Fares for end July London to Skipton

[ianfreeman]

My other half travels London KX to Skipton at the end of July every year to see her mum. She normally goes first class return at a cost of around £120 but this year fares seem to be over double that. I assume this is a Covid-19 issue but does anyone have any advice as to how to do it cheaper - standard class is OK. we've tried all the usual ticket-splitting options with no success. Many thanks in advance.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

My other half travels London KX to Skipton at the end of July every year to see her mum. She normally goes first class return at a cost of around £120 but this year fares seem to be over double that. I assume this is a Covid-19 issue but does anyone have any advice as to how to do it cheaper - standard class is OK. we've tried all the usual ticket-splitting options with no success. Many thanks in advance.

To travel for £120 return in first class that would have meant travelling using Advance tickets. Many train companies have limited the availability of cheaper Advance tickets at the current time, to reduce price-induced demand, so that may be the reason why you're not seeing prices as cheap as you're used to.

You can get a Super Off-Peak Return from London to Skipton for £121.40, which is a flexible standard class ticket, albeit with heavy time restrictions on weekdays. There may be cheaper options if you are willing to accept a slower journey. One option may be to travel as far as Doncaster using Grand Central, who are recommencing a limited service from on Sunday 26th July. The itinerary might look something like this.

TrainSplit also comes up with some cheaper options if you're willing to travel at less busy times, and can accept Advance tickets.

What time and date were you thinking of travelling?

 

[ianfreeman]

Thanks very much for the response. She intends to travel up at some time around 11am on Friday 31st July, returning after 11am on Saturday 8th August.

 

[alistairlees]

Generally speaking Advance fares are only being released a week or two ahead, so she may need to wait. Also, as capacity is very reduced on 1st class , there may be no advance fares released there at all. This sometimes seems to be the case with CrossCountry.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thanks very much for the response. She intends to travel up at some time around 11am on Friday 31st July, returning after 11am on Saturday 8th August.

If you enter those times into TrainSplit and select "value" mode and "fixed time", it comes up with standard class options costing from £96.38 return, and first class options from £192.57.

 

[ianfreeman]

Thanks very much, both. I wonder if it's worth waiting until nearer the time.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thanks very much, both. I wonder if it's worth waiting until nearer the time.

Those fares involve Advance fares. They are unlikely to reduce in the mean-time, although it is possible.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Thanks very much for the response. She intends to travel up at some time around 11am on Friday 31st July, returning after 11am on Saturday 8th August.

Grand Central run a limited service from London direct to Bradford. Fortunately the timings seem to suit her plans reasonably well. On the Friday, they have a service leaving London at 10:57, which arrives at Bradford Interchange at 13:37. She would then have to cross Bradford to Forster Square to get a train to Skipton - for example one train leaves at 14:11 and arrives at Skipton at 14:50. Coming back, she would need to leave Skipton a little later than she would like - I would suggest the 14:04 service arriving at Bradford at 14:41, to leave her plenty of time to get to Bradford Interchange for the 15:22 to London (arriving 18:47).

An off-peak return for that service would cost £88, and this can be combined with two Off Peak Day Singles from Bradford to Skipton - £7.70 each. So the total would be £103.40. There is a first class option for the London to Bradford part of the journey, but this is more expensive - £153 rather than £88 (making the total £168.40).

Advances would quite possibly be cheaper, but if you don't want to wait for them to be released this could be an option.

 

[CrispyUK]

There are £41.50 / £53.50 Advances (Standard / 1st Class) available for the 10:33 departure from Kings Cross on Friday 31st July, but no Advances for the return date.

Advances may be released for the return date nearer the time, but there is no guarantee the outward fares above will still be available by this point.

Buying the outward Advance now to secure it would carry the risk that no Advance fares are released for the return, meaning a flexible one-way ticket needs to be bought, the combination of which could end up costing more than just buying a flexible return ticket.

 

[ianfreeman]

Much food for thought there. Many thanks to you all - really appreciated.

 

[Haywain]

Much food for thought there. Many thanks to you all - really appreciated.

LNER reservations for 8th August have not yet been released. It is therefore worth waiting, in my opinion.

 

[ianfreeman]

Thanks.

 

[ianfreeman]

There are £41.50 / £53.50 Advances (Standard / 1st Class) available for the 10:33 departure from Kings Cross on Friday 31st July, but no Advances for the return date.

Advances may be released for the return date nearer the time, but there is no guarantee the outward fares above will still be available by this point.

Buying the outward Advance now to secure it would carry the risk that no Advance fares are released for the return, meaning a flexible one-way ticket needs to be bought, the combination of which could end up costing more than just buying a flexible return ticket.

I've just been on a couple of websites including TrainSplit and can't find those fares for the 10.33. It's a puzzle.

 

[alistairlees]

It's there on LNER:

Booking Engine

www.lner.co.uk

 

[yorkie]

Looking at Friday 31 July, Trainsplit is offering the 1033 with one change at £24.13

LNER wants £41.50 for the same journey.

If you book through either of these sites, you should* be able to pick your seat from a seat selector.

(* unless it's the last seat at that price! Just tried it on Trainsplit and it did allow changing the seat, so looks like there is more than one left at the time I write this)

 

[ianfreeman]

Great, thanks. I'll give it another go!

 

[ianfreeman]

Done it! The mistake I was making was searching for a return ticket instead of a single - idiot! First class single outward bought for £53.50 and will wait a few days to see if the return leg tickets become available. Thanks again for all the assistance.

 

[yorkie]

No worries, glad you are sorted

Though currently there probably isn't £29 of value in the upgrade, as either way you won't have anyone reserved into the seat next to you, and there won't be any complimentary items provided, and the lounge may not be open, but it's your choice to make!

 

[ianfreeman]

Heh, thanks.

 

[westv]

No worries, glad you are sorted

Though currently there probably isn't £29 of value in the upgrade, as either way you won't have anyone reserved into the seat next to you, and there won't be any complimentary items provided, and the lounge may not be open, but it's your choice to make!

I suppose the best benefit of 1st at the moment is the ability to recline the seat.