Newcastle - Morpeth Return Ticket

[Willie Bee]

I am booking another trip out and have decided upon a short trip from Newcastle to Morpeth.

Date 9th July, with a senior railcard

Looking (initially) on the Northern Rail website, a mid-morning departure from Newcastle, with a mid-afternoon return is as low as £4.05 (a bargain !) but for only 50p more I can buy an "Off-peak Day Return" A separate window pops up, with various train times. Can I just take any of these trains, as I fancy on the date in question, or do I have to select at the time of booking which train I want?

On the RailUK site, this £4.55 ticket is also available, but again I am not sure if that is for the tickets I select at the time of booking.

Obviously, a bit of flexibility on the day is what I would prefer.

thank you for any advice provided

 

[Wallsendmag]

Off Peak Day return is £6.90 valid on any off peak service. There is a £4.80 TPE only which to be honest is probably valid on all services given TPEs current performance (normally if TPE run its TPE only)

 

[yorkie]

On the RailUK site, this £4.55 ticket is also available, but again I am not sure if that is for the tickets I select at the time of booking.

Click the "Flexible" button at the top, to ensure that only flexible fares are offered; please note however that flexible can still include TOC restrictions (such as TPE only, in the case of Newcastle to Morpeth)

 

[Watershed]

The walk-up (i.e. flexible) fares for this journey which are likely to be relevant are (with Senior Railcard discount):

• £4.55 for an Any Permitted Off-Peak Day Return (this is valid on any operator and train, from 09:00 onwards)
• £3.15 for a TPE only Off-Peak Day Return (this is valid on any of TPE's 5 services a day, from 09:00 onwards)
• £1.95 for a Lumo only Anytime Day Single (this is valid on any of Lumo's 5 services a day, at any time of day) - you could combine two of these for a return journey costing £3.90

There are also a variety of Advance tickets (these are fixed to the train you select when booking), ranging in price from £1.30 to £3.95. These are single tickets, so you would need an Advance in each direction for a return journey.

The price of £4.05 doesn't match up with the cost of any of the walk-up tickets, so it must involve Advance tickets. You would therefore be limited to taking the trains you select when booking.

Frankly, given the very small price difference at stake and the loss of flexibility through being tied to one of the handful of TPE or Lumo services, or your booked train on an Advance, I would just go for the £4.55 Any Permitted Off-Peak Day Return.

 

[swt_passenger]

The price of £4.05 doesn't match up with the cost of any of the walk-up tickets, so it must involve Advance tickets. You would therefore be limited to taking the trains you select when booking.

I did a quick check and could get to a £4.05 figure with a combination of an LNER advance and a Lumo only anytime single.

For only 50p extra I think, like you said, I’d also definitely go for the flexibility of the £4.55 Offpeak day return.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Unless you have a burning desire to catch the train, I’d take the bus to Morpeth to be honest. It’s about half an hour up the A1 and there are three buses an hour. The bus station is right by the shopping arcade, rather than half a mile up the hill too.

 

[Willie Bee]

OP here .. many thanks for all the information provided.

Unless you have a burning desire to catch the train, I’d take the bus to Morpeth to be honest. It’s about half an hour up the A1 and there are three buses an hour. The bus station is right by the shopping arcade, rather than half a mile up the hill too.

That's an idea !

I noticed the Northern Rail sale a few months ago and managed to get trips out at cheap rates. Have booked a couple more too .. some prices are really really good .. just by being flexible with times. My wife works nights, but once every two weeks, she works on a Sunday .. that's when I have a day away

Actually, my wife and I have had two mini breaks since late last year and have two more booked already this year. Again, prices can be great if booking ahead. I've always had great advice regarding fares on this forum. Neither of us had been on a train for many many years (excluding our local Metro system) .. so it's all go now
My mate has just got a free bus pass, which I'll get next February, so maybe then it'll be bus journeys all over the show

 

[Wallsendmag]

If you're in Whitley Bay do you need to come back into town or could you go via Blyth?

 

[Willie Bee]

If you're in Whitley Bay do you need to come back into town or could you go via Blyth?

yes, that's a possibility ... The bus along the seafront to Blyth, then to Morpeth.

Travelling on a Sunday may be a problem ... I can check the timetables.

And to be honest .. going on the bus isn't as exciting as on the train.

Even waiting at Newcastle Station and seeing folk come and go, trains arriving and departing is good fun too, using the various apps to see details.

Standing at the bus stop isn't really the same.

I suppose flying somewhere for the day would be even more fun, but for less than a tenner, I'll not get very far