Stockport to London Commute

[allbarbarry]

Hello there,

I may need to commute next month from Stockport to London. We have a hybrid working policy in-place at my current company, so this will be only for a total 9 days during the first 3 weeks of December. Outward and return will have to be at ‘peak’ times.

As this is likely going to come out my own pocket, I’m very conscious of cost. What tickets/combination of would offer the best value for money? Is it a simple case of just buying a season ticket? I also do have a 16-25 railcard.

Use of the Underground will be required at the London end.

Thanks in advance of your help.

Regards,

Barry

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Won't be cheap. Here's my suggestion. A flexi-season Rugby to Milton Keynes Central is £160.80 for eight (peak hour) day trips in a 28 day period, so £20.10 per day trip. Would need to combine that with a series of Off Peak Returns from Stockport to Rugby. £45.65 per return with 16-25 railcard discount. Valid at / after 0415. And an Anytime Day Travelcard from Milton Keynes Central to London Zones 1-6 ("route Avanti") is £39.85 per day with 16-25 railcard discount. Think that works out at £105.60 per round trip. Because one of the above combination is a (flexi) season, don't think your Avanti train has to call at both of Rugby and Milton Keynes. Not all do. Can someone confirm this understanding?

 

[Merseysider]

Because one of the above combination is a (flexi) season, don't think your Avanti train has to call at both of Rugby and Milton Keynes. Not all do. Can someone confirm this understanding?

I agree - this is valid per the NRCOT.

OP needs to ensure their flexi season is purchased as a "digital ticket" and not via smartcard.

The former allows activation at any time. The latter is more tricky and may require tapping it on ticket barriers.

Unless Condition 14.1 applies, if you are using a Season Ticket, daily Zonal Ticket, or another area based Ticket such as a concessionary pass, ranger, or rover, in conjunction with another Ticket and the last station at which one Ticket is valid and the first station that the other Ticket is valid are the same, then the train does not need to Call at that station for your combination to be valid.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Nov 2025 ==

What time do you need to be in London for?

If you can make the coaches work for a few journeys here and there, you could save a fortune - eg see the attached.

Obviously they take muuuuch longer!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Using the West Midlands Trains (LNR branded) service from Crewe is likely to be the cheapest option if that can be made to work.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Using the West Midlands Trains (LNR branded) service from Crewe is likely to be the cheapest option if that can be made to work.

What itineraries are offered? It's a long enough journey just using Avanti "direct" services between Stockport and London Euston.

 

[Haywain]

The latter is more tricky and may require tapping it on ticket barriers.

A Flexi-season held on a smartcard can be activated using a smartphone with the National Rail Smartcard Manager app.

 

[Merseysider]

A Flexi-season held on a smartcard can be activated using a smartphone with the National Rail Smartcard Manager app.

Good spot - cheers!

 

[TrainTraveler]

Are these contiguous days (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday for example) ?

I might consider a Premier Inn or Travelodge in the London suburbs rather than up and down on two or three days.

The cheapest Premier Inn I could see was Edgware and that isn't in a bad area. Fairly near the underground as well.

 

[anothertyke]

Using the West Midlands Trains (LNR branded) service from Crewe is likely to be the cheapest option if that can be made to work.

Looking at tomorrow that looks to be around £85 return plus underground fares for example Northern 0620 to Crewe and LM 0713 Crewe to Euston arrive 0925. Around three hours on the return eg 1730--2030. No flexibility though if things go wrong or plans change.

I think a crucial point is how soon you will know your dates and indeed whether they are fixed in advance. For example the above on 9 Dec is currently around £50 return.

 

[nwales58]

Are these contiguous days (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday for example) ?

I might consider a Premier Inn or Travelodge in the London suburbs rather than up and down on two or three days.

The cheapest Premier Inn I could see was Edgware and that isn't in a bad area. Fairly near the underground as well.

I used to do this a lot, pre-Covid. I would avoid Travelodge if arriving after 1700 or so as they still seem to deliberately overbook in the London area.

Some good value places are convenient for transport, others not.

There is a ring of cheaper Premier Inn starting around Kew Bridge, Sutton, Wembley on a good day. Typically 60-70 booked ahead, cheaper than daily travel. Monday nights seem the cheapest nowadays. Premier Inn's cheapest rate is still usually changeable up to 1300 arrival day, which is unusual and very useful for work.

