That is very useful - thank you.

Pippa

Bumped for Steve.

luci

thanks for that steve very useful thats going to be..

We'll ned to go by train Manchester at the beginning of August. When should I start looking for the cheap fares please?

We had the same problem last year, you are told to book early, we tried months before we needed to go and the west country to london would only come up at £130 return each. About 6 weeks before they we bought them at £21.60 each, well worth the wait. I don't know if all the differant train companies work the same.

I always buy mine twelve weeks in advance as this is when the cheap ones come out. We got First Class to Ipswich from Paignton for four of us for 103.50 each way

Thanks both. I wasn't intending buying now, but just wasn't sure how far ahead the cheap fares were available.

OK cheap train tickets
1/ find the route the train takes where it stops
2/ cost it individually between each main station
3/ by cheap day not advanced of anytime tickets

You can do this you do not need to leave the train to take advantage of these fares but you do need to travel at off peak times

eg Sheffield to Manchester cheap ticket is £5 but anytime is £13.80

That's going to be a lot of research mafdcaravanner, travelling from South West Wales to Manchester

Helen T wrote:

That's going to be a lot of research mafdcaravanner, travelling from South West Wales to Manchester :rofl

Yep but it can save big money I am planning a railway photography trip
Chesterfield - Derby - Crewe - Manchester - Sheffield - Chesterfield later this month
by taking the cheaper off peak trips It will cost me just under £48 if I got by anytime it would cost me £175
worth the research I think

It certainly was in your case. So if I do it that way - I can start pricing now then?

Helen T wrote:

It certainly was in your case. So if I do it that way - I can start pricing now then?

Yes you can put dates and times in that you want your train tickests and it also gives you the alterantive fares and train times

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ is the one I use the most

OK Ta. I usually use the trainline, but I have used that one before.

It seems a though I can't get prices for journeys after the end of March. How can I find out which major stations are on route please?

helen

I'm a bit late here, I was in hospital!

I left a post explaining this a bit back but it keeps dropping down the list and getting lost. It's all explained at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=130309

The link in that thread gives you the dates which are open for booking for each company, you'll need Arriva Trains Wales. It's roughly 12 weeks but can be less at weekends.

The National Rail site is always the best for unbiased information but be careful to read everything, the fares it gives will be those specifically for that journey that anyone can buy (it will also do Railcard discounts off those). But lower down the page there may be a list of special offers that don't fit that pattern, such a two-for one or deals just for for certain people (ATW currently have an offer for Over 55s which is £15 return anywhere on their network but that ends before you travel even if you are old enough).

If you click Buy Tickets on the National Rail site it gives you a list of other sites which can sell you the ticket, and most usefully it tells you which apply a booking charge and which don't (last time I looked Trainline was one of the two which did charge extra). The tickets are the same whoever you buy off so why pay the charge? Some of the conditional offers may not work online and you'll have to call tele-sales.

And for South Wales to Manchester Airport you should ask for Wilmslow not Manchester. You could ask for the Airport itself but that might not give the Advance fares if the two companies haven't set up a link. And I seem to remember you were going to the Travelodge so would be better getting a taxi from Wilmslow

helen
I'm a bit late here, I was in hospital!

Hi again Steve - I was going to add A Happy New Year to you, but after reading the above- it obviously hasn't been so good for you. I hope you're feeling better now. Yes we are staying in the Travellodge, & I've kept your pm's so I know what I'm doing Thanks for all the info. I'll probably have more questions closer to the date. The link from your previous post to nationalrail doesn't seem to be working Steve.

helen

I'm much better but shattered!

The link does work, I checked it. It may be a problem with the way this site uses a Pop Up message to tell you that you're leaving to another.

Since you can get into the Nationalrail.co.uk homepage click on Train Times and Tickets , then Ticket Types and scroll down. You''ll find a link to Buying advance tickets and Reserving seats and this takes you to the page with the diary. Save it in your Favourites!

Thanks Steve & thanks David for merging

When should I start looking for cheap trainfares to Manchester from West Wales please?