Newcastle to London via Crewe? Help please!

[helengarden]

Hello! On Monday I am travelling to Newcasle, then on Tuesday to Crewe, then Wednesday back home. Do I have to buy all single tickets for the 3 journeys, or if I buy a return to Newcasle would part of the return portion be valid to get me to Crewe? Thanks for any help, I just can't work it out and National Rail Enquiries don't seem to know about permitted routes in my experience! I can't do advance tickets because I can't be sure of finish times.

 

[142094]

So you are doing:

Day 1 - London to Newcastle
Day 2 - Newcastle to Crewe
Day 3 - Crewe to London?

What time(s) of day do you want to leave/arrive?

 

[helengarden]

Yes, that's right. Day 1 will leave London 20.00, day 2 leaving Newcastle around 17.00, day 3 leaving Crewe around 17.00.

 

[LexyBoy]

As a general rule, avoid buying single tickets wherever possible! For triangular journeys it's usually cheapest to retrace your routes by buying A-B and B-C returns rather than A-B, B-C and C-A singles (obviously this can take longer).

However, in this case a London-Edinburgh Super Off Peak Return (£121.40) would be valid for your plans. Stop "short" at Newcastle on the outward (permitted for this ticket), then on day 2 travel Newcastle-Crewe*, break journey (always permitted on the return part of tickets), day 3 direct Crewe-London.

*You're limited to routes which can be traced on map AS of the Routeing Guide from Edinburgh to London without retracing your line at any point. That means you can't go Newcastle-Carlisle-Crewe, nor can you travel via Huddersfield. The best route seems to be Newcastle-Sheffield, Sheffield-Stockport, Stockport-Crewe.

The time restrictions which apply to this ticket are described in the code 9F; it's valid on any train except those which are specifically excluded. It's fine for your itinerary.

 

[transmanche]

A few years ago, there used to be a fare (set by Virgin?) for London-Newcastle via Manchester. I used it a few times myself, with a zero excess for the direct ECML leg. Does this fare no longer exist?

 

[OwlMan]

Alternatively a return from Newcastle is valid on XC to Derby and EMT to London on the return leg. A return from Derby to Crewe would also be required.

Peter

 

[tony_mac]

An any-permitted London to Hexham Super-off-peak return is valid for return via Carlisle, and hence a break of journey in Crewe.

A Newcastle to Hexham ticket is not very expensive.

It should be a little cheaper to get a 'Route Carlisle' off-peak return and excess the outward portion to an 'Any Permitted' super off-peak, but that would be more difficult to buy.

 

[helengarden]

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.