Any Advice?

[willas00]

Im looking to travel from Cheltenham to Newcastle as Cheaply as possiable. Ive been looking on the First Great Western site to see if I can get any deals by booking up 12 weeks in advanced but allways get £92 odd as the cheapst.

Has any one got any advice on how i can get to Newcastle cheaply? I need to come back on the same day and it has to be a weekend but any weekend will do so long as I can afford it.

Any advice would be appriciated!

[cimt]

It depends on your age, look on the National Rail (http://nationalrail.co.uk) website for prices. :)

[willas00]

Well adult ticket just 1. Have no rail pass or nowt but looking to book online

[TheDaddy]

What about going by coach?

[willas00]

I thought about it and checked it out takes all day to get there and i need to be back the same day so ideally im looking at leaving by 7am to arrive at 12.30 and leaving newcastle at 5.30ish i get some resonable train times just not at the right price £95 is a bit steep for a student can get fares from £15 single but its trying to find them!

[Nidge]

My mother is going to Dundee from Chesterfield with Virgin Trains, it's costing her £36 return, give the Virgin trains website a whirl you'll be amazed at what prices are available.

[Cobbydaler]

I thought about it and checked it out takes all day to get there and i need to be back the same day so ideally im looking at leaving by 7am to arrive at 12.30 and leaving newcastle at 5.30ish i get some resonable train times just not at the right price £95 is a bit steep for a student can get fares from £15 single but its trying to find them!

You could try www.thetrainline.com but I tried to look for £15 singles up to mid November at the weekends & couldn't find any. I think they're a bit of a con.... :(

[Shaun]

You could try www.thetrainline.com but I tried to look for £15 singles up to mid November at the weekends & couldn't find any. I think they're a bit of a con.... :(

DO NOT use the Trainline - they are the worst. Their call centre is crap, the staff can't speak english and they charge the most if you want to refund your tickets.

First ScotRail only charge a £5 admin as apose to £10 with The Trainline*. I use Midland Mainline (they also charge only £5) as they have a customer relations team in Derby so if things go wrong you can speak to someone in the UK who can sort things out for you. Getting hold of The Trainline's staff in Newcastle/Edinburgh is like getting blood out of a stone.

Saying that Midland Mainline are being disolved from November so I'll have to start using ScotRail

*I know the tickets are printed by them whoever you buy them through but the customer service varied widely! :)

---------- Post added at 12:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 ----------

Looking at Sept, Oct and Nov it seems to me there is some engineering works or something going on as there are stupid times for the train - journey of 15 hours over two dates coming back. This is why there are no cheap singles.

You're best to ring Virgin Cross Country and ask them what's going no and the dates that are affected and then we can try and work something out around hat for you :tu:

[willas00]

DO NOT use the Trainline - they are the worst. Their call centre is crap, the staff can't speak english and they charge the most if you want to refund your tickets.

First ScotRail only charge a £5 admin as apose to £10 with The Trainline*. I use Midland Mainline (they also charge only £5) as they have a customer relations team in Derby so if things go wrong you can speak to someone in the UK who can sort things out for you. Getting hold of The Trainline's staff in Newcastle/Edinburgh is like getting blood out of a stone.

Saying that Midland Mainline are being disolved from November so I'll have to start using ScotRail

*I know the tickets are printed by them whoever you buy them through but the customer service varied widely! :)

---------- Post added at 12:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 ----------

Looking at Sept, Oct and Nov it seems to me there is some engineering works or something going on as there are stupid times for the train - journey of 15 hours over two dates coming back. This is why there are no cheap singles.

You're best to ring Virgin Cross Country and ask them what's going no and the dates that are affected and then we can try and work something out around hat for you :tu:

Yea Ive noticed some 15 hour journey times. Originally 1 of the journeys from Newcastle at about 19.40 arrives back in Cheltenham for 22.40 but the time is 15hours so arriving back at like 10am the next moring. Must be some kind of engineering works.

Ill give the Virgin Cross Country a ring and find out but when is it Arrivia take over the Cross Country route?

[Shaun]

Yea Ive noticed some 15 hour journey times. Originally 1 of the journeys from Newcastle at about 19.40 arrives back in Cheltenham for 22.40 but the time is 15hours so arriving back at like 10am the next moring. Must be some kind of engineering works.

Ill give the Virgin Cross Country a ring and find out but when is it Arrivia take over the Cross Country route?

November the 14th I think :)

Saying that - Virgin should have the next three months schedule - it's set by Network Rail and not the train companys so should continue regardless. :)

[ikthius]

hitch-hike

ik

[Hom3r]

Have you considered flying?
When I was in Newcastle a train to Stansted would have cost £75 three stops and 3.5 hours. the plane cost £25 and 1 hour.

[willas00]

Nearst air port to me is bristol i think so it would mean traveling to bristol then getting to the air port... Hmm worth checking on prices.

[willas00]

Well i hold good news at the end of this tunnel. Randomly looking at tickets during the October Half Term and BANG. £15 tickets each way. Go to singles at £15 each total for £30 just what i was after. There valid on All Virgin Cross Country routers according to the email so does that mean id be able to travel earlyer any one know? Ive got booked seats tho. Cant wait now :D