York - London

[bennorthyork]

Please can someone tell me the cheapest York - London fare. Out 10th April to arrive by 19.00 latest, return 15 April to depart after 08.30. Two adults, no railcards. Thanks in advance

 

[Royston Vasey]

Please can someone tell me the cheapest York - London fare. Out 10th April to arrive by 19.00 latest, return 15 April to depart after 08.30. Two adults, no railcards. Thanks in advance

Using those times on a Sunday and Friday not far in advance you're probably best off getting GC only, if you can arrive at 17.24 on the Sunday and leave at 08.04 or 11.27 on the Friday. None of those are classed as peak trains.

The 08.04 KGX-YRK is part of the e-ticket promotion offering £15 singles too, so that may work out cheaper if available and if that's not too early. Off peak return is £75 or if you can get the £15 e-ticket on the Friday then combine that with the off peak single on the Sunday at £45, total £60 a head.

Check EC fares as well, but I doubt there will be many decent advances left on those days. I haven't got time to check!

 

[LexyBoy]

Advances are available for £130 for 2 (e.g. 0800 out of York - extra £12 for later departures - and 0900 or 0930 from Kings Cross), from eastcoast.co.uk

You're not connecting with a Eurostar are you?

I expect Yorkie will be along with a slightly more in depth knowledge of splitting points etc.

 

[ainsworth74]

Bought through EC's website then you can do the whole thing for £143.30 (that's for both of you).

10th April: 16:28 York -> Kings Cross 18:37 £78.30
15th April: 08:30 Kings Cross -> York 10:34 £65.00

Those are advance fares which means you have to catch the above trains or the ticket would be invalid. You can do it a bit cheaper if you're willing to leave at 08:00 from the Cross (£50.70 for that leg). It isn't cheaper to use Grand Central as the off-peak return is £150.

 

[bennorthyork]

Thanks guys. The earliest I could leave London would be 08.30 as I'm coming in to Euston on the Highland sleeper.

 

[DarloRich]

Is Grand Central not cheaper

 

[cuccir]

Bought through EC's website then you can do the whole thing for £143.30 (that's for both of you).

10th April: 16:28 York -> Kings Cross 18:37 £78.30
15th April: 08:30 Kings Cross -> York 10:34 £65.00

Those are advance fares which means you have to catch the above trains or the ticket would be invalid. You can do it a bit cheaper if you're willing to leave at 08:00 from the Cross (£50.70 for that leg). It isn't cheaper to use Grand Central as the off-peak return is £150.

As a start, the £78.30 on the way out can be reduced to £70.40 by splitting at Peterborough, same train, and the £65 to £58.80, again at Peterborough, again same train.

Total cost £129.20

 

[LexyBoy]

Ben - you should be fine on an Advance ticket after 0830 since this gives you the required interchange time between EUS and KGX, so if the sleeper is delayed you'll be allowed to get a later train.

(I could also mention the cheaper option of bailing at Crewe and getting a train from there, at least on the return )

Is Grand Central not cheaper

No, it's slightly more expensive. OTOH it's obviously more flexible since it's not an Advance ticket, and you should be assured of plenty of space

 

[tony_mac]

if you can get the chronicle or gazette vouchers this week - £35.50 each going down in 1st; £10 coming back on the 9:00 or 9:30. (or £35.50 for 1st).

 

[Royston Vasey]

No, it's slightly more expensive. OTOH it's obviously more flexible since it's not an Advance ticket, and you should be assured of plenty of space

On the Friday morning, probably yes, but the Sunday southbound is likely to be full.

 

[142094]

if you can get the chronicle or gazette vouchers this week - £35.50 each going down in 1st; £10 coming back on the 9:00 or 9:30. (or £35.50 for 1st).

I have 6 tokens I'm not using if anyone wants them.

 

[bangor-toad]

The cheapest option I can find is to use MegaPlusBus of the coach from York to East Midlands Parkway and then the train from East Midlands Parkway to London St Pancras..

