East Coast Rewards Points - Free Tickets

[parkender102]

I have amassed lots of points to use on East Coast Trains Tickets, so in effect my travel to London or Edinburgh from any point on that line is free. However being located in North Wales I’m unable to use the East Coast Main Line without making a connection to it somewhere (or anywhere on the East Coast Trains Network). When I am travelling for Leisure and time is not an issue I’d like to try out the line as I’ve not been on it before. So if I get a chance where time constraints do not matter, which is the cheapest way of connecting to the ECML from say Shotton or Chester? Both on a Daily Return and Off Peak Return basis?

 

[higthomas]

For a month return, using some simple searches, the cheapest I caN FIND IS Chester to Newark off peak returns spliting at Uttoxeter; total £33.40. It would probably be worth it to you time wise to take the 70p hit and go to Doncaster, using an anytime return to Stockport via Altringham and an off peak return from there to Doncaster; total £34.10

 

[cuccir]

Depends on the amount of points and how much flexibility you want, whether you want an overnight trip etc. Are you looking to visit places or cover the miles?

The cheapest way to get to the ECML in any form will be to use Advance fares to/from Leeds, which are about £14 each way. If you only want to to travel in one direction on the line, then you could go for a Chester-London Advance at £19, free travel to Leeds, and then a Leeds-Chester Advance.

If you really want good value from your free ticket and fancy a bit of a trip, why not take the Sleeper from Crewe to Aberdeen? You can get a seat from as little as £33.75 with an Advance Seat, or a bed from £61.30. You can then do the whole East Coast Mainline, for free, on the 09:52 from Aberdeen, getting into London at 16:51, followed by an Advance fare in the evening for about £19 back up to Chester!

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And of course if you've got the time and points, you could do a great short holiday by splitting that Aberdeen-London trip into a few different days, doing a few hours travel each day eg Aberdeen-Edinburgh, Edinburgh-York, York-London....!

 

[parkender102]

Wow! Some good options there. Would like to try the Sleeper option as I’ve just come back from a Paris to Venice trip on the Thello Sleeper and would like to compare them. Gives a nice early arrival in Aberdeen for the ECML Free Trip.

 

[OLJR]

If you have a huge amount of points you might find it worthwhile exchanging them for cash value eVouchers valid for travel on any TOC booked through eastcoast.co.uk.

The rate is 100 points for GBP 1.00.

Theoretically you could then travel for free on the other line too.