Milton Keynes to Gloucester via Birmingham returning Gloucester to Milton Keynes

[WolvertonWorks]

On Friday 6th November I will be at an event the NEC in Birmingham (BHI) from 9 until just after 5.

I then need to be at an event in Gloucester the following day 7th November between about 9:30 and 4.

I was going to look for Advances MKC-BHI and return for the Friday and MKC - Gloucester return for the Saturday but remember that when I did a similar trip to Gloucester a couple of years ago the change at Tamworth on the outbound was very tight and I had a long wait at Tamworth on the return journey.

I think I can go MKC-Gloucester changing in Birmingham rather than Tamworth, so I've started thinking, given I will be in Birmingham lateish Friday afternoon anyway, about booking a premier inn or suchlike in Gloucester for the Friday night and not returning to MK.

So I will need a return journey MKC-Gloucester starting on Friday with a break of journey in Birmingham but arriving in Gloucester on Friday and then the return Gloucester-MK on the Saturday.

So an anytime period return MKC-Gloucester allowing break of journey on the outbound at BHI or do I go for Advances MKC-BHI and Gloucester-MKC and then a walk up single BHI-Gloucester?

Anyone any thoughts on the best value - I will look on the forum's site once Advances for 7th November become available which should be soon - ticket or tickets for this trip?

Thanks

 

[WolvertonWorks]

Tickets for 6th and 7th November now seem to be available so looking to book this.

I want to use the 07:52 Avanti from MKC to BHI on Friday 6th. Then around 17:00 a train from BHI to Gloucester.

Then on Saturday 7th a train from Gloucester to MKC again around 17:00. It looks like I have a number of options for the route of the return journey starting with XC from Gloucester and either staying on to Tamworth or changing at BHM.

If I've worded my query to the site's booking engine correctly it is offering me an anytime return, MKC-Gloucester, with senior railcard, for £69.95 which I'm happy with for the flexibility it offers and this appears to allow me to break my journey on the outbound at BHI for some hours.

Please can one of you experts confirm my reading is correct?

Many thanks

 

[Watershed]

Yes, an Anytime Return is valid for break of journey at any intermediate station (along a valid route). A Milton Keynes (MKC) to Gloucester (GCR) "not via London" ticket is valid via Birmingham so an Anytime Return would be valid for your proposed journey.

You could make the journey slightly cheaper by buying a combination of tickets splitting at Rugby (RUG) and Birmingham International (BHI):

• Anytime Day Single MKC-RUG £12.75
• Anytime Return (Avanti only) RUG-BHI £10.30
• Off-Peak Return BHI-GCR £22.70

Then on the way back you'd add on an Off-Peak Day Single RUG-MKC £11.35, making the total cost £57.10.

This would limit you to Avanti trains between Rugby and Birmingham International, and to stopping at Rugby (or changing there). However, all daytime Avanti trains from Birmingham to Milton Keynes stop at Rugby anyway (there's two around 6am and one at 9pm that don't). I also imagine you won't want to take West Midlands from Birmingham to Milton Keynes. So these limitations are unlikely to prove much of an issue in practice.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

Thanks very much Watershed, just what I was looking for. Appreciated.