[mespannerhanz]

Off Peak Train tickets. Are you limited to a specific train? Or can you just get the one that's best on the day? I'm going to Sheffield next week, and not sure exactly what time I will be finished. Is that how Advanced tickets are different? Thanks!

[DMed]

(Original post by mespannerhanz)
Off Peak Train tickets. Are you limited to a specific train? Or can you just get the one that's best on the day? I'm going to Sheffield next week, and not sure exactly what time I will be finished. Is that how Advanced tickets are different? Thanks!

Yep, Off Peak tickets are valid any time after 0930, advanced tickets are restricted to one train only.

[deadwing]

Does anyone have any idea how I can make this trip easier? I want to go from Sheffield to Bristol on the 27th of May, arriving at 11am and returning at around 8pm. From what I can see on the National Rail website, this would cost me £48, plus any booking fees, which is insane, especially as I want to buy it so far in advance. Any ideas?

Edit: I don't have a railcard and I'm not buying one.

[PJ991]

(Original post by deadwing)
Does anyone have any idea how I can make this trip easier? I want to go from Sheffield to Bristol on the 27th of May, arriving at 11am and returning at around 8pm. From what I can see on the National Rail website, this would cost me £48, plus any booking fees, which is insane, especially as I want to buy it so far in advance. Any ideas?

Edit: I don't have a railcard and I'm not buying one.

Advance (i.e cheaper tickets) aren't available until 12 weeks before travel. As of today that only goes up to 25 May, so try again in 2 days.

You may find it best to buy tickets off the train company as they may have offers and stuff (for example East Coast sell their own fares for a bit less than other sites). For Sheffield to Bristol you'll be going on Cross Country. I haven't used them for ages and when I do I just buy on the day as I always do short journeys like Newcastle to Durham, so I don't know if they have any offers.

[deadwing]

(Original post by PJ991)
Advance (i.e cheaper tickets) aren't available until 12 weeks before travel. As of today that only goes up to 25 May, so try again in 2 days.

You may find it best to buy tickets off the train company as they may have offers and stuff (for example East Coast sell their own fares for a bit less than other sites). For Sheffield to Bristol you'll be going on Cross Country. I haven't used them for ages and when I do I just buy on the day as I always do short journeys like Newcastle to Durham, so I don't know if they have any offers.

Well I was looking at the prices the week before and they all seem to be the same price every day. The Cross Country website has them at £24 each way too. ); How could I find out about offers?

[PJ991]

(Original post by deadwing)
Well I was looking at the prices the week before and they all seem to be the same price every day. The Cross Country website has them at £24 each way too. ); How could I find out about offers?

On their website. I just looked, there is a discount if you have an NUS Extra card, for example. There might not be any others.

(If you did buy a railcard for £26, then it's £15.85 each way)

[deadwing]

(Original post by PJ991)
On their website. I just looked, there is a discount if you have an NUS Extra card, for example. There might not be any others.

(If you did buy a railcard for £26, then it's £15.85 each way)

I know I wouldn't use a railcard enough to make it worth buying one.

And I don't have an NUS Extra card either.

I think I'll probably end up getting a coach down there even though it'll take forever. God I hate train fares.

[deadwing]

Sorry to double post but does anyone know how far in advance you can buy Megabus tickets? Thanks

[G8D]

Hello.

I have an open return for traveling back from where I currently am and I have a few questions.

Can I book a seat? How? As I will be at least using 2 train companies is there somewhere central to do this?

Edit: also when are off peak times?

[`Chris]

(Original post by G8D)
Hello.

I have an open return for traveling back from where I currently am and I have a few questions.

Can I book a seat? How? As I will be at least using 2 train companies is there somewhere central to do this?

Edit: also when are off peak times?

Off-Peak times depend on the station you start at, but I think generally after 9.30am is ok. And I don't believe you can book a seat for an open-return, as the idea of it is that's it's open, and you aren't held to a particular train time. I may be wrong though, but I'd be surprised if it was possible, as it sort of goes against the nature of the ticket.

