EMT are trying to get the early bird traffic

[northwichcat]

A £17.00 Advance is available on the following journey option:

22:20 Manchester Piccadilly [MAN] 8 Sheffield [SHF]
23:24 5B 1h 04m

Transpennine Express service from Manchester Airport to Sheffield

Train 23:31 Sheffield [SHF] 1 Derby [DBY]
00:04 4 0h 33m

East Midlands Trains service from Sheffield to Derby
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.

Train 06:29 Derby [DBY] 4 London St Pancras Domestic [STP]
09:16 3 2h 47m

 

[Lampshade]

Who is ever that desperate to get to London? :?

 

[sonic2009]

if someone used their head. and was travelling into london @ peak time. could buy this. are you allowed to start short on advances?

 

[yorkie]

I don't understand. There are loads of Advance fares on trains arriving into St Pancras at about that time at a weekend. I believe this is a weekend as there is no 0629 Derby-Sheffield on weekdays (the 0555 Sheffield-St Pancras calls at 0632). This is no different to MML days, except the prices are a lot more expensive!

if someone used their head. and was travelling into london @ peak time. could buy this. are you allowed to start short on advances?

No, but why would you? It's cheaper from Derby anyway.

There's been some raving about EMT cheap fares recently, however those of us who used to get MML advance tickets several times a year know that the fares are much higher now. I no longer bother with EMT, especially now they avoid Doncaster and the price is much higher (despite what EMT try to make you think they are a lot more expensive than MML)

 

[sonic2009]

I don't understand. There are loads of Advance fares on trains arriving into St Pancras at about that time at a weekend. I believe this is a weekend as there is no 0629 Derby-Sheffield on weekdays (the 0555 Sheffield-St Pancras calls at 0632). This is no different to MML days, except the prices are a lot more expensive!




No, but why would you? It's cheaper from Derby anyway.

There's been some raving about EMT cheap fares recently, however those of us who used to get MML advance tickets several times a year know that the fares are much higher now. I no longer bother with EMT, especially now they avoid Doncaster and the price is much higher (despite what EMT try to make you think they are a lot more expensive than MML)

sorry i thought it was a monday to friday.

 

[yorkie]

I thought that at first too, as otherwise it really isn't a good deal. But the times from Manchester to Derby match for a Saturday (on a weekday you get into Derby 7 minutes later at 00:11).

I can't find a 06:29 any day (but I've only chosen a few days at random) but it's far more likely to be a Saturday with engineering works going on. On most Saturdays trains from Derby to St Pancras are at 06:18 and 07:01.

 

[theblackwatch]

There's been some raving about EMT cheap fares recently, however those of us who used to get MML advance tickets several times a year know that the fares are much higher now. I no longer bother with EMT, especially now they avoid Doncaster and the price is much higher (despite what EMT try to make you think they are a lot more expensive than MML)

Definately agree with you on that one - in the MML days, I could usually get singles from Leeds to St Pancras on the 06.34, 07.26 or 08.28 departures for around £7-£9, and the same returning at 19.xx. The cheapest I ever seem to see on the direct trains is now £17.00, and even on a random date I have picked in late September (28th), I find the 2 direct trains (which are less sociably timed than before - run at times to suit the railway rather than the passenger?) are prived at £52 and £22 respectively.

 

[bengolding]

MML were way cheaper and much better than their EMT counterparts. Remember the days when I was able to get £10 First Advance singles on many MML services. Now, the FC Advance fare has shot up. At least EMT FC Advance ticket holders can now enjoy their First Lounges without paying a supplement, but those in the East Midlands close at lunchtime which isn't particularly useful. EMT say this is due to lack of demand but I've been told it was due to the EMT staff cutbacks, meaning only one attendant required to man the Lounges in the am. Frankly, EMT don't even need staff in Lounges and should offer a video entry system as per EC and VT.

 

[northwichcat]

I don't understand. There are loads of Advance fares on trains arriving into St Pancras at about that time at a weekend. I believe this is a weekend as there is no 0629 Derby-Sheffield on weekdays (the 0555 Sheffield-St Pancras calls at 0632). This is no different to MML days, except the prices are a lot more expensive!

Yes it was a weekend journey. I was posting on another forum when someone asked if they could get any cheap Advances as Virgin had sold out at the times they wanted to travel when I found it. I find it strange because they're selling you a ticket that means you have to wait for 8 hours at one station and is Derby even open overnight?

I've found an equivalent weekday ones which are:

£35 for a 22:24 Manchester departure, 01:56 Nottingham departure, 04:30 Derby departure and 06:52 London arrival

or

£52 for a 01:00 Manchester departure and a 05:25 Leeds departure (EMT service via Derby) and 08:57 arrival.

Note: I've realised I've called up times for September, which appear to be a bit different from the current timetable.

No, but why would you? It's cheaper from Derby anyway.

The fares are a whole £2 cheaper from Derby on the same day (£33 and £50 respectively.)
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MML were way cheaper and much better than their EMT counterparts.

One thing they advertised when they extended their Sheffield services to Manchester during the WCML work was a free cup of tea for everyone.

 

[bb21]

One thing they advertised when they extended their Sheffield services to Manchester during the WCML work was a free cup of tea for everyone.

Yes but they were offering free tea and coffee to everyone at the time.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Definately agree with you on that one - in the MML days, I could usually get singles from Leeds to St Pancras on the 06.34, 07.26 or 08.28 departures for around £7-£9, and the same returning at 19.xx. The cheapest I ever seem to see on the direct trains is now £17.00, and even on a random date I have picked in late September (28th), I find the 2 direct trains (which are less sociably timed than before - run at times to suit the railway rather than the passenger?) are prived at £52 and £22 respectively.

Here here. The Saturday early morning trains used to be £3.95 R/C £6 w/o from Leicester into London, which now tend to be at least £7.25 R/C £11 w/o and that's with the £1 discount via EMT website (same below). The northbound 2125 Sheffield train always used to have £6 fares (before they were upped to £9) to Sheffield and £7.50 to Derby (odd I know) during MML Seat Sale days (no R/C discount) and most late night northbound trains had VERY cheap fares. Came fare simplification they normalised to £3.95 R/C £6 w/o. Then came the massive hike to £12 each way. It was really £9 (£8 with online discount / £5.30 R/C) for many late night trains. Then since NFM06 they only existed on weekdays. The Saturday nights now seem to be £9.25 R/C £14 w/o except the last departure which is £7.25 R/C £11 w/o.

The only good thing that came out of the whole sage over the last few years is that Advance 1st is now cheaper for 16-25 Railcard holders as now discount is available and the cheapest deal is £9.25 each way, cheaper than before.