Wolverhampton/Birmingham - Aberdeen Return

[Bee15_16]

Not really specific date's but it will be latter end of january for a week, I've been looking for just testing purposes at 19th to 26th, but can be pretty much anydate. Just wondering what the cheapest companies are to use now, as i used to use Cross Country on the £15 single (£10 with YP)Birm/Edin then £10 single on FirstScotRail Edin/Aber But seems Cross C have increased dramatically in price. FSR seems to have some cheap fares - I'm just not coming up with anything, just wondering if anyone can.

Please tell me if there is anymore info i can provide

Thank you

 

[rail-britain]

Cheapest fare will probably be something like :
Birmingham - Edinburgh (via Preston)
Edinburgh - Aberdeen

I find it is cheaper :
Birmingham - Warrington
Warrington - Wigan
Wigan - Preston
Preston - Glasgow
Quite ridiculous having to have that many splits!

 

[MCR247]

It's often cheaper by XC than VT

 

[route:oxford]

It's often cheaper by XC than VT

And often even cheaper using Megatrain.

 

[MCR247]

Ah yes, forgot abouut that

 

[yorkie]

It's often cheaper by XC than VT

A while back XC used to have tickets specifically for BHM - EDB (but nowhere else) for a cheap price (like, £14 or something) even when the prices for intermediate journeys was much higher (e.g. York to Birmingham may be £18, but Edinburgh to Birmingham would be £12!) this was specifically to compete with Virgin for the Birmingham to Edinburgh flow only. However in recent months I have not seen any appear at very low prices, but then I don't look often as it's not a journey I would do.

So, in summary, yes you are right but I am unsure if it's still the case.

 

[MCR247]

I forgot about megatrain, but I remember looking for a friend. He was doingDerby - Edinburgh tickets and they were around £90 (advance!), but he had a girlfriend from Birmingham, and she was planning to join a New St, and he'd join at DBY. The ticket from BHM was £33.70 or something! So he drove down the night before and stayed over and they both went from New st. I thought it might just be the quota, so I checked for a date that had just be released and it was still cheaper! Just not as much difference

 

[route:oxford]

A while back XC used to have tickets specifically for BHM - EDB (but nowhere else) for a cheap price (like, £14 or something) even when the prices for intermediate journeys was much higher (e.g. York to Birmingham may be £18, but Edinburgh to Birmingham would be £12!) this was specifically to compete with Virgin for the Birmingham to Edinburgh flow only. However in recent months I have not seen any appear at very low prices, but then I don't look often as it's not a journey I would do.

So, in summary, yes you are right but I am unsure if it's still the case.

I really miss those £15 fares. They were almost always available right up until 6pm the day before travel.

There is the occasional XC+connection cheap fares available - but you really do have to rake around for them*.

*And no doubt someone will whine about me deserving to be fined for travelling on an XC service from Birmingham to Bathgate or Dunfermline on cheap XC+ ticket then blatantly not using the "connection" element of the ticket, instead buying a ticket to Stirling...

 

[Bee15_16]

Thank you all so much for your replies. It's so frustrating. I used to fly for £40 rtn then that flight was removed so I had to use the trains, now it just seems that everything is being doubled tripled and more!
May I ask what this XC+ is?

And last but not least, Happy New Year, Everyone.

 

[krus_aragon]

May I ask what this XC+ is?

That's the type of advance ticket he had, with route "CrossCountry + connections", meaning he had to travel most of the distance on a specific XC train, but could use any train for the local connection in Scotland.

 

[Bee15_16]

Hello again!

It is an old(ish) thread but it's the same question again, can't find anything less than £50 ish single at the moment unless i split 5 times or i'm in birmingham for 2:00 to get the megabus. And i'll be honest, that's not something i want to do when i'm alone

So any idea's or any suggestions are very much welcomed. Thank you in advance!

 

[SS4]

Hello again!

It is an old(ish) thread but it's the same question again, can't find anything less than £50 ish single at the moment unless i split 5 times or i'm in birmingham for 2:00 to get the megabus. And i'll be honest, that's not something i want to do when i'm alone

So any idea's or any suggestions are very much welcomed. Thank you in advance!

but it will be latter end of january for a week

Did you have any dates in mind? - today is the 1st February so late Jan has passed

L'edit:

I have found ~£61 while changing at Preston and Edinburgh assuming going on 16th Feb (Wed) and returning on the 23rd (Wed) although I'm sure someone can do better than me

Out


BHM --> PRE

Depart: 11:20 , Arrive: 12:51, Cost: £10.55

PRE --> EDB
Depart: 13:53, Arrive: 16:21, Cost: £14.85
(there is a Depart: 12:58, Arrive: 15:40, Cost: £14.20 if you dare risk the connection)

EDB ---> ABD
Depart 16:28, Arrive: 19:00, Cost: £6.80


Return

ABD --> EDB
Depart: 14:50, Arrive: 17:27, Cost: £6.60

EDB --> PRE
Depart:18:12, Arrive: 20:45, Cost: £14.20

PRE --> BHM
Depart: 21:17, Arrive: 22:55, Cost: £8.60

 

[Bee15_16]

I'm ever so sorry for the late reply, i haven't any set dates, would probably be around 14-19 ish i should imagine but thank you for what you have found, that's wonderful.

Btw which company was this?

Thank you.

 

[SS4]

XC I think and Scotrail in Scotland