Outbound: Leave York 08:50, arr 13:44. Cost (per person) £9
Return:
Option 1: Leave St Pancras 08:15, arr 12:50. Cost (per person) £9
Option 2: Leave St Pancras 14:15, arr 18:30. Cost (per person) £9

OK, these probably aren't quite the times you wanted by it is an option for £36 total compared to £100+ on the direct East Coast services.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[phil35]

In my experience, Megabus can be very unreliable though. That could well end up with you missing train connections!

 

[DarloRich]

I have 6 tokens I'm not using if anyone wants them.

Get yourself on www.darlofc.co.uk and offer them. I am sure people would be very keen to use them for the Trpohy final. You might even be able to sell them

@ Lexyboy - The GC was anything but empty on Friday night! lol standing room only on both the 1644 (ish) and 1917 almost didnt get my free cup of tea!

 

[cuccir]

How about a hybrid of all the options suggested so far.

10 April: Travel on the 16:28 York -> Kings Cross 18:37 £70.40 by splitting in Peterborough

15 April: Megatrain 08:55 St Pancras > Sheffield £14
Advance 11:21 or 11:54 Sheffield > York £15

Total is £99.40

Or, get your hands on some of those vouchers!

----
You can also travel from Selby to London for the pair of you for £50 leaving at 18:06. There are buses from York city centre to Selby every half an hour on the Sunday.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Ben - you should be fine on an Advance ticket after 0830 since this gives you the required interchange time between EUS and KGX, so if the sleeper is delayed you'll be allowed to get a later train....

Hmmmm, without wishing to start another ten page thread, I think you should change that last bit to "...you might be allowed to get a later train", it's not a right that the passenger has in that scenario unfortunately. Although some on here will disagree with that statement, it is in the conditions of the advance ticket that the passenger agrees to when they buy the ticket.

 

[yorkie]

Hmmmm, without wishing to start another ten page thread, I think you should change that last bit to "...you might be allowed to get a later train"

I disagree.

it's not a right that the passenger has in that scenario unfortunately.

I disagree, and would certainly refuse to pay a penny in such circumstances and say "see you in court" if necessary

Although some on here will disagree with that statement,

Absolutely

it is in the conditions of the advance ticket that the passenger agrees to when they buy the ticket.

I don't think so at all, as there is an easement stating that if you are delayed you can complete your journey.

This has cropped up with East Coast before, and East Coast agreed and issued an instruction to staff. I'm sure I sent you the correspondence for this but am happy to do so again...

 

[LexyBoy]

@ Lexyboy - The GC was anything but empty on Friday night! lol standing room only on both the 1644 (ish) and 1917 almost didnt get my free cup of tea!

That's good to hear - I was just going on what I'd heard about GC's loadings, glad to hear some at least are busy! Not used them yet, hope to at some point though.

Hmmmm, without wishing to start another ten page thread, I think you should change that last bit to "...you might be allowed to get a later train", it's not a right that the passenger has in that scenario unfortunately. Although some on here will disagree with that statement, it is in the conditions of the advance ticket that the passenger agrees to when they buy the ticket.

Agreed that we should stay on topic! In reality though the OP will be allowed to catch a later train (though would be best advised to have their ticket endorsed by the guard on the Sleeper or at Euston), which is why I didn't bring the issue up.

Of course if the OP wants to avoid the (small) risk of having a stressful argument in the event of the Sleeper being delayed, they shouldn't get Advances and stick to walk-on tickets.

 

[ainsworth74]

That's good to hear - I was just going on what I'd heard about GC's loadings, glad to hear some at least are busy! Not used them yet, hope to at some point though.

It's the Bradford services that seem to be chronically empty (at least beyond Doncaster not sure about between Doncaster and Kings Cross), the Sunderland services however normally have quite healthy loadings all in all.