EC + Connections Advance

[Birdbrain]

Hi,

Probably a silly question, but I really need to do this asap. I need to get 2 YP Tickets From Shanklin to Edinburgh on 10th April, and returning on the 15th. To get an idea on price I plugged in the journey for some dates on March which are available to buy now, some dates offered EC + Connections Advance at £68 (for 2 YP's) and some didn't offer any at all. I have Two Questions:

When is the earliest I will be able to Buy Advance tickets for April 10th?

Are they likely to be around the same price if I am the first to snap them up?

Is this the Cheapest Way?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Clip]

Not wuite sure as near no machine but have you thought of megatrain for the journey up to london then singles to edinburgh each way?

i know megatrain can have tickets from as low as a pound each way if booked enough in advance

 

[John @ home]

Is this the Cheapest Way?

Through tickets from Shanklin to Edinburgh are very unlikely to be the cheapest way.

When is the earliest I will be able to Buy Advance tickets for April 10th?

Unfortunately, the cheapest tickets for the different legs of the journey are likely to come on sale on different dates.

Taking the Kings Cross - Edinburgh leg first, Advance tickets are currently available until Friday 18 March and I find that this date moves forward by about a week around 0900 each Thursday. The cheapest London - Edinburgh single fares on the East Coast site with a Y-P Railcard start at £8.50.

For the Portsmouth - London leg, Advance tickets are cheaper on the slower Southern route to Victoria if booked on that site, currently available until about 21 February from £2.50 with a Y-P Railcard.

Buy separate tickets for Shanklin - Portsmouth.

 

[Birdbrain]

Thanks, I'll just have to keep an eye on both legs then, and then book as soon as I can. I wouldn't mind going via Southern, as long as I make sure I have enough time to cross london!

Thanks for your help

 

[paul1609]

You should consider flying, Edinburgh to Southampton (Flybe) or Gatwick (BA or Easyjet) it may well be cheaper. Gatwick has direct trains to Portsmouth harbour for the Isle of Wight fastcat. Southampton requires a change at either Eastleigh or Southampton Central

 

[Birdbrain]

I've looked into flying but it doesn't save any money. A return for two adults including tax ect is £199! And that wont include getting to and from the airports and the IOW Ferry!

The furthest advances are available are at the moment are 18th March, And it offers £34 EC + connections advance from Shanklin to Edinburgh, but it gives a very strange route via Vauxhall and Leeds?! When will advances be released for 10th April? Is it 12 weeks before? If its around this price for the dates I want I'll go for it, seeing as it includes IOW train and ferry.

 

[yorkie]

a very strange route via Vauxhall and Leeds?!

If you are on a fast train it's best to stick with it to Waterloo, and then to get the Bakerloo + Victoria to King's Cross. However if you are on a stopper, it's quicker to get off at Vauxhall and take the Victoria line straight to King's Cross. (The Victoria line is very quick, and you avoid the crowds on the concourse at Waterloo).

In times of disruption, get off at Vauxhall at all costs, as if there is disruption at Waterloo trains can spend time queuing for a platform.

So yes, it can save time, but not always.

As for via Leeds, not sure why that is, EC say that there are "No alterations" on 18 March. However you can get cheaper tickets via Leeds as the Leeds trains are usually less well loaded than the trains that go through to Scotland.

 

[paul1609]

I've looked into flying but it doesn't save any money. A return for two adults including tax ect is £199! And that wont include getting to and from the airports and the IOW Ferry!
.

I can find Easyjet returns for the dates you have specified of £125 for 2 people including taxes and debit card fee with hand luggage. Even if you need 40 kg of hold baggage it comes in at around £160.00

Frankly ( and I speak as someone who does the journey a lot) rail is not competitive on the solent area to Scotland Journey unless you are travelling for the sake of the journey. The minor inconviences encountered at the airport are more than offset by the 3 to 4 hours time saving by flying.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you are on a fast train it's best to stick with it to Waterloo, and then to get the Bakerloo + Victoria to King's Cross. However if you are on a stopper, it's quicker to get off at Vauxhall and take the Victoria line straight to King's Cross. (The Victoria line is very quick, and you avoid the crowds on the concourse at Waterloo).

