Club55 question

[dggar]

My wife is old enough for club 55 but not old enogh for a senior rail card.

She intends travelling from Manchester to Letchworth on 7th Oct and returning on 9th Oct. She prefers to traval via London but would consider the Sheffield, Doncaster route.

She is willing to travel very early morning (before 06:00) on the outward journey. On the return journey she would wish to leave Letchworth between 13:00 and 16:30.

Is there any scope for club 55 tickets on this journey?

 

[lemonic]

You can get Club 55:
Manchester to Doncaster - Transpennine Express
Doncaster to London - Hull Trains
London to Letchworth - First Capital Connect

It would cost £35 return.

Here is an example itinerary at roughly the times you want to travel:
Manchester Piccadilly 9:20 - Doncaster 10:35
Doncaster 11:25 - London Kings Cross 13:08
London Kings Cross 13:23 - Letchworth Garden City 14:03 (change Hitchin 13:52-13:57)

Letchworth Garden City 13:53 - London Kings Cross 14:28 (you may want to travel 13:29-14:19 so the connection isn't so tight)
London Kings Cross 14:45 - Doncaster 16:28
Doncaster 16:42 - Manchester Piccadilly 18:06
OR
Letchworth Garden City 16:53 - London Kings Cross 17:28 (you may want to travel 16:29-17:19 so the connection isn't so tight)
London Kings Cross 17:45 - Doncaster 19:28
Doncaster 19:42 - Manchester Piccadilly 21:06

Note: There may be a cheaper way to undertake this journey, I am just suggesting a Club 55 itinerary.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

My wife is old enough for club 55 but not old enogh for a senior rail card.

She intends travelling from Manchester to Letchworth on 7th Oct and returning on 9th Oct. She prefers to traval via London but would consider the Sheffield, Doncaster route.

She is willing to travel very early morning (before 06:00) on the outward journey. On the return journey she would wish to leave Letchworth between 13:00 and 16:30.

Is there any scope for club 55 tickets on this journey?

Well at first sight it looks feasible via Doncaster for £35 return.

Fri 7 Oct:
0920 Manchester P - Doncaster 1035 TPE
1125 Doncaster - London KX 1310 HT
1323 London KX - Letchworth 1403 FCC

Sun 9 Oct:
1429 Letchworth - Stevenage 1439 FCC
1505 Stevenage - Doncaster 1631 HT
1642 Doncaster - Manchester P 1806 TPE

This assumes you are allowed to double back south of Hitchin both ways, but as the fares are zonal I don't see why not. The experts will know.

You are dependent on Hull Trains for the main route, and the one on the Sunday from Stevenage seems to be the only one you can use.
HT don't stop at Stevenage on other days, hence the need to go via KX on the Friday.

Otherwise it's £78.80 SVR via EUS/KGX, 3 trains an hour,
or £78 Supersaver via Doncaster (you can use EC via Stevenage with this ticket, but not via London), hourly as far as I can tell.

 

[dggar]

I've tried booking this on the TPE site and it does not seem to recognise a second journey in an adjacent zone.

It came up with Manchester Doncaster £20
Doncaster London £35 (crosses two zones)
London Letchworth £20

Total £75.

 

[OwlMan]

There are alternative routes using ATW first

Manchester - Shrewsbury -Birmingham - London Marylebone - KingsX -Letchworth

Manchester - Newport - London Paddington - Kings X - Letchworth

I am unable at present to look up the fares.

Peter.

 

[firespire]

I've tried booking this on the TPE site and it does not seem to recognise a second journey in an adjacent zone.

1. Go through the Club55 links to the TPE site
http://www.buytickets.tpexpress.co.uk/DataPassedIn.aspx?prm=FTPNCLUB55&noa=1

2. Type your Manchester to Letchworth journey in then "Check Fares and Availability"

3. When the screen with all the trains comes up. Go to the bottom and click
"Click here to check if slower routes with cheaper tickets are available. "

4. If you want standard class go to the £35 fare and click "check for trains" It should then suggest trains.
For me it suggests going via Selby, if you want to go the Sheffield, Doncaster route you need put via Sheffield in step 2.

 

[dggar]

1. Go through the Club55 links to the TPE site
http://www.buytickets.tpexpress.co.uk/DataPassedIn.aspx?prm=FTPNCLUB55&noa=1

2. Type your Manchester to Letchworth journey in then "Check Fares and Availability"

3. When the screen with all the trains comes up. Go to the bottom and click
"Click here to check if slower routes with cheaper tickets are available. "

4. If you want standard class go to the £35 fare and click "check for trains" It should then suggest trains.
For me it suggests going via Selby, if you want to go the Sheffield, Doncaster route you need put via Sheffield in step 2.

Thanks for that, the "Click here to check if slower routes with cheaper tickets are available. " is not very obvious.

The via Sheffield route puts you on the same HullTrain into Kings Cross but suggests different timings to Letchwoth.