[DMed]

(Original post by `Chris)
Off-Peak times depend on the station you start at, but I think generally after 9.30am is ok. And I don't believe you can book a seat for an open-return, as the idea of it is that's it's open, and you aren't held to a particular train time. I may be wrong though, but I'd be surprised if it was possible, as it sort of goes against the nature of the ticket.

You can book a seat even on open tickets, as long as you book it two hours before the service departs. However, you won't be able to book a seat on some local services (Northern Rail for example don't allow seat reservations)

[Add!ction]

How do I know where the train is going?

[moregano]

(Original post by Add!ction)
How do I know where the train is going?

Which train? Just look for an departures board when you go into a station, which will tell you which platform to go to.

[BenUny]

I'm trying to plan my travelling for the Hackney Weekend in June, and I'm onto planning the tube travelling.

Basically I was wondering if someone could help me by informing of what the cheapest method will be, I will be travelling from London Euston (Zone 1) to Leyton (Central Line, Zone 3) at around 11AM on a Sunday, and then I will be travelling back to my accommodation in Camden (near to Mornington Cresent, Zone 2) at around 11PM that night (although I am aware of the close proximity of Euston to Camden, and I don't mind walking if it would be cheaper).

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me.

[moregano]

(Original post by BenUny)
I'm trying to plan my travelling for the Hackney Weekend in June, and I'm onto planning the tube travelling.

Basically I was wondering if someone could help me by informing of what the cheapest method will be, I will be travelling from London Euston (Zone 1) to Leyton (Central Line, Zone 3) at around 11AM on a Sunday, and then I will be travelling back to my accommodation in Camden (near to Mornington Cresent, Zone 2) at around 11PM that night (although I am aware of the close proximity of Euston to Camden, and I don't mind walking if it would be cheaper).

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me.

Your best option is to buy an oyster card (£5 from a ticket machine), top it up with another £5 which should cover your travel, I can't remember the new zone 1 prices off the top of my head but that should be enough, and at the end of the trip you can get your initial £5 back if you return it to a ticket office, or keep it if you think you'll use it again

Get the northern line at euston towards morden and change at bank for the central line to leyton (any eastbound train). On the way back, stay on the central line to tottenham court road and get the northern line there towards edgeware or high barnet. I would walk back to euston, it's not far and not worth the money you'd pay to get the tube

[G8D]

(Original post by `Chris)
Off-Peak times depend on the station you start at, but I think generally after 9.30am is ok. And I don't believe you can book a seat for an open-return, as the idea of it is that's it's open, and you aren't held to a particular train time. I may be wrong though, but I'd be surprised if it was possible, as it sort of goes against the nature of the ticket.

Just incase anyone asks the same question: it is possible to book tickets with an open return. Seemingly one needs to actually venture to the station to do so though.

It also doesn't stop you taking other trains instead of the booked ones, which is nice and helpful.

[BenUny]

(Original post by moregano)
Your best option is to buy an oyster card (£5 from a ticket machine), top it up with another £5 which should cover your travel, I can't remember the new zone 1 prices off the top of my head but that should be enough, and at the end of the trip you can get your initial £5 back if you return it to a ticket office, or keep it if you think you'll use it again

Get the northern line at euston towards morden and change at bank for the central line to leyton (any eastbound train). On the way back, stay on the central line to tottenham court road and get the northern line there towards edgeware or high barnet. I would walk back to euston, it's not far and not worth the money you'd pay to get the tube

Thanks, that's really helpful .

[ioikonomou]

whats the cheaper way travelling from london gatwick airport to kings cross train station?

[DMed]

(Original post by ioikonomou)
whats the cheaper way travelling from london gatwick airport to kings cross train station?

Get the First Capital Connect service from Gatwick into St Pancras and then walk to Kings Cross (just across the station concourse). Costs £9.90, and trains are about every 15 minutes.

[rockrunride]

The above only works during the week by the way, as at the weekend all south of London FCC trains terminate at Blackfriars/London Bridge. In that case your best bet is to get a Southern or FCC service to Victoria or London Bridge respectively and get the tube across town (it's one tube from both stations, no changes).