Splitting points (KGX to HUN) & (HUN to PBL)

[mullin]

Hey all,

Can anyone offer any advice on splitting points / ways to get some cheaper tickets for these journeys I need to make in July. As I'm off to a music festival I can be tied to set trains for the journey out, but coming back I need flexibility in my tickets as I have no idea how long it will take for me to pack, get out the camp site and to the station, and then the queues (if any) for the trains.

I have a 16-25 railcard and PAYG Oyster if that helps for the 2nd journey (KGX --> HUN).



*Wed 20th July - PBL --> Eus I've an advance for £8.25 and I'm meeting up with a friend here the day before the festival. Being tied to a train here is not a problem.


*Thurs 21st July -
A single is £14.50. Splitting at Biggleswade saves me 5p which isn't really worth it. Can this be done for cheaper?



*Mon 25th July - HUN --> PBL. £45.30 single. I've managed to get it down to £38.70 - saving £4.65)
Breaking this leg into pieces by the trains / route I can travel on....
Huntingdon --> Peterborough £3.30
Peterborough --> Newark North Gate --> Doncaster £8.45 + £12 (£20.45)
Doncaster --> Manchester £11.30
Manchester --> Parbold £3.65

Total cost of this journey route £61.45




The alternative route (with a lot less pieces of paper)
PBL --> EUS Return is £46.20, very much doubt I can get this leg of the journey cheaper
KGX --> HUN Return any time is £19.15
Total cost is £65.35


Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[sonic2009]

I'm going to say this for the Monday 25th July...

Huntingdon-St Neots Off Peak Single 16-25 £2.25

St Neots Railway Station-Milton Keynes Central Railway Station by Stagecoach X5 Bus, journey is around 95mins... Single £6.50

Times here : http://www.stagecoachx5.com/uploads/x5timetable.pdf

Milton Keynes Central to Crewe. Rte London Midland Trains Only.. £10.50 Super Off Peak Single with 16-25 valid after 1100, journey time 2hr 13mins

Crewe to Parbold Anytime Day Single with 16-25 £8.80

Total Cost : 27.75

 

[bb21]

Your best deal, considering that you need a flexible walk-on ticket, would have been to purchase an Off-Peak Single at the time of booking your outbound Advance journey from Parbold to Euston. The Off-Peak Single for the return leg would have cost half the price of an Off-Peak Return at £23.10. You would then only need a return between King's X and Huntingdon. I doubt very much that you would be able to get the fare down to that level by booking the return journey separately.

Get yourself a return between London and Huntingdon.

London Terminals - Huntingdon
Off-Peak Return
Route Any Permitted
Y-P £19.15
Restriction 5J

Going back from London, the flexible options all involve London Midland services.

London Terminals - Stoke-On-Trent
Super Off-Peak Single
Route London Midland Only
Y-P £14.80
Restriction LK

plus

Stoke-On-Trent - Manchester Stations
Anytime Day Single
Route Virgin Trains Only
Y-P £5.95

plus

Manchester Stations - Parbold
Evening Return
Route Any Permitted
Y-P £1.85
Restriction FE

or

London Terminals - Crewe
Super Off-Peak Single
Route London Midland Only
Y-P £14.80
Restriction LK

plus

Crewe - Parbold
Anytime Day Single
Route Any Permitted
Y-P £8.80

or

London Terminals - Liverpool Stations
Super Off-Peak Single
Route London Midland Only
Y-P £16.10
Restriction LK

plus

Liverpool Stations - Parbold
Anytime Day Single
Route Wigan
Y-P £5.70

 

[mullin]

Many thanks for the quick responses bb21 and sonic2009! Much appreciated!

Your best deal, considering that you need a flexible walk-on ticket, would have been to purchase an Off-Peak Single at the time of booking your outbound Advance journey from Parbold to Euston. The Off-Peak Single for the return leg would have cost half the price of an Off-Peak Return at £23.10. You would then only need a return between King's X and Huntingdon.

I honestly never knew such a ticket existed! Thankfully I've not booked my Parbold to Euston one yet (I just know that there are loads of tickets for £8.25 by going via Manchester) so I shall be taking full advantage of this deal! Has it always been available? Or even promoted??
Likewise I've never considered getting a train to Liverpool either, then going to Parbold from there

Just need to look up the off peak restrictions now for Virgin as I have several trips to London planned where I know when I'm travelling down, but can't commit to a time coming back. Fingers crossed there are still some advance tickets available for cheap


Many thanks again to you both!

 

[John @ home]

There is also the Off-Peak Return Huntingdon - Parbold route Not London to consider. It's £45.95 with a Railcard and it's valid across a wide swathe of central England. It takes Restriction 2V which includes:

• Outward & Return journeys by any train except those scheduled to depart Monday to Friday before 0930.
• Break of Journey: (Outward) YES, (Return) YES.

 

[bb21]

Thankfully I've not booked my Parbold to Euston one yet (I just know that there are loads of tickets for £8.25 by going via Manchester) so I shall be taking full advantage of this deal! Has it always been available? Or even promoted??

Good. In that case then I would say the half-return Off-Peak Single would be the way forward. It then allows you to take the fast Virgin service from Euston. I don't think you would fancy a four-hour trip home on a London Midland service plus a few changes after a gig for the sake of a few quid.

This ticket used to be called "Saver Half", and is only available when you book Advance in one leg to provide a 'mix-and-match' facility. The restriction should be the same as the Off-Peak fares and you have to specify a date that you want to travel on, pretty much works like an Off-Peak Single and valid only for one day, except for the price.

If Virgin Trains website charges a fee then use First Great Western or East Midlands Trains website instead.

Your Advance leg of journey is as per T&C's of Advance tickets, ie. valid on booked train (and connections) only. The other leg takes restriction code 9I. The full text of the restriction is in the link.

I think Virgin for a while promoted these tickets quite a lot, as it stood themselves out from the other TOC's as they're the only one to offer this ticket and it is one of the few things these days that do benefit the passenger.

Edit: Just saw John's suggestion above. Slightly cheaper and no hassle of the Euston - King's X walk. I suppose it comes down to whether you prefer to travel with Virgin.