Fenny Stratford - Newcastle 24/11/2012

[DarloRich]

HELP. I have a big problem!

On Saturday I need to do a return journey between Fenny Stratford & Newcastle. I need to be in Newcastle by 11:00 and I cant leave until 18:00.

The cheapest tickets i could work out are:

OUT

1) An anytime return from Bletchely to Euston with my Gold Card = £9.55
2) Grand Central ONLY Kings Cross - York = £37.50
3) TPE ONLY York - Newcastle = £11.50

RETURN

1) Newcastle - Kings Cross Single = £58.50 on the 18:28

TOTAL = £117.05!

Can anyone help me out with a cheaper fare. I am easy on routes and operators. However i need to be in Newcastle as close ot the time suggested as possible. I COULD arrive a bit later but can not leave any earlier. I have no railcards other than my gold card. The main governing factor in the retun is the time it would take to get from Four Lane Ends Metro to Central Station.

Would it be any cheaper to stay over night in Newcastle and come back early am Sunday?

thanks in advance as this is doing my head in!

 

[eastdyke]

Could save a few pennies (early start tho'!):

Prices without any discounts.

Bletchley-New Street LM 05.15 change at Northampton £14 off peak return arrive 07.01
New Street-Newcastle XC 07.30 £44 advance single arrive 10.45
Newcastle-New Street XC 18.35 £44 advance single arrive 21.25
New Street-Bletchley LM 21.53 arrive 23.15

E&OE!!

Not checked any XC splits!

 

[KeithP]

Have you considered Grand Central from Kings Cross to Sunderland?
Off Peak Return GC trains only is £89.00.
Sunderland to Newcastle is £4.20 off peak day return and takes around 30mins each way.

The problem is the earliest you can be in Sunderland is 11:40.

 

[jkdd77]

An EC web-only Newcastle- Kings Cross Super Off Peak Single for the return leg is £58.10, not £58.50.

Travelling via Bedford, Leicester and Sheffield could get you into Newcastle at 11:29, and would surely cost less than £100 with appropriate splits using CDRs, but I'm guessing this is too late.

 

[DarloRich]

An EC web-only Newcastle- Kings Cross Super Off Peak Single for the return leg is £58.10, not £58.50.

Travelling via Bedford, Leicester and Sheffield could get you into Newcastle at 11:29, and would surely cost less than £100 with appropriate splits using CDRs, but I'm guessing this is too late.

that would be pushing it but ok. The latest is 12:00

 

[jkdd77]

that would be pushing it but ok. The latest is 12:00

That journey would be:
0544 LM Fenny Stratford- Bedford arr 0625 (called at Bletchley 0541)
0648 EMT Bedford- Sheffield arr 0852
0921 XC Sheffield- Newcastle arr 1129

Returning:
1835 XC Newcastle- Birmingham New Street arr 2125
2153 LM Birmingham N- Bletchley 2315 (can't seemingly get to Fenny Stratford that night)

This would give:
£34.60 Fenny Stratford- Derby SVR (seemingly valid both via Bedford and via Birmingham)
£10.30 Derby- Sheffield CDR
£18.20 Sheffield- York CDR
£32.20 York- Newcastle CDR
Total: £95.30

Others may have even better splits

 

[eastdyke]

Could save a few pennies (early start tho'!):

Prices without any discounts.

Bletchley-New Street LM 05.15 change at Northampton £14 off peak return arrive 07.01
New Street-Newcastle XC 07.30 £44 advance single arrive 10.45
Newcastle-New Street XC 18.35 £44 advance single arrive 21.25
New Street-Bletchley LM 21.53 arrive 23.15

E&OE!!

Not checked any XC splits!

Have checked some XC splits.

Using the same out/return XC trains (ie same trains all the way):

New Street - Derby advance singles £5.50 each way
Derby - Sheffield off peak return £10.30
Sheffield - York off peak return £18.20
York - Newcastle advance singles £12.00 each way
TOTAL (inc LM to/from New Street) £77.50

Usual disclaimers!!

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for your help!

Supplemental questions - I have just discovered tucked away in my personal file at work a pile of Rail Travel Vouchers to the value of £60.80 that I had forgotten about.

Now clearly I can’t use them for interweb purchases BUT if I turn up at Kings Cross on Saturday morning and board the 0748 GC will they sell me a £39 ticket.? Can i use the vouchers on board? If not how much will the ticket be. I would propose GC only to York (or Northallerton) and change. Will the GC guard sell me the other tickets I need for the onward journey? Alternatively, will Milton Keynes Ticket office sell me a Grand Central Only ticket?

I would then propose to book an EC single back from Newcastle

Thanks

 

[John @ home]

if I turn up at Kings Cross on Saturday morning and board the 0748 GC will they sell me a £39 ticket.? Can i use the vouchers on board?

The Kings X booking office will certainly sell you a Route GC ONLY ticket and accept rail travel vouchers. I think it has been established on this forum that they are accepted on-board GC trains, but I can't find the reference at the moment.

will Milton Keynes Ticket office sell me a Grand Central Only ticket?

Yes

I would then propose to book an EC single back from Newcastle

Remember that the £58.10 Newcastle - London Super Off-Peak Single is an internet only offer available from East Coast until 2359 the day before travel. It is valid on a Saturday by any train by any permitted route, but if bought on day of travel it costs £116.20!

EDIT
On closer reading, I'm not convinced this combination gives you good value for money. Your options are:

Change York
London - York: SVS route GC only £50 or Advance route GC only £46
York - Newcastle - York: CDR route Any Permitted £32.20
York - London: Online SSS with 50% discount £46.55
Total £124.75
More expensive than flexible ticket

Change Northallerton
London - Northallerton: SVS route GC only £50 or Advance route GC only £46
Northallerton - Newcastle - Darlington: NTR-NCL CDR route Any Permitted £15.20
Darlington - London: Online SSS with 50% discount £55.60
Total £108.80
Risky. Relies on a 5-minute connection at Northallerton. If GC service is a little late and TPE runs ahead of it, you won't make your deadline.

Flexible
Either SSR London - Newcastle £117.20
Valid any train on Saturday. Easy to use travel vouchers.
or
London - Newcastle: Online SSS with 50% discount £58.10
Newcastle - London: Online SSS with 50% discount £58.10
Total £116.20
Saves £1 but you need to keep your vouchers for another day.

I would choose a flexible option.

 

[DarloRich]

The Kings X booking office will certainly sell you a Route GC ONLY ticket and accept rail travel vouchers.

Noted with thanks.

I think it has been established on this forum that they are accepted on-board GC trains, but I can't find the reference at the moment.

Thanks - i couldnt find it either but i am sure I read it. I dont think i wil lchance it and i will try and get the ticket at MK tonight

Remember that the £58.10 Newcastle - London Super Off-Peak Single is an internet only offer available from East Coast until 2359 the day before travel. It is valid on a Saturday by any train by any permitted route, but if bought on day of travel it costs £116.20!

Noted - that will be bought on line once i have the GC ticket. I never use a booking office these days so it will be fun!

I best ask them for the ticket from the GC changing point ( hopefully York so i can see the A4 tour) and Newcastle at the same time to get the best useage of my vouchers.

Is it possible to break down the EC fare on the way back?

 

[John @ home]

I best ask them for the ticket from the GC changing point ( hopefully York so i can see the A4 tour) and Newcastle at the same time to get the best useage of my vouchers.

Yes, but see my EDIT above. I no longer think this is an appropriate combination for you.

Is it possible to break down the EC fare on the way back?

My calculations above do this to some extent, but still leave the fully flexible ticket at £116.20 or £117.20 as a better combination of cost and risk.