London to York, breaking the journey in Loughborough

[NightatLaira]

Trying to help a friend out here....

He's attempting to go from London Terminals to Loughborough, and then to York the next day, returning direct to London a couple of days after that. He's wanting travel out on a Friday evening, around 6.30pm from St Pancras to Loughborough, breaking the outward journey there for the night. Continuing on the next day (Saturday) to York. Returning on the Sunday or Monday using the RTN portion of the Super Off Peak to London KX via the ECML.

He's wanting fairly unrestricted, including the possibility to travel on 'rush hour' trains into London Kings Cross on the Monday. Is this possible, and which is the best ticket to buy?

Weekender?
Super Off Peak?
Off Peak?
Something Else? (I can't think 3x advance singles will be cheaper than the above)

*He also has a Y-P and a Network Gold Card.

 

[mikeg]

Weekender would be unsuitable as break of journey isn't permitted on the outward journey. Super off peak would be fine for the outward journey if travelling from a London terminal other than St Pancras (or Liverpool Street) because the restriction text states that on a Friday travel is permitted at or after 1815. Unfortunately this Friday exception does not apply to STP and you must travel at or after 1859. The off peak return also has the same outward afternoon restriction from St Pancras. This leaves only the anytime fare valid for the journey on one ticket. I'll just look in to using multiple singles.

EDIT: May be best getting an Anytime Single from London Terminals to York, as this is now valid outward for two days and always permits break of journey.
Then maybe Grand Central from York to London, although this doesn't exactly offer a great frequency with only four trains a day, but will be the cheapest walk up fare (or possibly the cheapest fare) for rush-hour trains considering its only £42.90 for a Grand-Central only anytime single with the Y-P railcard.
The Anytime single from London Terminals to York is £78.85. Buying a separate Anytime single from London Terminals to Loughborough will cost £46.20, then an off peak single from Loughborough to York route Sheffield costs £27.45, producing a modest saving of £5.20, although then your friend must go via Sheffield (obviously), whereas your friend could take any permitted route from Loughborough to York on the SOS from London to York.

So maybe three advances will be cheaper? Those are the best options for walk up fares I have found... so far. I haven't yet tried ticket-splitting.

 

[NightatLaira]

Thanks for the tips...

I think if I were him I'd just suffer it and wait out for the 1925 departure from STP on a Friday. Then you could buy a Super Off Peak and that would only cost ~£50 all-in.

 

[mikeg]

Me too...

Oh and you may as well buy a STP-LBO and LBO-YRK route Sheffield tickets as I can't find a valid route STP-LBO-PBO-YRK on the permitted maps for London Group to York. That said I'm not brilliant with the Routeing guide yet...

 

[John @ home]

He's wanting fairly unrestricted, including the possibility to travel on 'rush hour' trains into London Kings Cross on the Monday. ...

I can't think 3x advance singles will be cheaper

If the Monday 'rush hour' is the morning peak, then I suspect Advance singles may well be the cheapest option. If you can quote possible date(s), we may be able to offer more detailed advice.

 

[NightatLaira]

It's this next weekend 4th / 5th / 6th Nov we're talking about... He'd quite like to get into London before 0900 ideally; but if it pushes up the price hugely I imagine he'd prob head back on the Sun.