Hook to Brighouse - Grand Central?

[robertbishop]

Hi all,

Travelling from Hook to Brighouse and return tomorrow to pick up a car (want a return to be safe if the car isn't roadworthy), which means I'm going to have to bite the bullet of on-the-day or just before ticket prices. I have a memory of Grand Central undercutting East Coast on on-the-day off peak fares out of London Kings Cross, but this might have stopped since I last tried. What are my options?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[142094]

Off peak Return via GC is £72.10, which is around £20 cheaper than the East Coast ticket (Super Off peak return £99.20), plus the advantage of a direct train. You'll have to factor in the purchase of a Hook - London ticket as well.

 

[John @ home]

If you ask for a return to Brighouse at Hook station later today, you'll be sold a £116 Super Off-Peak Return Hook - Brighouse route + Any Permitted, which has no time restrictions at weekends. You're right that this ticket is much better value than the £115 Super Off-Peak Single, and well worth the extra £1 if there is a risk that the vehicle may not be roadworthy.

When considering a split in or near London, and using Grand Central Only fares, however, the calculation becomes much less straightforward.

For the Hook - Kings Cross part of the journey, you could buy a £20.60 Super Off-Peak Day Return Hook - London St Pancras route Any Permitted, which again has no time restrictions at weekends, if you are content to travel Waterloo - St Pancras by rail via London Bridge. This costs just 60p more than the £20 Anytime Day Single.

If you prefer to cross London by tube, you could buy a £23.50 Super Off-Peak Day Return Hook - Finsbury Park route + Any Permitted. Again, this ticket has no time restrictions at weekends and costs just 70p more than the £22.80 Anytime Day Single. It is valid for ending your outward leg and starting the return leg at Kings Cross, and is 90p cheaper than the £24.40 Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard you'll get if you ask for a return to Kings Cross.

Between Kings Cross and Brighouse, Grand Central Only tickets are available on the train for £51.50 Off-Peak Single or £72.10 Off-Peak Return. It is matter of judgment whether you risk spending £20.60 unnecessarily but save £30.90 if the vehicle is not roadworthy.

The main disadvantage of Grand Central is that there are only three trains each way daily: today at 1048, 1548 and 1923 from Kings Cross; 0714, 1048 and 1546 from Brighouse.

All the prices above are reduced by 34% if you have a National Railcard.