Birmingham to York

[TomJ93]

Need the cheapest ticket for a child, £26.60 seems a bit steep for a Off-Peak return! Needed for Saturday 22nd returning the same day, flexible with times and am happy to split. Would like to do it as a direct XC service, even better if we can get their HST involved too!

Thanks.

 

[ainsworth74]

I've had a look but can't find any cheap advance tickets so seeing as you are returning the same day you can save some by splitting it up into lots of little day returns:

Birmingham New Street - Derby: £6.85
Derby - Sheffield: £4.40
Sheffield - Doncaster: £2.65
Doncaster - York: £6.45

Total: £20.35

CrossCountry run on that route hourly both directions so you don't need to change trains.

 

[yorkie]

Is there a group of you travelling?

There may be a cheaper ticket, particularly a (Family) Wayfarer, and particularly if the trains you catch call at Burton-upon-Trent

 

[TomJ93]

On my lonesome i'm afraid!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Aye up, change of plan. If I can do all of this i'll be going on the £26.60 ticket.

I'll leave Coventry to go to Nuneaton, then do Nuneaton to Leicester as I need to collect something from a relative. From there i'll go to Sheffield and join a XC to York. Return via New Street, is that valid?

 

[yorkie]

I don't think it's valid via Leicester but back when XC operated no HSTs and EMT had regular HSTs to Sheffield, I went via Leicester a few times. The first time I asked the guard and he was surprised I even asked, so after that I just showed the ticket and it was always accepted.

I'd buy it to Poppleton or Cattal though. Same validity, same price, but possibly less likely to be questioned.

A ticket I used to get a lot was a York - Nuneaton, this was (and perhaps still is) valid via a wide range of routes including I think via Preston (but I never did that!) or via Peterborough, to take the two extremes. And various lines in between. I no longer do this due to the ludicrous prices charged for walk-on travel. I would either get an Advance, get a lift, or not travel. I'm not being ripped off by XC.

 

[bb21]

I think the following easement might be applicable, seeing that it is a Saturday that the OP wants to travel.

30058 -
Journeys to and via Derby may travel via Birmingham and Leicester. Journeys to and via Birmingham may travel via Derby and Leicester. The easement applies Saturdays and Sundays only.
30059 -
Journeys to and via Sheffield may travel via Birmingham and Leicester. Journeys to and via Birmingham may travel via Sheffield and Leicester. The easement applies Saturdays and Sundays only.

 

[John @ home]

I agree the Easements quoted above are helpful with a Birmingham - York ticket.

change of plan. If I can do all of this i'll be going on the £26.60 ticket.

I'll leave Coventry to go to Nuneaton, then do Nuneaton to Leicester as I need to collect something from a relative. From there i'll go to Sheffield and join a XC to York. Return via New Street, is that valid?

Do you now intend to start the journey at Coventry? If so, a Coventry - York Child Off-Peak Return is also £26.60 and is valid via Birmingham or Leicester, or out one way and back the other.

 

[TomJ93]

sorry, I am leaving from Coventry, was orignally going to go vt 1st to New Street.

 

[John @ home]

To update ainsworth74's info in post #2, you can save a little by buying the following Off-Peak Day Returns (CDRs):

Coventry - Derby £7.50
Derby - Sheffield £4.40
Sheffield - Doncaster £2.65
Doncaster - York £6.45
Total £21.00

The CDR Coventry - Derby is valid via Birmingham or Leicester, or out one way and back the other.

 

[TomJ93]

I can trump that, £20.60 via Leicester

Cov- Leicester
Leicester-Sheffield
Sheffield York

 

[John @ home]

I can trump that, £20.60 via Leicester

Is that with Advance tickets?

You did say in post #4 that you wanted to return via Birmingham.

 

[bb21]

They certainly seem like Advance to me. Haven't got the price to hand but even at NFM07 prices the three tickets (CDR + SVR + CDR) will add to more than £22, let alone after another round of increases.

To the OP:
If you're doing the journey this way on a day return and don't want to be tied down to a specific train, it is best to split it as this,

Coventry - Derby (£7.50)
Derby - Sheffield (£4.40)
Sheffield - York (£8.60)

all on Off-Peak Day Returns. This is cheaper than your method as Leicester - Sheffield is an Off-Peak Return and is more expensive. This combination also allows you to travel either via Derby or Nottingham as your combination would.

If your £20.60 quote involves Advance tickets then I would say this is a small premium to pay for flexibility. Don't have the prices for now but they should be around the £23 mark.

========================

In fact, I just had a quick look on Southern website, they total £20.50 (prices in brackets), so I believe this is definitely the better option.