Best value train ticket return from Poole to Preston for 2 off OAP's September

[grahamlong]

Hi good Aber's whats the Best value train ticket return from Poole to Preston for 2 off OAP's September travelling mon - fri return NOT peak time Thanks good AB'ers GL

[MASS1961]

£223 for both of you
09:13 - 14:51 Mon from Poole
&
10:17 - 15:36 Fri back home. Can't see OAP discount, may be some?

[Yorky Lass]

Buy senior rail cards for both of you costs £28 each and save 1/3 off the price quoted by Mass1961. It does work out cheaper.

[jamesnan]

Try to find out the costs for single tickets, often much cheaper to buy 2 single than a return.

[boxtops]

Travel after 930 then you can use your senior railcard, that's what I do.

[MASS1961]

Good idea Yorkylass and you can use them again for 12 months.
Surprisingly at £185 iit only saves about £38 less £28 for rail card, but they can be used again.

http://www.thetrainli...spx?Command=TimeTable

[boxtops]

I can't agree re the 2 singles - return out of rush hour is usually far cheaper.

[mike11111]

The cheapest tickets are advanced purchase ones - they are only sold as singles and are in limited numbers. You are tied to a particular train and if you miss it then you have lost your ticket.

[Buenchico]

Based upon travel on 10th and 14th September, the National Rail website isn't finding any discounted Advance fares. Assuming that you've both got Senior Railcards, the lowest total fare shown (for 2 people, via Waterloo and Euston) is £155.50. e.g. travel out at 1007, arriving at 1538 and return at 1058, arriving at 1613.

Travel via Bournemouth and Birmingham is available at certain times, for a total of £147.20 (for two Senior Railcard holders). The journey time is, within a minute or two, the same as via London.

I've tried separating the Poole to London and London to Preston sectors. At present there are no Advance fares available but it looks as if, by booking in month's time. you might be able to get to London and back for a total of £60.80. However you'd still have to pay £104.20 to get to and from Preston, so there is no saving.

Fare splitting via Bournemouth & Birmingham doesn't seem to help much either. I've typically been finding £9.20 + £79.20 + £52.10 = £140.50.

Chris

[Buenchico]

PS:
Please, please, please don't use websites like Trainline.com. They have a nasty habit of issuing tickets which aren't valid for travel. (I know. I used to run a railway station and I got fed up of seeing 'duff' tickets!). Further, they often charge booking fees.

Just use this site:
http://ojp.nationalra...ce/planjourney/search

[MASS1961]

Buenchico,

I've only used this site to get an idea of prices, personally, I get my tickets from the station. But good advice if that is the case.