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Train fare look expensive? There may be a cheaper option

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2014-04-02 20:08:17 - Graham Ellis

I get rather upset when I see that someone's decided that the train is too expensive for their day out having visited thetrainline.com and looked at the cheapest available advanced fares for their date and time. And that's because they may have been quoted a far higher price than they need to pay. Thetrainline adverts may be factually correct in saying you can save over half the price of a standard single ticket, but they don't make it clear that there may be other lower cost options - especially if you're doing a day trip or travelling in a group.

Are you travelling just one way? And travelling alone? And can book well in advance for a specific train? The it's very likely that an Advance ticket of the type Thetrainline promotes may be your best value. You can buy these tickets from the train operator (First have been giving a 10% discount!), or from independents, so of whom will charge you credit card fees and postage, and other who won't. Personally, I buy from the train operators as they're the lowest cost.

Are you travelling two ways? Look at return tickets. Sometimes they'll save you very little, but sometimes they'll cost just a pound more than a single.

Are you travelling with a group? There are all sort of railcards where you can pay 30 pounds a year and then get discount off offpeak tickets - on some journeys you can save the cost of your railcard on just one trip. And there are "gro0upsave"s where three or four people can travel for the price of two adults.

Complicated? Yes - in the days that there were just 2 trains each way per day from Melksham, we counted 42 different fares to London. It's supposed to be clever marketing, but it's gone mad. And it's made worse by commercial companies in the rail industry and on its periphery looking to maximise their revenue or commission - in other words, by preferring to sell you the ticket you ask for, rather than a cheaper one which would suit. I wonder how many passengers have asked for (and been sold) an off peak ticket, not realising that a super offpeak was also available and valid for them.

How do I find the best fare, then?
1. Look at our guidelines - [link]
2. Forums such as our "Coffee Shop"- [link]
3. BRFares - [link]
3. Ask us / Ask me - either here, on the forum, or at 48 Spa Road, Melksham

Typically train companies are much more helpful than agents; that's because they're getting your full payment and not just a small percentage of it. Purchase your researched ticket from a real person at an "any train company" desk at a station. if you're in doubt and ask them to confirm validity.

An example: Family Travel ... two adults and children - Melksham to Salisbury ...

Regular off peak ticket pricing:
2 x 12.80 + 1 x 6.40 = £32.00 (one child)
2 x 12.80 + 2 x 6.40 = £38.40 (two children)

OR on a "Family Railcard" (30 pounds for a year):
2 x 12.80 x 0.66 + 1 x 6.40 x 0.4 = £19.45 (one child)
2 x 12.80 x 0.66 + 2 x 6.40 x 0.4 = £22.00 (two children)

OR Groupsave 3 / Groupsave 4:
2 x 12.80 + 1 free = 25.60 (one child)
2 x 12.80 + 2 free = 25.60 (two children)

Peak fare is £16.00 adult day return
These off peak prices valid from 09:30 Monday to Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday.
Peak timings differ for different routes - e.g. ends at 08:29 on Melksham - Weymouth trips.