Liverpool to Bristol

[ChrisTheRef]

Asking for a friend - it's years since I bought tickets!

1st class return for 2 adults - no railcards.
Liverpool to Bristol TM on 02 July at 08:00ish
Bristol to TM to Liverpool on 04 July at 15:00ish

A quick search only returns FORs at over £400.

Any help appreciated.

Ta

 

[Paul Kelly]

A few points:

1. If the two people haven't already, get a Two Together Railcard. Costs £30 from any station (two passport-sized photos are required), will pay for itself several times over for this trip alone and is valid for a year.

2. For the best 1st Class facilities/service you'll want to take an itinerary that involves Virgin from Liverpool to Stafford and CrossCountry from Stafford to Bristol. There'll be a reduced service on Saturday though. There is quite a nice 1st class lounge at Liverpool Lime Street but I don't think it opens until 8am on Saturdays. Suitable itineraries could be:

Saturday 2nd July
dep LIV 07:47
arr STA 08:40

dep STA 09:00
arr BRI 11:09

Monday 4th July
dep BRI 15:00
arr STA 17:00

dep STA 17:23
arr LIV 18:21

3. Split tickets

Off-Peak 1st Return, Liverpool Stations to Wolverhampton, route VIA CREWE
2 adults w/ 2TR discount: £60.20

Off-Peak 1st Return Wolverhampton to Cheltenham Spa, route ANY PERMITTED
2 adults w/ 2TR discount: £83.20

Anytime 1st Return Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Temple Meads, route ANY PERMITTED
2 adults 2/ 2TR discount: £55.70

TOTAL £199.10

 

[Camden]

London Midland offer cheap advance tickets between Liverpool & Birmingham, you can get each way for £9.50 (£19 total), and an ordinary off-peak return is £37.80. For this leg of the journey I wouldn't recommend first class (there are first class advances available for £21), I don't think you get much for your money and as it's first thing on a Saturday morning I doubt finding a quiet spot in Standard will be difficult (Coming back might be different, so either a later train or a First advance there might be appropriate).

Between Birmingham New Street & Bristol Templemeads I spy a £35 1st advance outbound and a £45.90 1st advance on the return.

Advance Standard tickets between Liverpool & Birmingham: £19 (or £42 First)
Advance 1st Return between Birmingham & Bristol: £80.90
Total £99.90 (or £122.90 all First).
Less One Third: £66.60 each (£81.93 all First).

Total return for the two of you: £133.20 via mix of First & Standard (or £163.86 all First)
Plus £30 for the Two Together card (and this applies to the previous post too).

 

[sonic2009]

I'd see for the way back if you could get a cheap advance via Newport & Chester and upgrade on the ATW 1st Class service that runs to Holyhead.