Birmingham to Edinburgh - Help please

[PauloDavesi]

first post, but been reading the forum for many months.

I'm planning on going to Edinboro from Birmingham on Friday Feb 3rd, aiming on arriving mid afternoon, and returning on Sunday Feb 5th. Leaving Edinboro after 2pm.

I've looked at the options on the East Coast, Cross Country and Virgin websites and have been unable to find any way of doing the trip for under c£90.

Would it be possible for one of the very knowledgeable experts here to give me some guidance on how to get a better price for this trip.

Thanks in advance.

 

[calc7]

first post, but been reading the forum for many months.

I'm planning on going to Edinboro from Birmingham on Friday Feb 3rd, aiming on arriving mid afternoon, and returning on Sunday Feb 5th. Leaving Edinboro after 2pm.

I've looked at the options on the East Coast, Cross Country and Virgin websites and have been unable to find any way of doing the trip for under c£90.

Would it be possible for one of the very knowledgeable experts here to give me some guidance on how to get a better price for this trip.

Thanks in advance.

Have you tried to get £10 tickets each way between Doncaster or York and Edinburgh on the East Coast website? I would have a look for you but the booking box doesn't load for me!
You could then couple this with an off-peak return (perhaps even split ones) between Birmingham and Doncaster/York.

 

[Platform 1]

Welcome to the forum.

I sure I'm not one of the members you mentioned but hope I can help!

As far as I can see the best outward fare is the £43.50 that I presume you found - Cross Country direct.

If you don't mind getting back late £10 tickets are availiable (if you hurry) for the 1730 from Edinburgh. If you changed at York you could then get an advanced ticket to Birmingham for £18 of £21. This would get you back at 2230 or 2304.

Alternatively if this is no good. £25 First Class tickets are available for the 1600 from Edinburgh. This could get you back at 2027 or 2103. That way you get FC travel (very good with East Coast - complimentary food even on a Sunday) part way for nearly the same price as the standard option.

£49 for the 1452 Virgin service direct. (If the time is not important I would go for East Coast + Cross Country)

Hope it helps.

 

[PauloDavesi]

Thanks a lot.

 

[Platform 1]

You're welcome.

 

[jkdd77]

Have you tried looking for Megatrain tickets?

 

[island]

[pedant]It's Edinburgh[/pedant]

 

[PauloDavesi]

Island, thank you for advising my of my heinous error.

In mitigation I would humbly point out that I used a widely accepted abbreviation, and beg that I am forgiven.

I promise to ensure that in future I will try to avoid spelling and grammatical errors.

 

[dzug2]

Have you tried looking for Megatrain tickets?

Not released yet for OP's dates but could be very cheap if he gets in early.

And I'm not 100% sure they are available at weekends - on some routes they are not. My (increasingly unreliable) memory says only Mon-Thu on this route

 

[PauloDavesi]

The megatrain website was offering coach tickets, but there's no way I'm sitting on a coach for almost 9 hours!

 

[dzug2]

The megatrain website was offering coach tickets, but there's no way I'm sitting on a coach for almost 9 hours!

It does - on one train a day - offer rail tickets. If not sold out.

 

[paddy1]

If the Megatrain tickets are available on the BHX-EDI route on a Friday, they go on sale 45 days ahead so they won't be available to book for another few days yet. The booking opens at midnight on the day they go on sale, so be ready at your computer to get the lowest lead in fares, sometimes only £1.00 each way plus £0.50 booking fee.

 

[bb21]

Please be careful with codes if using them.

Birmingham New Street is BHM.
Edinburgh Waverley is EDB.

There is a 10% reduction with megabus/megatrain if you have an NUS Extra card.