Stafford-Reading

[The_Train]

Hi guys,

Looking at doing a day out to Reading in the next couple of weeks. I've based my journey around the 8th August with me departing after 8am and returning after 7pm and thus far (having played around on the National Rail app) have managed to get the price down to £46 with tickets as below:

Stafford-Leamington Spa (Anytime rtn)
Leamington Spa-Banbury (Off Peak rtn)
Banbury-Reading (Off Peak rtn)

Outward would be the 8.25 from Stafford and would be the same service all the way. The return would be the 19.15 from Reading and again would be the same service all the way home.

Pretty new to this so not sure if I'm looking at it right or not. Are there any better options that will reduce the cost further?

Thanks

Edit: nb dates and times can be flexible

 

[Romilly]

Maybe look on new.trainsplit.com

If you are prepared to use Advance tickets (i.e. tickets valid only on the trains specified at the time of booking), and travel a bit later on the outward journey on the 8th, and change on the outward journey, you could get it down to £41.42 including trainsplit's £2.82 share of the saving they've found you. Or again travelling outward a bit later but only using flexible tickets, trainsplit can also get it down to £46.19 including their £2.84 share of the saving they've found you. The prices they have for the 7th are much the same as those on the 8th. If you've never used trainsplit before, choose the "Fixed Time" icon as that will give you Advance ticket prices if there are any Advance ticket options that are cheaper than flexible ticket options, but will give you flexible ticket prices if they are the cheapest trainsplit can find. The "Flexible" icon gives you flexible ticket options only.

 

[Paul Kelly]

You won't do much better than the prices you've already found if you want to travel on the through CrossCountry Stafford to Reading train. You can save another £5 or so by splitting at Dorridge instead of Leamington Spa, but this entails changing at Birmingham and Banbury to and from a Chiltern train (note: although this adds some inconvenience, Chiltern's trains are generally more comfortable than CrossCountry and have free wifi). If you have a Network Railcard or Annual Gold Card there are further savings possible for parts of the journey.

 

[DenmarkRail]

Lowest I have ever got it has been 35 pounds.

 

[The_Train]

You won't do much better than the prices you've already found if you want to travel on the through CrossCountry Stafford to Reading train. You can save another £5 or so by splitting at Dorridge instead of Leamington Spa, but this entails changing at Birmingham and Banbury to and from a Chiltern train (note: although this adds some inconvenience, Chiltern's trains are generally more comfortable than CrossCountry and have free wifi). If you have a Network Railcard or Annual Gold Card there are further savings possible for parts of the journey.

Thanks for the info, I will certainly look into the Dorridge split. Would this require a move to Moor Street for the Chiltern service?

 

[The_Train]

Lowest I have ever got it has been 35 pounds.

Was that recently? If so, how so?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thanks for the info, I will certainly look into the Dorridge split. Would this require a move to Moor Street for the Chiltern service?

Yes, although you also have the option of occasional WMT services from Moor Street.

If you know which way to go, Moor Street is easily walkable within 10 minutes of a New Street platform.

 

[Paul Kelly]

At certain times of the day, coming from Stafford, the times work out nicely to change at Smethwick Galton Bridge for Moor Street so you can avoid the walk from New Street to Moor Street. But as ForTheLoveOf says, it's a very easy walk once you know the way.