• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Stoke-on-Trent to Blackpool North via Leeds

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
Hi - at some point (hopefully this year) I plan on taking my mum by train from Stoke to Leeds overnight then to Blackpool for three days then returning to Stoke on trent. She would be entitled to a DSB railcard, what are the best options for travel/prices (least hassle routing as I will have to book assistance in advance) and would it be worth her getting a DSB railcard for this journey alone?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Mcr Warrior

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Jan 2009
Messages
11,648
A triangular itinerary if ever there was one!

Can this be done without separate tickets for Stoke -> Leeds then Leeds -> Blackpool?

Also, what routing might be possible for Blackpool -> Stoke without doubling back all the way to Leeds or having to buy yet another ticket?

Via Manchester a possibility?
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
Would a North West Rover fit the bill, combined with a return ticket Manchester-Stoke?
 

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,724
Something like:
- Anytime Return Stoke - Salford Crescent - £21.80
- Off-Peak Return Salford Crescent - Blackpool N - £20.70
- Off-Peak Return Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds - £24.70

These are all without railcard discount, so after discount about £42 in total.

I am sure there will be cheaper options!
 

Watershed

Veteran Member
Associate Staff
Senior Fares Advisor
Joined
26 Sep 2020
Messages
11,945
Location
UK
It would probably be cheapest to get Advance tickets, one (or more) for each leg. As you say you intend to book assistance, I don't suppose that she would get much benefit from a flexible ticket anyway. I would simply see what TrainSplit suggests, it will usually come up with a good suggestion.

In terms of the route, for Stoke-Leeds you're best off changing at Manchester Piccadilly - there are no stairs to negotiate if you get trains that terminate and start in the 'main shed'.

During the current timetable, if you're travelling off-peak on a weekday there is a decent 12 minute connection off the XC service onto a Hull service.

For Leeds-Blackpool North, there is a direct hourly service via Bradford and Burnley, and there are lifts at the station (most such trains leave from platforms accessed via the footbridge from the main entrance).

For Blackpool North-Stoke, the easiest route is probably to take a Hazel Grove service and change at Stockport - that would be a level, cross-platform change.

All of the stations in question are staffed so assistance shouldn't be a problem.
 
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
It would probably be cheapest to get Advance tickets, one (or more) for each leg. As you say you intend to book assistance, I don't suppose that she would get much benefit from a flexible ticket anyway. I would simply see what TrainSplit suggests, it will usually come up with a good suggestion.

In terms of the route, for Stoke-Leeds you're best off changing at Manchester Piccadilly - there are no stairs to negotiate if you get trains that terminate and start in the 'main shed'.

During the current timetable, if you're travelling off-peak on a weekday there is a decent 12 minute connection off the XC service onto a Hull service.

For Leeds-Blackpool North, there is a direct hourly service via Bradford and Burnley, and there are lifts at the station (most such trains leave from platforms accessed via the footbridge from the main entrance).

For Blackpool North-Stoke, the easiest route is probably to take a Hazel Grove service and change at Stockport - that would be a level, cross-platform change.

All of the stations in question are staffed so assistance shouldn't be a problem.
This is probably what I will do tbh, but just in case i need last minute fares have the other options and : or will try train split nearer the time
 

scrapy

Established Member
Joined
15 Dec 2008
Messages
2,081
For Blackpool to Stoke you've also got the option of Avanti direct to Crewe, arriving into platform 5 for short walk to platform 3/4 for the connection to Stoke 7 minutes later. These are less frequent (2 hourly) than via Stockport.
 

kieron

Established Member
Joined
22 Mar 2012
Messages
3,047
Location
Connah's Quay
Hi - at some point (hopefully this year) I plan on taking my mum by train from Stoke to Leeds overnight then to Blackpool for three days then returning to Stoke on trent. She would be entitled to a DSB railcard, what are the best options for travel/prices (least hassle routing as I will have to book assistance in advance) and would it be worth her getting a DSB railcard for this journey alone?
The railcard costs £20 and gives a 33% discount for up to two people according to the web site, so you should look into it if your tickets cost £60 or more in total.

To minimise the number of changes, you could do something like:
Stoke-Manchester Picadilly-Leeds
Leeds-Blackpool North
Blackpool North-Crewe-Stoke or Blackpool North-Stockport-Stoke

As the only stations you go through twice with the first alternative are Stoke-Kidsgrove and Preston-Blackpool North, it's not ideal for return tickets.
 
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
How would I search for this if I pick a random long weekend late september or October as a guide for budgeting and to see if it’s worth getting the railcard in advance
 

kieron

Established Member
Joined
22 Mar 2012
Messages
3,047
Location
Connah's Quay
Advance tickets aren't available that far ahead, unfortunately. The railcard web site says they should be able to provide a digital railcard in 1 week, or a plastic one in two. I'd check with them that they're actually achieving this, but you should be able to buy a railcard nearer the time once you know what the prices are.

Looking at some dates next month, I got:

10/6 Stoke-Manchester Picadilly 9:56-10:52 for £3.50
10/6 Manchester Picadilly-Leeds 11:35-12:31 for £11.60
11/6 Leeds-Blackpool North 9:57-12:02 for £9.50
15/6 Blackpool North-Stoke 9:59-12:40 for £9.00, changing at Manchester Picadilly
This gives a total of £33.60 per person without railcard, so the railcard would just be worthwhile with 2 people travelling.

There are no Stoke-Leeds advance tickets, and the through tickets are quite expensive, so the first day will always involve split tickets of some sort.
 
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
501
Yes - i always used to split my returns at Manc pic when travelling from Stoke to leeds and back - the ticket office at Stoke told me to do that about 10 years ago and I always have , the alt route via derby is now more expensive but was the other alt to man pic a few years ago on the through Stoke to leeds ticket
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
14,864
The question about the railcard being worthwhile should also include consideration of whether it will be used again in the 12 months following its purchase.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top