Glasgow to Birmingham issues.

[class303]

greetings all. i'm told this is where to get advice re:good value fares.

I'm planning on travelling from Glasgow central to Birmingham New st. travelling Weds 1st August and coming back Monday 6th August.

Now while there is a bargain £10.55 advance fare (16-25 railcard) on the outward journey leaving glasgow 17.40, the cheapest on the return is £28.50 (there is a 7.20am from brum but that's to early to be practical). appreciate less than £40 isn't bad value for a return but i don't see how the difference can be justified for the same journey 3 months in advance.

it's enough to make me return via megabus or such out of principle.

any suggestions? i can travel anytime that day after about 11am from Birmingham. I have a young persons railcard.

why are train fares so ridiculously complicated?? aaaargh! cheers

 

[dvboy]

Who knows how the rail companies decide how many advance tickets at which prices to release when, but it makes perfect sense to me that a Monday daytime train northbound is going to be busier than a Wednesday evening train southbound.

I think for less than £40 you have done really well.

 

[GadgetMan]

If you are willing to spend an hour at Crewe and travel slightly earlier on the 10:20 then;

10:20 New street - Crewe 11:07
Advance Single £3.95

12:09 Crewe - Glasgow central 15:17
Advance Single £15.85

Total = £19.80

I'm sure someone will come along with a better solution.

 

[Oscar]

Not all of the Advances have come out yet. There are no TPE Preston - Glasgow Advances for example. There are cheaper options using such tickets available for the previous Monday, suggesting that you will probably save money by using Virgin to Preston and TPE from there (but you can't book straight away).

 

[All Line Rover]

Most of the services with cheap fares are Pendolinos. The ones with expensive fares are Super Voyagers. Just a few months ago they were all Super Voyagers (with expensive fares) so you should really be grateful that at least some cheap fares are available!

However, through VT Birmingham to Scotland fares are much more expensive than through VT Crewe to Scotland fares, so it may be worth travelling with LM to Crewe (who might not have released Advance tickets yet) and then with VT to Scotland.