In times of disruption, get off at Vauxhall at all costs, as if there is disruption at Waterloo trains can spend time queuing for a platform.

So yes, it can save time, but not always.

As far as I am aware there are normally no trains to/or from Portsmouth Harbour that call at Vauxhall. You are always better off going via Waterloo and the tube.

 

[wintonian]

Total 103:30 inc 16-25 railcard.

£18.15 Shankin - Portsmouth Harbour SOR (use Wightlink)

£85:15 Portsmouth Harbour - Edinburgh route “+Any Permitted” SSR restrictions for travel via London Monday to Fiday (no restrictions weekends or bank holidays):

OUTWARD TRAVEL_NORTHBOUND - By
any train scheduled to DEPART:

London Terminals (except as
shown below) Between 0929 and
1457 inclusive & at or after
1859. Also allowed at or after
1815 on Fridays only.

London Liverpool Street:
Between 0930 and 1629
inclusive & at or after 1834.

London St Pancras:
Between 1026 & 1515 inclusive
& at or after 1859.
London Euston:
At or after 0905.

Return via London:

Return travel - by any train
scheduled to ARRIVE at or
after:
London Terminals (except as
shown below) 1117

London Liverpool Street:_1000


London St Pancras: 1129

London Euston: 1005. Also
valid on all First ScotRail
Caledonian sleepers (with
supplement)

Also valid on the seeper with suppliment.

If going via Birmingham we use restriction 2v:

Monday to Friday only – no travel restrictions on any other days
Outward and Return Journeys
By any train except those scheduled to depart before 09:30

 

[Birdbrain]

@wintonian, Is this for two people? If so how do i buy?!

 

[wintonian]

@wintonian, Is this for two people? If so how do i buy?!

Just the one I'm afraid; it was only a quick look so there may be cheaper splits out there.

You can buy these at any station any time.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The advance tickets for the sleeper haven't been released yet so keep an eye on the bagain berths on Scotrails site, they start at £19 if you’re lucky from London and as there would be 2 of your there would be no need to share a berth. Be aware these do seem to go fast.

Add £18.15 Shanklin to Portsmouth Harbour and either £18.50 route "Southern Only" SVR or £39.25 route "Any Permitted" SVR which would come to £36.65 or £39.25 depending on the route for the London ticket.

Prices per passenger with a 16-25 railcard. However no discount is available on the Bargain Berths

 

[route:oxford]

I've looked into flying but it doesn't save any money. A return for two adults including tax ect is £199! And that wont include getting to and from the airports and the IOW Ferry!

£71.98 (each) from Southampton to Edinburgh out 10th, back 15th.

 

[wintonian]

There are in theory +VWV & Connections (Virgin) tickets with railcard at £12.55/ £17.80/ £23.45, as I say that is in theory.

For the cheapest ones you would need to book the day they come out and not be at all fussy when you go - they may not even be released for the dates you want.

 

[Birdbrain]

Thanks for all your help on this. I have managed to book 2 advances this morning at £32.40 each which isn't bad seeing as you get the IOW Train and ferry included. Just to check though, does this ticket include the Underground as it says to use it in the travel plan?

I plan to get the sleeper on the way back but Bargin Berths will be a few weeks until they coming out, and then a Southern Advance back to Portsmouth

 

[cuccir]

Just to check though, does this ticket include the Underground as it says to use it in the travel plan?

Yes, your ticket is valid for one underground journey to get you between stations

 

[island]

(Assuming there's a + before the route printed on the ticket.)

 

[YorkshireRider]

Adv tickets are now available for your KX-Edinburgh leg for 10 April, but not yet 15th, they will probably be available next week. Best place i think will be East Coasts website as you will get web fare only discount, if you can arrive at Kings X before 12:50 its £55.20 for 2 YP singles for this leg of your journey. Or if you are willing to go later, leaving KX from 14:30 onwards you can get them as cheap as £42.50 for 2.