Season Tickets and/or Railcards

[crispy1978]

My wife and I may have to make a daily (M-F) trip from Scarborough to James Cook in the near future (early December) for 3 months (65 days). I think all travel should be off-peak.

There is an alternative of travelling to either Preston, Bolton or Chester and staying with family in Accrington. We probably wouldn't stay in Accrington every weekend - say we travelled home to Scarborough every other weekend (so say 6 weekends out of the 3 months).

My wife has a disabled railcard. I see from the railcard website you can't combine the railcard and season ticket - but obviously the railcard would be OK from Accrington to Scarborough and back.

Which would be the cheapest option - instinct tells me the season ticket, but not sure if advances and ticket splitting from home to James Cook might be an option. There is also the option, if it saves money, of booking to a Travelodge or something similar from Monday to Thursday - but I don't see that being a cheaper option personally unless I'm missing something.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bb21]

For a start, a season is £200 per week, or £768 per month. hock:

Off-Peak Return is only £34.65, and five days total £173.25, or 22 days £762.30. Safe to say the season is uncompetitive.

If doing day returns, York - Middlesbrough is a very good value £8.65 avoiding Darlington (permitted on direct TPE services or Grand Central and changing at Stockton). Add to that Scarborough - York £11.95 and Middlesbrough - James Cook £1.20, it will come down to £21.80 a day. Valid after 0930 from Scarborough.

Hotels are worthwhile if cheaper than the daily cost plus whatever value you put on convenience factor.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Using the National Rail Season ticket Calculator a Scarborough to James Cook 3 month season ticket is £2,304.00p. Also According to National Rail, an Off-Peak Return, using a Disabled Person's Railcard, is £34.65p, which, when multiplied by 65, is £2,252.25p. There do not appear to be any Advance tickets for this journey.

 

[bb21]

Actually you can simply buy York - Nunthorpe at £9.00 (start/stop short at James Cook) and avoid splitting at Middlesbrough. If needing to go via Darlington for any reason, the excess is £3.15 each way.

TPE: Take note, sort out pricing for James Cook, and stop ripping off people going to that station.

 

[crispy1978]

Wow - I expected it to cost a decent amount, but nowhere near that much! I'm guessing those prices are each too?

We can get some of the cost covered, but it won't be all of it.

Need to have a proper think about this then........

 

[bb21]

Prices are per person.

Obviously you have the X93 bus between Scarborough and Middlesbrough which takes around 2h30, and a day ticket should include local buses to/from the hospital but the last bus back from Middlesbrough is 1820 so not sure if that is suitable. It will almost certainly be cheaper but I can imagine this being a bit knackering if done daily, so perhaps consider mixing and matching bus and train from day to day?

 

[30907]

£21 each after 0930 doesnt strike me as outrageous, but its a long daily commute!

I suppose you could cost out the bus via Whitby but that's a long ride too

 

[Kite159]

For a start, a season is £200 per week, or £768 per month. hock:

Off-Peak Return is only £34.65, and five days total £173.25, or 22 days £762.30. Safe to say the season is uncompetitive.

If doing day returns, York - Middlesbrough is a very good value £8.65 avoiding Darlington (permitted on direct TPE services or Grand Central and changing at Stockton). Add to that Scarborough - York £11.95 and Middlesbrough - James Cook £1.20, it will come down to £21.80 a day. Valid after 0930 from Scarborough.

Hotels are worthwhile if cheaper than the daily cost plus whatever value you put on convenience factor.

FYI Grand Central don't call at Stockton, the OP would have to change at Eaglescliffe.

That is one expensive season ticket compared to day tickets

 

[crispy1978]

So.....

Accrington - Preston (day return w/RC) £9.60 x 65 = £624.00 + £326.40 = £950.40
Accrington - Preston (season ticket) £399.80 x 2 = £799.60 + £326.40 = £1126.00
Accrington - Bolton (day return w/RC) £11.20 x 65 = £728.00 + £326.40 = £1054.40
Accrington - Bolton (season ticket) £500.00 x 2 = £1000.00 + £326.40 = £1326.40
Accrington - Chester (day return w/RC) £38.40 x 65 = £2496.00 + £326.40 = £2822.40
Accrington - Chester (season ticket) £1239.60 x 2 = £2479.20 + £326.40 = £2805.60


Includes:

Scarborough - Accrington (open return w/RC) £54.40 x 6 = £326.40


Have I missed anything, or got anything wrong? The Accrington/Preston option might be the one to seriously consider.