London to Doncaster or Sheffield next Sunday

[tannedfrog]

London (starting from near Paddington) to Doncaster or Sheffield next Sunday
day return

Can anyone suggest a cheaper way than two £22 advance singles on EMT?
maybe using London Midland's sale?

have got no railcards but z1-6 season ticket

ideally would travel to Doncaster and on a walk-up ticket

thanks

 

[ainsworth74]

Edit: Never mind miss read your post.

 

[sonic2009]

your going to get nothing cheaper on advances, and im not sure about london midland unless you want to spend ages getting to doncaster.

 

[yorkie]

For walk-on travel to Doncaster/Leeds/York:

Boundary Zone 6 -> Peterborough CDR £17.00 (FCC Only; not valid on EC)
or
London Terminals > Peterborough CDR £26.00 (Any Permitted)
plus
Peterborough -> Doncaster/Leeds/York £30.70

The £30.70 day return fare is the same to Donny, Leeds or York, the closest you can get to Sheffield for that price is Conisbrough. Also available to intermediate stations between Donny-Leeds/Leeds-York, plus selected other stations, e.g. Hatfield & Stainforth etc.

Just over £47 for walk-on travel isn't bad and I would prefer this over £44 for advance tickets on a slow, expensive, outer-suburban, inferior and inflexible service.

Grand Central charge £60 for a return, and on very few trains. Poor value IMO, I can't recommend that at all. The 180s seem to suffer from various problems including faulty air conditioning. Hull Trains are not much better at £59.

For less than £57 you can get East Coast throughout, as long as the train calls at Peterborough (which they quite possibly all do on Sundays), far more choice and better value than GC/HT!

 

[tannedfrog]

For walk-on travel to Doncaster/Leeds/York:

Boundary Zone 6 -> Peterborough CDR £17.00 (FCC Only; not valid on EC)
or
London Terminals > Peterborough CDR £26.00 (Any Permitted)
plus
Peterborough -> Doncaster/Leeds/York £30.70

The £30.70 day return fare is the same to Donny, Leeds or York, the closest you can get to Sheffield for that price is Conisbrough. Also available to intermediate stations between Donny-Leeds/Leeds-York, plus selected other stations, e.g. Hatfield & Stainforth etc.

Grand Central charge £60 for a return, and on very few trains. Poor value IMO, I can't recommend that at all. The 180s seem to suffer from various problems including faulty air conditioning. Hull Trains are not much better at £59.

For less than £57 you can get East Coast throughout, as long as the train calls at Peterborough (which they quite possibly all do on Sundays), far more choice and better value than GC/HT!

thank you that is very useful

so it looks like it will cost 25 mins extra travelling plus changing time to go for the FCC service to Peterborough (rather than EC)

Just over £47 for walk-on travel isn't bad and I would prefer this over £44 for advance tickets on a slow, expensive, outer-suburban, inferior and inflexible service.

presumably this is only because it is Sunday and EMT trains are worse then?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
it looks like the z1-6 travelcard saves me £6, impressive

 

[yorkie]

I think EC will always be quicker to Donny. To Sheffield it's often a close call.

EMT can be tedious on Sundays depending on engineering work. I once took a train that went via Corby, Nottingham and used the slow lines London to Bedford. As it was a Valenta up front, and Weekend First was £6 and I could be behind a Valenta I didn't mind! But on a 222 that'd be bloomin' awful.

 

[tannedfrog]

I think I found a cheap option which will take a long time... but...

London to Tamworth (London Midland half price offer) £12.50 off peak day return
Tamworth to Burton £4.90 off peak day return
Burton to Sheffield return; Derbyshire rover £9 approx

total about £27

 

[yorkie]

Yep that certainly does the trick. It's a shame that a Wayfarer doesn't go beyond Burton, as if it extended to Tamworth it would allow it to be combined with LM cheap tickets and also West Midlands Day Rangers.

 

[tannedfrog]

Thanks. Also unfortunately it would mean me getting off at Burton to buy the Wayfarer as they can't be bought outside the area or on trains.

But at least if I plan ahead it's possible to buy scratchcard versions

I just checked and the first LM train leaving on that route at 12:50 which scuppers the day trip idea
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And, for competition of the month!!

Win a Wayfarer!
Every Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket entitles you to enter a free monthly draw in which you can win........





another ticket! Simply complete the questionnaire on the back of the ticket and send it back to us. You don't even need a stamp.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks. Also unfortunately it would mean me getting off at Burton to buy the Wayfarer as they can't be bought outside the area or on trains.

Actually any guard with an Avantix machine, or any ticket office, can sell a Wayfarer if they know what to look for (perhaps someone here can advise), the only 'problem' is that only stations in the area have the plastic pouches that the tickets slip into that seem to serve the purpose of making them acceptable to bus drivers. If you do not plan to get a bus then there is nothing to worry about.

But at least if I plan ahead it's possible to buy scratchcard versions

I have a few ready to be used to avoid queuing! I then only have to get one ticket, which I can get from a machine so avoiding the need to go to a ticket office or hope the guard will issue it (some guards apparently won't sell discounted tickets even if you have a current valid ticket and are asking for an onward ticket).

I just checked and the first LM train leaving on that route at 12:50 which scuppers the day trip idea

Is that really the first LM train to Tamworth on a Sunday?! What about via Birmingham?