Bolton to Durham

[ffcphone]

Any advice gratefully received.

2 adults travelling from Bolton to Durham departing mid-morning to lunch on Easter Sunday (4 April) and departing Durham mid-afternoon on Easter Tuesday (6 April).

£75 all in seems the best "normal" way of booking via Trainline etc via FTPE.

F

 

[Greenback]

Do the passengers qualify for the over 55's promotion?

Otherwise East Coast is showing Advance singles there at 1135 (a 1503) or 1235 (a 1532) for £37 and back at 1327 (a 1632) for £27 making a total of £64.

 

[tony_mac]

If you don't mind waiting around for a while between trains - select 'transpennine trains only, you can get out at £13.50 each (11:35->15:03) and return also at £13.50 each (13:27->16:32 or 16:21->19:32)
total £54
Or get the Transpennine services from Manchester to Durham at £12.50 each, (£50) then singles between Bolton and Manchester (£11.60) for a better connection.
Total is £61.60

 

[John @ home]

Do the passengers qualify for the over 55's promotion?

I've checked tpexpress.co.uk and northernrail.org but I can't find an over 55's promotion which would reduce the cost of a Bolton - Durham journey.

 

[Greenback]

I've checked tpexpress.co.uk and northernrail.org but I can't find an over 55's promotion which would reduce the cost of a Bolton - Durham journey.

It appeared on the East Coast website as a £30 return and when I clicked on the info box it stated it was a Club 55 promotion (or some similar wording) with TPE. 1 change at Manchester Piccadilly.

I;ve tried it again and you have to show the slower routes. It's called 'Club 55 TPE' according to the website.

 

[142094]

In addition, if anyone has a YP railcard TPE do a further discount when booking through their site. Click on the "Student" link on the homepage.

 

[John @ home]

It appeared on the East Coast ... It's called 'Club 55 TPE' according to the website.

Thanks for this - very interesting. I had been expecting Club 55 TPE to re-appear this year. When it didn't, I heard it was due to poor availability of their Class 185 trains after the snow.

Perhaps they have fixed the trains. Or perhaps they forgot to tell eastcoast.co.uk they cancelled the offer. I'll ask the forum's TPE expert.

 

[Greenback]

Thanks for this - very interesting. I had been expecting Club 55 TPE to re-appear this year. When it didn't, I heard it was due to poor availability of their Class 185 trains after the snow.

Perhaps they have fixed the trains. Or perhaps they forgot to tell eastcoast.co.uk they cancelled the offer. I'll ask the forum's TPE expert.

I was a bit surprised to see it! The ATW over 55 promotion ends on 19 March, I didn't expect any special offer to be available over the Easter weekend. If it's nopt on the TPE website, it's almost definitely a mistake. What happens if you buy one?

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Thanks for this - very interesting. I had been expecting Club 55 TPE to re-appear this year. When it didn't, I heard it was due to poor availability of their Class 185 trains after the snow.

Perhaps they have fixed the trains. Or perhaps they forgot to tell eastcoast.co.uk they cancelled the offer. I'll ask the forum's TPE expert.

I have made some enquiries:

Club 55 is returning to TPE from 1st March till (I think) the end of April.

I am led to believe the offering & conditions etc will be the same as last time.

Apparently the fares will be available to buy online, but I am informed they shouldn't neccesarily be available in the East Coast ticket Matrix as this caused us all sorts of problems last time with lots of people who weren't entitled to the tickets buying them without having read the conditions - which admittedly weren't very clear last time round. I have just checked and the conditions (i.e. you must be 55 or over!) are displayed relatively clearly, but I am informed it is not necessarily the intention to offer them directly via the matrix.

Apparently the TPE website will be updated within the next few days.

Hope this helps.

 

[ffcphone]

Thanks for the info so far.

Neither of us qualify for any form of discounts as we're both of working age (33 and 38).

I did go through the FTPE website and chose only FTPE services I thought. I'll try East Coast's matrix thing tonight and see what it comes up with.

Thanks to those who have responded. I'll look forward to my cheaper travel in 30-odd years time!!!

F
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you don't mind waiting around for a while between trains - select 'transpennine trains only, you can get out at £13.50 each (11:35->15:03) and return also at £13.50 each (13:27->16:32 or 16:21->19:32)
total £54
Or get the Transpennine services from Manchester to Durham at £12.50 each, (£50) then singles between Bolton and Manchester (£11.60) for a better connection.
Total is £61.60

Am i missing something as I can't find either of these via the East Coast or Trainline matrices.

F

 

[tony_mac]

Do a search on EastCoast, then click on the left, where it says 'show slower routes', then select a box for 'transpennine trains only' and click on update.

 

[ffcphone]

Did that previously. Cheapest I can see is £38 single going out mid-morning not the £27 you found.

I presume these cheaper tickets are no more?

F

 

[tony_mac]

It must have been the last one, as I only checked for one ticket - it was £13.50 when I last posted, and now £19.