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Nottingham-Reading return

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Skymonster

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I've got to go from Nottingham to Reading and back on Thursday... I can potentially travel first class should I wish, and I want to be flexible with timings so no advance fares...

NOT-Nottingham, DBY-Derby, BHM-Birmingham New Street, BAN-Banbury, OXF-Oxford, RDG-Reading

NOT-RDG First open return - £288 (route via Banbury)

NOT-DBY First anytime return - £17.30
DBY-BHM First anytime return - £39.00
BHM-BAN First anytime return - £45.00
BAN-OXF First offpeak day return - £21.80
OXF-RDG First offpeak day return - £27.70
Total - £150.80

NOT-DBY-BHM-BAN-OXF-RDG is all the way through on the same XC train - the 06:36 XC ex NTM. The offpeak return fares BAN-OXF and OXF-RDG are valid on this train according to NRE website

RDG-OXF-BAN-BHM-DBY would probably be on the 16:11 XC which goes all the way through, then DBY-NTM on whatever comes along

A few questions:

1. I'd just like to confirm from the experts - have I got something wrong, or can I really do the journey on five tickets for £150.80 saving over £130 on the NTM-RDG one-ticket price of £288?? :o

2. If I'm right, where's the best website to buy such that I can collect all of the tickets at a TVM, ideally at Nottingham before I leave

3. Presumably the major disadvantage of buying all of these tickets is that it might be challenging to get the same seat reservation all the way through?

TIA,
Andy
 
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lemonic

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If you book on the CrossCountry website you should be able to select your own seat when booking each leg, so you can try and get a seat reservation in the same seat for each leg of the journey. However, I believe this is one of the websites which will issue you a different booking reference for each leg of the journey, thus slowing you down at a TVM.

If you book on a WebTIS site e.g. East Coast, Redspottedhanky, London Midland, then you should only get one booking reference for each leg of the journey if you book it all in one go. But you won't be able to choose your seat.
 

sonic2009

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First of all 1611 is a Manchester service. You would need the 1640 for Derby :)

If you were happy on the way back from Reading to change at Birmingham New Street and catch a Nottingham train direct from there you could do this option :

Nottingham to Lichfield City First Class Anytime day return Route : Any Permitted £34.10 (valid via Birmingham New Street)
Birmingham New Street to Leamington Spa First Class Anytime day return Route : Any Permitted £23.60
Leamington Spa to Banbury First Class Anytime day return Route : Any Permitted £18.00
Banbury to Oxford First Class Off Peak day return Route : Any Permitted £21.80
Oxford to Reading First Class Off Peak day return Route : Any Permitted £27.70

Total : £125.20
 
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Skymonster

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Oops, my bad on the 1611... Sorry! And thanks for your help Sonic

Andy
 

yorkie

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3. Presumably the major disadvantage of buying all of these tickets is that it might be challenging to get the same seat reservation all the way through?
That disadvantage would only exist if booking online.

A ticket office could issue all the tickets and one, through, reservation (per train, rather than per ticket) in one transaction.

You could consider printing a list and hand it to them to get all the tickets issued, several members have reported that a printed list can make the process easier when a lot of tickets are involved.
 

Skymonster

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Well it's booked... 1640 return though so I can go thru to DBY... We'll see what XC staff make of it tomorrow!
 

LexyBoy

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If you were happy on the way back from Reading to change at Birmingham New Street and catch a Nottingham train direct from there you could do this option [...]

Why do you say you need to change at Birmingham? Unless I've missed something there's no difference between changing at Birmingham or at Derby.

It's possible that the TM would be more likely to take issue with it, but that doesn't make it any less valid. And the TM is likely to change over at Birmingham anyway.

Well it's booked... 1640 return though so I can go thru to DBY... We'll see what XC staff make of it tomorrow!

I doubt they will have any problem - your have a simple combination of tickets, no fancy routeing or short starting/stopping.

You can of course take any train with your tickets - I doubt very much that you'll have any trouble getting a seat in FC. There's usually a reasonable number of seats even in standard at Reading on XC at the times you're travelling.
 

sonic2009

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Why do you say you need to change at Birmingham? Unless I've missed something there's no difference between changing at Birmingham or at Derby.

It's possible that the TM would be more likely to take issue with it, but that doesn't make it any less valid. And the TM is likely to change over at Birmingham.

Sorry that was originally when i was looking at spliting for the OP @ Tamworth.
 

island

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You could consider printing a list and hand it to them to get all the tickets issued, several members have reported that a printed list can make the process easier when a lot of tickets are involved.

I tried that once for a slightly complex split (four tickets) and the clerk ignored it and asked me to speak every ticket I wanted :roll:
 

Skymonster

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Well it all worked... Thanks for the input and advice. Southbound I even got a smile, whereas northbound I got a bit of a sour look when the tickets were checked, but no other adverse reaction.

Andy
 

sonic2009

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Well it all worked... Thanks for the input and advice. Southbound I even got a smile, whereas northbound I got a bit of a sour look when the tickets were checked, but no other adverse reaction.

Andy

Glad we could all be off help :)
 
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