Ibis Budget (all.accor.com) also worth considering, Hounslow and Barking are typically 45-60. Create an account for the 10% off rates.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are these contiguous days (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday for example) ?

I might consider a Premier Inn or Travelodge in the London suburbs rather than up and down on two or three days.

The cheapest Premier Inn I could see was Edgware and that isn't in a bad area. Fairly near the underground as well.

Croydon and Milton Keynes can offer cheap Premier Inns. Generally they are cheapest on Sunday and Thursday nights if you get to choose your days!

 

[185143]

Plenty of Airbnb availability in and around London too.

Obviously of varying quality!

 

[Hadders]

Do you have flexibility over the days you work in the office?

Could you do something like:

Week 1 - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Week 2 - Monday, Thursday, Friday
Week 3 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

If so two 7-day weekly season tickets would work.
The first starting on Tuesday of week 1 through to Monday of week 2
The second starting Thursday of week 2 through to Wednesday of week 3

The next thing is which season tickets to purchase. Unfortunately there's not a Stockport to Euston 7-day season.

But you could purchase:
Stockport to Leighton Buzzard 7-day season £307.10
Leighton Buzzard to London Terminals 7-day season £147.10
Total £454.20

You would need two of these combinations so a total of £908.40 which for 9 journeys is £100.93. There is no requirement for the train to call at Leighton Buzzard with this combination.

This only gets you to Euston, so you'd need to use contactless to get to yor fina destination. A Travelcard season probably isn't going to be worth it as a 7-day version from Leighton Buzzard is £178.70 and a peak time zone 1 contactless single fare is £2.90 so not really worth it.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

But you could purchase:
Stockport to Leighton Buzzard 7-day season £307.10
Leighton Buzzard to London Terminals 7-day season £147.10
Total £454.20

You would need two of these combinations so a total of £908.40 which for 9 journeys is £100.93.

Since per BRFares.com a monthly season from Stockport to Euston is £476.80, might that be the ticket - by my sums just shy of £53 per day for 9 days (source: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=SPT&dest=EUS&period=20250907). Just because all of OP's travel is within 3 weeks, there's nothing wrong with getting a ticket that lasts longer.

Or £499.60 including a travelcard, so an extra £2.55 or so per day for the tube.

(Edit - please ignore above due to obvious error explained in next two posts)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Since per BRFares.com a monthly season from Stockport to Euston is £476.80, might that be the ticket - by my sums just shy of £53 per day for 9 days (source: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=SPT&dest=EUS&period=20250907). Just because all of OP's travel is within 3 weeks, there's nothing wrong with getting a ticket that lasts longer.

Or £499.60 including a travelcard, so an extra £2.55 or so per day for the tube.

£476.80 is the base weekly price, but don't you essentially have to shell out at least £1,831.00 for a month's worth of season ticket?

 

[Hadders]

Since per BRFares.com a monthly season from Stockport to Euston is £476.80, might that be the ticket - by my sums just shy of £53 per day for 9 days (source: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=SPT&dest=EUS&period=20250907). Just because all of OP's travel is within 3 weeks, there's nothing wrong with getting a ticket that lasts longer.

Or £499.60 including a travelcard, so an extra £2.55 or so per day for the tube.

£476.80 is the base weekly price making the minimum monthly season ticket price is £1,831, so £203 per journey based on 9 return journeys.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

£476.80 is the base weekly price, but don't you essentially have to shell out at least £1,831.00 for a month's worth of season ticket?

£476.80 is the base weekly price making the minimum monthly season ticket price is £1,831, so £203 per journey based on 9 return journeys.

So it is. I was rather taken in by what the front page says without clicking through.

Sorry....

 

[Hadders]

So it is. I was rather taken in by what the front page says without clicking through.

Sorry....

No need to apologise. I've fallen for it several times over the years!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Do you have flexibility over the days you work in the office?

Could you do something like:

Week 1 - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Week 2 - Monday, Thursday, Friday
Week 3 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

If so two 7-day weekly season tickets would work.
The first starting on Tuesday of week 1 through to Monday of week 2
The second starting Thursday of week 2 through to Wednesday of week 3

Think we now need to hear back from the OP (= @allbarbarry) as regards what their likely working pattern will be, and what start time(s) they are expected to be in for, at their London workplace.