Loughborough to Blackpool - 3/11 - 8-11

[ChrisCooper]

I'm travelling to Blackpool from Loughborough on Thursday 3rd of November and coming back on Tuesday 8th (last weekend of the proper trams) and have an off peak return with a 18-25 Railcard (perks of a part time Uni course, despite having a few years ontop) showing at £31.95. The cheapest advanced I managed to get was by splitting at Sheffield giving £26.90 so barely worth it. This was using TPX advances on the Sheffield-Blackpool and return leg, and an off peak return on the Loughborough to Sheffield leg.

Is there likely to be anything cheaper in advance?

Also, another reason I was thinking of booking was because last time I did this route it was very busy on the Sheffield to Preston part and I ended up standing from Sheffield to Bolton out and barely got a seat back. This was on a Sunday both ways though. I'm going to be doing that part of the journey middle of the day both ways (probably leave Sheffield about 12 and arrive back about 1), so are these likely to be very busy to make booking a good idea? Then again, coming back at least I'm in no rush so if the TPX is overcrowed there is the EMT or the Northern if I'm on a flexable ticket.

 

[mikeg]

So far I'm struggling to 'unlock' the XC&Connections and VWC&Connections advance fares. I've found a couple available but they're probably at the wrong time. Well, except one, which is that by coming back via Birmingham/Crewe you can get a first class advance for £17.80, that's the 0844, which gets you back to LBO for 1241, with first class all of the way, but at the expense of having to change trains three times. I'll keep you updated. If you want to avoid struggling to get a seat on the EMT/TPE services you could always go via Derby & Crewe on an off peak return, which would appear to have a minimal time penalty. Or indeed you could go via Birmingham and Crewe, which sometimes has a greater time penalty, sometimes is not that much different.