Day return from Manchester to Glasgow.

[Mcr Warrior]

Suggestions please for possible ticket combination(s) for a reasonably priced adult walk-up day return journey from Manchester to Glasgow (via Carlisle).

(If possible travelling northbound on the 0916 from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central in January 2013, maybe midweek or maybe on a Saturday, but ticket(s) will need to be valid on a later service in case the 0916 is missed, so no advance tickets please!)

 

[bb21]

Splitting at Lancaster brings it down from £71.10 through fare to £45.70 and is valid for travel from Manchester from 0845, so fine for the 0916.

 

[reb0118]

£71.10......[from]....Manchester [to Glasgow]

Ouch! I can still remember paying £13.85 rtn albeit with a yp railcard discount.

I don't know if this will help but you can get off peak day returns [CDR] from Preston to Edinburgh.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Presumably the prices quoted are 2012 (pre-increase prices)? And would a split at say Chorley (instead of Lancaster) further reduce the fare a tad?

 

[northwichcat]

And would a split at say Chorley (instead of Lancaster) further reduce the fare a tad?

Looks like it:
http://splitticket.moneysavingexper...t&type=walkonsingle&nextday=1&hour=9&minute=0

(While the tool gives non-Advance single fares it's usually the same for non-Advance returns.)

 

[bb21]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Presumably the prices quoted are 2012 (pre-increase prices)? And would a split at say Chorley (instead of Lancaster) further reduce the fare a tad?

I didn't have time to look at many different splits so merely tried some of the most obvious places. There is no guarantee that further saving cannot be had.

Try www.trainscanbecheaper.info and see what it says.

 

[Bidstonboy]

Indeed, the split at Chorley brings it down to £43.70.
Looking at the Chorley to Glasgow segment, it's 10p more for a day return than a single, should we be happy that this 200 mile "BOGOF" deal is available, or feel hard done by if you only want to go one way? I think it's a great deal to encourage off peak travel and get people seeing a bit of the country.
I hope Mcr Warrior has a good trip.

 

[route:oxford]

Not sure if it'll be any help with the ticket splitting, but Virgin do a Saturday "shoppers special" between Carlisle & Glasgow (both directions). £17.80 return.

 

[northwichcat]

Looking at the Chorley to Glasgow segment, it's 10p more for a day return than a single, should we be happy that this 200 mile "BOGOF" deal is available, or feel hard done by if you only want to go one way? I think it's a great deal to encourage off peak travel and get people seeing a bit of the country.
I hope Mcr Warrior has a good trip.

The problem is it doesn't really encourage people making single journeys to use the train as the single price looks very expensive against other alternatives. There's certainly coach services from Preston to Glasgow and plenty of buses and trains to get people from Chorley to Preston.

 

[paddy1]

Suggestions please for possible ticket combination(s) for a reasonably priced adult walk-up day return journey from Manchester to Glasgow (via Carlisle).

(If possible travelling northbound on the 0916 from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central in January 2013, maybe midweek or maybe on a Saturday, but ticket(s) will need to be valid on a later service in case the 0916 is missed, so no advance tickets please!)

I know you said no advance tickets - However!!!! - Megatrain offer fares on Virgin Trains from Preston to Glasgow from £1.00 each way. They go on sale 45 days ahead and at present are on sale for Thursday 17 January. The current fares showing for 17 January are £1.00 to £3.00 each way. An off peak return from Manchester to Preston on 17 Jan will cost £15.90. Therefore, you could do the return trip for no more than about £22.00. See Megabus. com and just choose the train option on the drop down menu once you have selected the origin and destination points.

These megatrain fares to Glasgow are also available from Warrington BQ and Wigan NW, requiring you to purchase a day/off peak return to either of these in order to connect with the Virgin train using megatrain fares in combination.

The return fare from Manchester to Preston is a walk on fare and so allows you full flexibility to travel at a time that minimises the risk of missing your megatrain connection at Preston or whichever other station you choose to travel via.