Stoke on Trent to Carshalton and back from Mitcham

[BorisWiffWaff]

I'm looking to travel to Carshalton on 25th October and arrive at approx 11am, I'll then be making my way to Mitcham by taxi. At approx 5pm I'll be travelling back from Mitcham to Stoke on Trent.

The cheapest I can find is a London Midland return from SOT to Euston for £38 and then use my Oyster card from Euston to Carshalton, returning I'd get a bus from Mitcham to Morden tube and then on to Euston.

Is there a cheaper way or for a similar cost using a Virgin service. I don't mind changing at say Stafford, Wolverhampton or Birmingham etc. Or is even going via Derby an option.

I'd like to avoid the 1846 London Midland cattle truck to Crewe. I've only used it twice and was rammed both times.

No railcards.

 

[londonbridge]

Is there a specific reason you need a taxi between Carshalton and Mitcham? A 127 bus will take you there.

 

[Lad Brookes]

A Saturday Day Travelcard (route Virgin Trains Only) from Stoke on Trent is £39.80.

You need to book your outward train only, but you can get any train back on the same day.

 

[John @ home]

My calculation is that the £41 OFF-PEAK DAY TRAVELCARD STOKE-ON-TRENT - LONDON ZONES 1-6 Route LDN MIDLAND ONLY will save you a little money compared with using Oyster PAYG for bus, train and tube travel in London and the £38 OFF-PEAK RETURN (SVR) STOKE-ON-TRENT - LONDON TERMINALS Route LDN MIDLAND ONLY.

Both tickets have restriction SK, which includes validity on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holidays by any London Midland train. In reality, your need to arrive Mitcham by 11am and leave at 5pm limits you to the 07:21 Stoke-On-Trent - London Euston 09:50 and 18:46 London Euston - Stoke-On-Trent 21:00 services.

 

[BorisWiffWaff]

Is there a specific reason you need a taxi between Carshalton and Mitcham? A 127 bus will take you there.

Yes, I'm going to football and I only have 30 minutes maximum to get from Carshalton Athletic to Tooting and Mitcham United.

 

[Lad Brookes]

I take it Carshalton are playing Guernsey, so there's an early kickoff?

 

[BorisWiffWaff]

I take it Carshalton are playing Guernsey, so there's an early kickoff?

Yes, Guernsey in town.

A Saturday Day Travelcard (route Virgin Trains Only) from Stoke on Trent is £39.80.

You need to book your outward train only, but you can get any train back on the same day.

I can't see any Virgin Saturday travel cards but I will look again ( I presume these are subject to a quota?) . Just looked on Virgin's site and nothing there. Interestingly they don't seem to offer London Midland's £38 return or £41 travelcard. London Midland shows them but can't see why Virgin don't?

 

[londonbridge]

Ah, think I've got it now, Carshalton are playing Guernsey with a 12.45 kick-off and Tooting And Mitcham are at home to Sittingbourne at 3pm so the OP is planning a double header?

Also, excuse my ignorance as I haven't been keeping up with non-league football as much as I used to, but what the hell are Guernsey doing in the Ryman league?

 

[Chapeltom]

Ah, think I've got it now, Carshalton are playing Guernsey with a 12.45 kick-off and Tooting And Mitcham are at home to Sittingbourne at 3pm so the OP is planning a double header?

Also, excuse my ignorance as I haven't been keeping up with non-league football as much as I used to, but what the hell are Guernsey doing in the Ryman league?

They joined the Combined Counties League in 2011, won promotion two years in a row and are now in their second season in the Ryman League Div 1 South. Early kick offs help to tie in with their flights back to Guernsey, as far as I'm aware away teams do not have to foot the bill to travel to Guernsey (Guernsey's sponsors pay for that) and cup replays are played on the mainland.

 

[kieron]

I can't see any Virgin Saturday travel cards but I will look again ( I presume these are subject to a quota?) .

Yes. There's a quota, and they only appear at all on the Virgin site if you select "Open Return". There are Saturday travelcards available from Chester on the 07:17 to London, but you'd have to be in Crewe for 7:41 to catch it, where the first train from Stoke gets there at 7:37. There's an even earlier train from Runcorn at the same price.