Norwich/Diss/Attleborough - Manchester

[trebor79]

Hi,

I've got to be in Manchester (specifically at one of the airport hotels for a meeting) at 9am on 19th June.
I'm not going to drive there and back from Norfolk and Loganair have ditched the early evening return flight in the first half of the week and I can't guarantee my meeting will have concluded in time for the afternoon flight back to Norwich. (They've also jacked the prices up although not to the extent that driving/train + overnight hotel would be cheaper, but anyway...)

Just been perusing various sites to try and source the most reasonably priced tickets for this trip. I'm think of travelling up on Monday evening and staying in Manchester and catching train or tram to the airport in the morning - likely to be cheaper (and nicer) than staying overnight at the airport.

The best option in terms of price and comfort would appear to be going via London. I don't mind which of the Norfolk stations I depart from or which of the Manchester stations I arrive into. I can book a specific train out (departing any time after 4pm) but I'm not really sure what time I can make the return journey. I'd book a specific train (say 1730 ish) if it was significantly cheaper.

There is an EMT direct to/from Norwich but I really don't want to sit on a 158 for 5 hours each way, I'd almost rather drive...

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Ianno87]

Try routeing via Doncaster/Wakefield Westgate/Leeds to get a Norwich > Peterborough > Leeds > Manchester journey. Often decent priced Advances and VTEC comfort Peterborough-Donny/Leeds

 

[Ianno87]

Try routeing via Doncaster/Wakefield Westgate/Leeds to get a Norwich > Peterborough > Leeds > Manchester journey. Often decent priced Advances and VTEC comfort Peterborough-Donny/Leeds

Edit: Scratch that - you can't get VTEC Advances from Norwich... works from Cambridge!

 

[alistairlees]

Hi,

I've got to be in Manchester (specifically at one of the airport hotels for a meeting) at 9am on 19th June.
I'm not going to drive there and back from Norfolk and Loganair have ditched the early evening return flight in the first half of the week and I can't guarantee my meeting will have concluded in time for the afternoon flight back to Norwich. (They've also jacked the prices up although not to the extent that driving/train + overnight hotel would be cheaper, but anyway...)

Just been perusing various sites to try and source the most reasonably priced tickets for this trip. I'm think of travelling up on Monday evening and staying in Manchester and catching train or tram to the airport in the morning - likely to be cheaper (and nicer) than staying overnight at the airport.

The best option in terms of price and comfort would appear to be going via London. I don't mind which of the Norfolk stations I depart from or which of the Manchester stations I arrive into. I can book a specific train out (departing any time after 4pm) but I'm not really sure what time I can make the return journey. I'd book a specific train (say 1730 ish) if it was significantly cheaper.

There is an EMT direct to/from Norwich but I really don't want to sit on a 158 for 5 hours each way, I'd almost rather drive...

Any advice gratefully received.

A quick perusal suggests
Monday 18th June
16.30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
Tube LST to EUS
19.20 London Euston toManchester Piccadilly
1st Class Advance Single for £77.00
(there seem to be no standard class advance for some reason)
You get food and a drink or so included on the VT train, so that means you don't eat late when you get to Manchester.

Tuesday 19th June
Any train back via London with a Virgin Trains Saver Half (Off-Peak Single - Online only) for £66.85 - gives you flexibility. It's not restricted in the evening.

You have to buy the two tickets in the same transaction and online.

There may be better deals with splits - I haven't looked

 

[trebor79]

Thanks for these suggestions. I guess the Virgin Trains Saver Half needs to be booked via the VT website?
Had also clocked first was cheaper than standard for some reason on that route. Going via London is no slower than cross country so that's probably what I'll do.
I'll see if thay advance fare is available from Diss as it's closer to home and parking is an order of magnitude cheaper.

 

[trebor79]

Booked this yesterday. Finally managed to work out how to obtain a proper timetable from the VT website only to discover that there's no full meal service on the 1920 our of Euston (not that the full meal is in anyway substantial, from what I recall of a Penrith - Euston trip last year).
Grrr. Sandwiches do not fulfil the definition of dinner!
And Raileasy has booked me into seat K12, one of the very few first class seats not at a table. Double grrr.

 

[James Wake]

And Raileasy has booked me into seat K12, one of the very few first class seats not at a table. Double grrr.

Send Virgin a private message on Facebook and they may be able to change the seat on the 1920 for you. I’ve booked certain seats through them before.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks for these suggestions. I guess the Virgin Trains Saver Half needs to be booked via the VT website?

Trainsplit sells them too.

 

[trebor79]

As does Raileasy, which was the site I used after giving up on the VT site.
If I'd known there was no meal on that service I'd have saved a few quid and gone standard. Bit of a swizz but c'est la vie!