London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street 04/02/12

[TheJRB]

I'm interested in finding out the cost of advance tickets (one adult and one child) from London to Birmingham and return on Chiltern on Saturday 4th February. I'm not certain on times, but let's say that we would depart MYB at 09:XX and return from BMO at some point after 15:30.

I'm pretty certain it was £15 all in all last time I checked (£7.50 each way), but now when I look at their site it appears that it's £18.75 one way and £7.50 return making a total of £26.25.

Of course it just so happens that London Midland now have their Great Escape offer on which would be £6.25 cheaper (albeit around ten minutes slower), but I still think I'd be interested in travelling on the Chiltern Main Line.

What I'm really trying to find out is whether or not I'm missing anything. Also on a side note: how many days ahead do advance tickets have to be purchased?

 

[sonic2009]

JRB do you have a family + friends railcard?
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There are £7.50 tickets on the 08:20am departure from London Marylebone then non-available until 13:30.

Returning from Birmingham Moor Street there are tickets available from £7.50 around the time you wish to return barring the 16:15 departure.

Are you missing anything? no loco-hauled run on Saturdays, so you will only have 168s, but chiltern do have free wifi.

 

[dzug2]

Advance tickets have to be purchased by the day before - either by 1800 or by midnight depending on the TOC. Don't know which Chiltern is.

But bear in mind they might sell out if you delay buying - as has evidently happened with your outward journey no longer being £7.50

 

[SS4]

I'm interested in finding out the cost of advance tickets (one adult and one child) from London to Birmingham and return on Chiltern on Saturday 4th February. I'm not certain on times, but let's say that we would depart MYB at 09:XX and return from BMO at some point after 15:30.

I'm pretty certain it was £15 all in all last time I checked (£7.50 each way), but now when I look at their site it appears that it's £18.75 one way and £7.50 return making a total of £26.25.

Chances are the 0900, 0930 and 1000 have sold out of £7.50 tickets. There is still a £7.50 ticket available on the 0800 and 0820 if you can leave earlier.

Returning there are £7.50 fares at 1555 1655 and 1715 (the 1615 is £11.25)

Of course it just so happens that London Midland now have their Great Escape offer on which would be £6.25 cheaper (albeit around ten minutes slower), but I still think I'd be interested in travelling on the Chiltern Main Line.

What I'm really trying to find out is whether or not I'm missing anything.

IMO you're not missing all that much scenery wise although there is wifi on Chiltern now for all customers iirc

Also on a side note: how many days ahead do advance tickets have to be purchased?

Any time from (roughly) 12 weeks before travel up until 6pm the day before. Naturally the earlier you book the better deal you get (as evidenced by the outbound being more expensive)

 

[TheJRB]

JRB do you have a family + friends railcard?

No, I don't.

Are you missing anything? no loco-hauled run on Saturdays, so you will only have 168s, but chiltern do have free wifi.

I found out about the lack of loco hauled services on weekends a couple of weeks ago. Slightly disappointing, but certainly nothing major at all. I was pleasantly surprised when I read about the WiFi on their site too.

Advance tickets have to be purchased by the day before - either by 1800 or by midnight depending on the TOC. Don't know which Chiltern is.

But bear in mind they might sell out if you delay buying - as has evidently happened with your outward journey no longer being £7.50

Any time from (roughly) 12 weeks before travel up until 6pm the day before. Naturally the earlier you book the better deal you get (as evidenced by the outbound being more expensive)

OK. Thanks for the clarification. I didn't realise about cheaper tickets selling out.

Chances are the 0900, 0930 and 1000 have sold out of £7.50 tickets. There is still a £7.50 ticket available on the 0800 and 0820 if you can leave earlier.

Returning there are £7.50 fares at 1555 1655 and 1715 (the 1615 is £11.25)

IMO you're not missing all that much scenery wise although there is wifi on Chiltern now for all customers iirc

Well I don't mind leaving earlier, but I'll have to speak to my grandfather first. Although to get the 08:00, it would require departing Ashford at 06:43 which is perhaps a bit too early a start (for the 08:20 it could be done departing on the 07:13 which isn't so bad). hock:

 

[John @ home]

to get the 08:00, it would require departing Ashford at 06:43 which is perhaps a bit too early a start

Do tickets also need to be purchased for the Ashford - St Pancras leg? If so, we may be able to make suggestions and it is more likely that it would be worthwhile buying a Railcard.

 

[TheJRB]

Do tickets also need to be purchased for the Ashford - St Pancras leg? If so, we may be able to make suggestions and it is more likely that it would be worthwhile buying a Railcard.

Well as it happens, I turn 16 on 18th March, so I don't think it would be worthwhile getting a Railcard yet would it? Surely it's better to hold on and get a 16-25 for me and a senior for my grandfather. At the moment because of my age, I go for £1 anywhere on Southeastern including HS1 (which makes AFK-STP off peak day return for both of us cost £31.60).

And yes, the tickets will be purchased on the day.

 

[John @ home]

I turn 16 on 18th March, so I don't think it would be worthwhile getting a Railcard yet would it?

Yes, it almost certainly would!

A Family & Friends Railcard allows someone aged under 16 at the time that the Railcard is purchased to continue to travel at the discounted child’s fare throughout the validity period of the one-year Railcard.

Family & Friends Railcard Terms & Conditions

Special notes regarding children’s tickets

Children aged under 16 at the time that the Railcard is purchased may still travel at the discounted child’s fare throughout the validity period of the one-year Railcard, or, for a three-year Railcard, up to and including the day before their 17th birthday.

http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/buy-family-friends-railcard/railcard-terms-conditions

A Family & Friends Railcard can be bought for £25.20 here until 31 March. It may carry the name of your grandfather and also the name of one other person aged 16 or more on the day it is purchased. It would be sensible to choose somebody you are likely to travel with when your grandfather is not present. This would allow you to travel with either of them using the Railcard. They would receive the Railcard 34% discount; you would get the discounted Child rate, even when you are 16.

 

[TheJRB]

Yes, it almost certainly would!

A Family & Friends Railcard allows someone aged under 16 at the time that the Railcard is purchased to continue to travel at the discounted child’s fare throughout the validity period of the one-year Railcard. A Family & Friends Railcard can be bought for £25.20 here until 31 March. It may carry the name of your grandfather and also the name of one other person aged 16 or more on the day it is purchased. It would be sensible to choose somebody you are likely to travel with when your grandfather is not present. This would allow you to travel with either of them using the Railcard. They would receive the Railcard 34% discount; you would get the discounted Child rate, even when you are 16.

Ah, interesting. Thanks a lot for the advice. Seems too good to miss out on. I take it I wouldn't get away with the £1 on Southeastern as that's their special promotion though (and I have a feeling it cannot be taken advantage of with anything but a full fare paying adult). But apart from that, it would reduce the cheapest MYB-BMO return fare (with two singles) to £8.20 all in all.
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We've decided to take advantage of London Midland's offer instead on the same day. The voucher is printed, but as the nearest LM station is Euston, we won't be acquiring the actual tickets until the day.

Thanks all for the help and the Friends & Family Railcard will probably be purchased soon!