Buying train tickets

[Kathy]

I hope some of our members in the UK can offer some advice.

On Saturday, June 26 we'll travel from Birmingham to St. Bees, where we'll begin our Coast to Coast walk the following day. We'll change trains in Carlisle for a local train to St. Bees.

I looked online at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for the schedule and fares and was a little surprised that the fare is 86 GBP per person for the one-way trip.

Should I buy the tickets online before the trip? If so, is this the best site to do this? I could also possibly buy the tickets at the Moreton station. Or we could just wait and buy tickets when we get to Birmingham.

We'll also need to take the train from Scarborough to London at the end of our walk.

Our schedule really isn't flexible... we need to take specific trains on specific days.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[jonathan]

Train travel over here is expensive, especially if you have to tie yourself down to a fixed schedule... The wonderful Man in Seat 61 site has the best advice on the various ways to book & purchase - good luck!

 

[Pauline]

I use www.thetrainline.com. Try to purchase tickets as far ahead as possible. You can have the tickets mailed to you (which would work because you are in Chipping Campden for a few weeks) or pick them up at a train station. It is much cheaper than buying the day of travel.

Make sure you get a seat reservation - that makes a huge difference. Sometimes if you book too late, you can get seat reservations. We have ended up standing on packed trains from London because of this.

Travel in many areas is cheaper off-peak. This is shown on the website. Saturday and Sunday travel is sometimes difficult because they seem to work on the lines then and you end up on a bus replacement service (but this works). You hear many jokes about trains, and their bus replacement service, in England.

If possible, buy First Class train tickets (if you purchase ahead they are cheaper - but still much more than coach). The seating is more roomy and they give you free drinks (coffee, tea, pop, bottled water) and snacks! But buying coach tickets ahead of time can be very cheap.

Also look at the National Express buses. Many people use these because they are a lot cheaper than trains, but they are slower and don't go everywhere.

 

[Kathy]

I just booked through the site Pauline suggested and had the tickets mailed to us here. A small savings on the trip up to St. Bees but a good savings on the trip from Robin Hood's Bay to London. Thanks for the advice Pauline and Jonathan!