Attleborough to Durham

[trebor79]

Can any ticketing whizzes help me out? I need to travel to Durham on Thursday afternoon and come back on Friday. I need somee flexibility if possible, but if not arriving Durham 6pm and leaving 5pm should be fine.
The best trainsplit can do is about a tenner cheaper than an off peak return. But I'm sure there are some creative optics that will beat that.
It's not a journey I do so I'm not at fait with some of the more esoteric options. A regular journey I do for example, is far cheaper if I actually but a ticket to elsewhere (but is within the rules for me to another and board at my actual destination).

 

[JonathanH]

Can any ticketing whizzes help me out? I need to travel to Durham on Thursday afternoon and come back on Friday. I need somee flexibility if possible, but if not arriving Durham 6pm and leaving 5pm should be fine.
The best trainsplit can do is about a tenner cheaper than an off peak return. But I'm sure there are some creative optics that will beat that.
It's not a journey I do so I'm not at fait with some of the more esoteric options. A regular journey I do for example, is far cheaper if I actually but a ticket to elsewhere (but is within the rules for me to another and board at my actual destination).

Given one operator (LNER) sets the prices for almost all of the way, it isn't really likely that there will be any substantial saving relative to the through fare for a period return by splitting.

There is a reasonable price (£49) for the through advance fare on the 1739 from Durham on the Friday.

However, limited advance purchase availability on East Midlands Railway services, and a higher fare quota on the LNER trains is causing an issue in the other direction. An advance fare of £48.49 can be gained on the 1146 departure from Attleborough for 1625 arrival at Durham using trainsplit and specifying the connection at Ely to be 20 minutes (to force use of a Greater Anglia service between Ely and Peterborough).

That is under £100, which is a £35 saving on the off-peak return if you can do without the flexibility.

 

[Spaceflower]

Experience tells me that your best travelling north to Durham early and back south late for the cheapest fares. TPE advance tickets are often cheap. Finding a cheap way to, and changing at York should save you some cash imo. Try departing from Ilkeston.

The above advice would be ok if you were travelling from Attenborough, doh

Where's Attleborough again? Peterborough. But head to Durham early, this will give you the best price still.

 

[JonathanH]

Experience tells me that your best travelling north to Durham early and back south late for the cheapest fares. TPE advance tickets are often cheap. Finding a cheap way to, and changing at York should save you some cash imo. Try departing from Ilkeston.

Unfortunately the OP is travelling from Attleborough, not Attenborough.

Where's Attleborough again? Peterborough. But head to Durham early, this will give you the best price still.

15 miles west of Norwich towards Ely.

 

[trebor79]

Thanks for the help. I think I'm just going to have to spring for the Off peak return. The added benefit of that is that I can break my journey at Durham on the outward, dump my stuff at the hotel and then carry on to Newcastle to pick up the car from some car park a few minutes walk from the station.
At least I'm fairly sure I can break my journey...

 

[SeanG]

For the Durham - York part of the journey, I often buy a Chester-le-Street to Darlington, and a Darlington to York ticket which is cheaper than a Durham - York return. I am not sure if this will translate well and work if travelling from further south.

I am not sure if you need to actually go to Durham City (reason being it serves as a railhead for much of County Durham). If time is not important to you there are some great fares going south from Seaham (changing from the TPE Redcar services at Thornaby) and the 65 bus from Seaham to Durham is half hourly and costs a mere £2 (or £1 after 1900)

 

[robbeech]

Thanks for the help. I think I'm just going to have to spring for the Off peak return. The added benefit of that is that I can break my journey at Durham on the outward, dump my stuff at the hotel and then carry on to Newcastle to pick up the car from some car park a few minutes walk from the station.
At least I'm fairly sure I can break my journey...

Break of journey is permitted on both the outward and return leg.

 

[trebor79]

For the Durham - York part of the journey, I often buy a Chester-le-Street to Darlington, and a Darlington to York ticket which is cheaper than a Durham - York return. I am not sure if this will translate well and work if travelling from further south.

Ah, this is the sort of creative ticketing I was thinking of. Thanks, I will check it out but suspect I'll just get stiffed to an extent on the Attleborough-York stretch which will negate any saving.

I am not sure if you need to actually go to Durham City (reason being it serves as a railhead for much of County Durham). If time is not important to you there are some great fares going south from Seaham (changing from the TPE Redcar services at Thornaby) and the 65 bus from Seaham to Durham is half hourly and costs a mere £2 (or £1 after 1900)

Yeah I need to be in Durham really.

Break of journey is permitted on both the outward and return leg.

That's what I thought, thanks

 

[Haywain]

I'm not sure the Chester-le-Street ticket will be much help if you want to carry on to Newcastle, as most trains don't stop there.