke 2307
2313 Basingstoke - Waterloo 0009

Indeed, however I noted causton's location as 'Hertfordshire' so I gave the 1923 option to allow for possible final train home from central London.

 

[sonic2009]

Indeed, however I noted causton's location as 'Hertfordshire' so I gave the 1923 option to allow for possible final train home from central London.

oops.. didnt notice that, but if causton lives on the KGX - PBO Line he has a :

0036 PBO
0106 Letchworth via Hertford North
0136 PBO

Key

PBO :Peterborough

 

[causton]

Ooh yes, thanks for the advice guys. Just to note, I would be going to Hatfield station, so the PBO trains would be fine, just not the via HFN one

 

[causton]

Quick update: Last week I won £50 thanks to the very nice people at redspottedhanky (makes about £65 I've got from them so far in free travel!) - so ordered this ticket for a day out. Thanks for the tip off with this "off peak" return - I've finally been able to use it!