Reading to Newcastle out on 25/8 rtn 26/8

[DanielDeronda]

Hi

I'm going to be going up to Newcastle for the football on Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August, staying overnight & coming back on 26th August.

Ideally need to arrive by 4pm on the Monday & depart around 1200 on the Tuesday.

I would normally get a XC service via New St but looks like have to go via KingsX.

Not too bothered with a slower train if I get a slightly cheaper date, but ideally want just 2 changes or Mac of 3.

I've got a valid disabled Railcard.

Don't want to pay 3 figures for a train fare.

Have even considered flying, coach cheaper but 8h on a coach isn't what I'd want to do especially during a heatwave!!

 

[jfollows]

From Reading?

 

[Watershed]

In terms of flights there's obviously Heathrow to Newcastle with BA. Going out on the 07:15 (arr 08:25) flight and back on the 20:40 (arr 21:50) flight is the cheapest option for those dates. There are other flights, but they're quite a bit more expensive. Those ones would cost £74 return for a "Basic" hand-luggage only fare - this allows a larger suitcase-size item as well as a smaller underseat item.

For an extra £15 each way you can upgrade that to a "Plus" fare which includes a checked bag and the ability to change yourself to any other time flight free of charge, from midnight on the day of departure (subject to not being fully booked, of course). That might be the option I'd go for, personally speaking - if you stay up/wake up at midnight you should know whether you can change to a more leisurely timed flight in either direction. That said, a Basic fare on the 17:20 (arr 18:35) flight back from Newcastle is an extra £25 vs £15 for a Plus fare on the 20:40 - so you might prefer the former, knowing that you're guaranteed a seat on a more reasonably timed flight.

Obviously you have to add on the cost of getting to & from Heathrow and Newcastle airports, but I'd wager it's likely to be the quickest option overall and it won't cost a huge amount more than taking the train. If you get the RailAir bus to Heathrow it's also very straightforward - two changes, effectively.

In terms of the train, the cheapest option I can see on TrainSplit that meets your parameters is either:

• £78.70 (plus £3.21 share of savings fee) for this itinerary (08:13-13:30 out, 12:02-17:14 return). It involves a series of split Advances going out via Kings Cross and Leeds, and back with a single change at York onto a Reading-bound XC service. OR
• £77.15 (plus £7.23 share of savings fee - so cheaper if you add the tickets to the basket individually) for this itinerary (08:13-13:30 out again, 14:26-18:59 return). It involves a series of split Advances going out as above, and back with a change at Doncaster onto Hull Trains to London. Given their current industrial dispute and the poor ticket acceptance arrangements they're currently providing for resultant cancellations, I would be quite wary of considering this.

 

[DanielDeronda]

I went for the train via Leeds & York. Timings suited me best & only 1 change on the way back, changed my reservations so I don't have to move seats from York..

What about getting to Sunderland from Reading? No dates in mind but what sort of itinerary would it be on a Saturday or Sunday. Those 2 cities in the NE are my longest trips of the season.

Thought I'd have to pay £100+ or have multiple changes, so £81 is a bit of a bargain relatively.

 

[Dirty_Mac]

Forum's website gives £96.15 for 3 changes outbound (extra change at Doncaster for a cheaper fare) and direct return. (One change return at York is £2 cheaper but you have to wait half an hour at York). 9 tickets lol

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