Durham -> London -> Cambridge -> Durham

[mildertduck]

Hi folks,

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the cheapest way to do this journey. I don't mind using splits, interesting routes or advances. I don't have a railcard, but do have Oyster.

Thursday 15 May

Leave Durham at any point, arrive Albermarle St. London (nearest tube: Green Park) between 5 and 5.30pm.

Leave London for Cambridge on one of the last trains (won't know time until that day)

Friday 16 May

Leave Cambridge at around 8am, and arrive in Durham as early as practicable.

Best I can do so far is:
Durham - King's Cross - £15.00 (ADVANCE)
KX - Green Park and back - £4.40 (OYSTER)
King's Cross - Cambridge - £22.60 (WALK UP)
Cambridge - Durham - £59.80 (ADVANCE)

Total - £101.80

 

[transmanche]

King's Cross - Cambridge - £22.60 (WALK UP)
Cambridge - Durham - £59.80 (ADVANCE)

East Coast do a Super Off-Peak single London-Durham for (only available on their website, up to the day prior to travel) for £62.90.

I'm fairly certain that via Cambridge is a permitted route and by taking one of the last trains from King's Cross to Cambridge that you can avail of the 'overnight break of journey' rules. (I'm sure that others more learned than me will be able to confirm.) That'll knock almost another £20 of your costs.

 

[John @ home]

East Coast do a Super Off-Peak single London-Durham for (only available on their website, up to the day prior to travel) for £62.90.

This web only fare does not permit break of journey.

 

[Paul Kelly]

This web only fare does not permit break of journey.

I thought it was just a half-price version of the normal Super Off-Peak Single, which doesn't have such a restriction? It is irrelevant though, as unfortunately resumption of the journey from Cambridge the next morning would not be allowed before 0930; see here and scroll down to the "OVERNIGHT BREAK OF JOURNEY" section in the left-most column.

 

[mildertduck]

Aside, having looked at the maps... Is King's Cross - Cambridge actually valid on Any Permitted KGX- DHM anyway? Looking at the maps (especially Map TE) it looks more like Liverpool Street - Cambridge...???

 

[transmanche]

Aside, having looked at the maps... Is King's Cross - Cambridge actually valid on Any Permitted KGX- DHM anyway? Looking at the maps (especially Map TE) it looks more like Liverpool Street - Cambridge...???

Ah well, maybe it's one of those routeings that was recently lost

 

[jkdd77]

This web only fare does not permit break of journey.

I suspect transmanche's point was that a necessary overnight stay where it is not reasonably possible to complete one's journey is not considered to be a BoJ as per NRCoC Condition 16(ii), and that SSSs are valid on the 'second day' in these circumstances.

In addition, Condition 16 specifically requires that any restriction on BoJ is made clear at the point of purchase.

It is debatable whether a single well-hidden page on the East Coast website satisfies this requirement, all the more so since the information section at the actual point of purchase relating to this half-price ticket states that "A break of journey is allowed unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket's Restriction Code" (and there is no such restriction). It's quite possible for a normal person to purchase the ticket in the reasonable belief, based on the information made available at the point of purchase (i.e. the time that the contract is entered into), that BoJ is indisputably valid.

For what it's worth, the NRE website will offer a Super Off Peak Single as valid from Kings Cross, changing at Letchworth Garden City, Cambridge and again at Peterborough for Durham. However, it isn't actually valid from Kings Cross to Cambridge on map TE, only from Liverpool Street.

In any case, I agree with Indigo2 that resumption from Cambridge is only valid from 09:30.

 

[IanD]

Aside, having looked at the maps... Is King's Cross - Cambridge actually valid on Any Permitted KGX- DHM anyway? Looking at the maps (especially Map TE) it looks more like Liverpool Street - Cambridge...???

Wouldn't it be sold as London Terminals (rather than King's Cross) to Durham?