WHYS IT SO COMPLICATED BUYING TRAIN TICKETS?

[Bob]

I want to plan a day out down London with a couple of mates but its a nightmare looking for tickets theres that many different prices, websites, companies etc! It doesnt help that Im on the autistic spectrum so I get really confused and overloaded till it does my head in & I give up :-( Why cant they just have one national website or better still just have one company.  i think ill have to book national express instead

[the trainbasher]

If going on a Saturday or Sunday buying a chiltern super off peak return is best. £25 each from Moor Street buyable on the day and it drops you in Marylebone on the Bakerloo line.

just ask for Route High Wycombe which means you use Chiltern only.

Whatever you do don't use thetrainline.con but buy at the station.

[Kevin]

There is one national website... Handily called nationalrail.co.uk

[Bob]

thank you :)

[Stu]

There's also London Midlands' website: I bought some cheap Chiltern Rail tickets through there last year for a trip to London, £6 each way from Solihull to Marylebone, with no booking fees.

[Tony]

There's also London Midlands' website: I bought some cheap Chiltern Rail tickets through there last year for a trip to London, £6 each way from Solihull to Marylebone, with no booking fees.

I also prefer London Midland's site to any other for booking tickets, will book any company and also has the 'Cheapest Ticket Finder' box on the left hand side so you can see which trains have the cheapest tickets available on them

[Bob]

Is it less money the further ahead you book? could you book one ticket from Cannock to london return or do you have to buy a ticket from cannock to new st then return from new st to london ( 2 seperate tickets)? All these bloody seperate companys confuse me and as some body whos autistic if something isnt simple and methodic and straight forward and basic/ explained literal i get in a right mess and get confused its a bit like loads of people talking to me at once if that makes sense :) thanx for help though

[Tony]

Is it less money the further ahead you book? could you book one ticket from Cannock to london return or do you have to buy a ticket from cannock to new st then return from new st to london ( 2 seperate tickets)? All these bloody seperate companys confuse me and as some body whos autistic if something isnt simple and methodic and straight forward and basic/ explained literal i get in a right mess and get confused its a bit like loads of people talking to me at once if that makes sense :) thanx for help though

That is the complicated bit

If you just want the cheapest tickets, and are not worried about the time it takes you can go to LondonMidland.com put in Cannock to London Euston and the dates you want to travel and a page will come up with lots of trains and times. Ignore that and got to the bottom left, click on the box in the bottom left corner 'Cheapest fare finder' That will then come up with a square grid with outward times down the left and return times across the bottom showing the total cost for those times.

Because the obvious route from Cannock to London is via Birmingham this will give you trains that way.
You can click on the amend search at the top left of the original, then click on more options and there you can put in via Rugeley Trent Valley, this will give you the fares going Cannock-Rugeley-London, you may find these are cheaper and sometimes faster than via Birmingham.

The further you book in advance the better chance you have of getting the cheapest tickets. LM do normally have some £6 single fares on all trains from Rugeley or Birmingham to London, but they are fewer on peak/busy trains so you have to be early to get them.

My daughter went to London on Tuesday and managed to get an £8 single travelling on the 07:15 Hednesford-Birmingham/08:33 Birmingham-London, and a £6 single return travelling on the 17:30 Euston-Rugeley and back to Hednesford, so cheap tickets are there it is just getting them and having patience to search

[Bob]

Oh cheers ill have to have a try

[windy miller]

Bob. one point to mention is that London Midland usually have a '10 day' period in February each year where their 'half term' 'great escape' offers operate.(also in mid-october). You would need to book in advance and say which day/train(s) you wish to travel on and you will recieve the vouchers in the post...you do not have to pay 'up front'..you simply hand over your vouchers and the (cheap ) fares at the booking office....at any time prior to your departure time. you would have to pay from outside the central B'ham area if you wanted to travel before 09.30am but anywhere from sandwell (Southbound) you are permitted to use any (LM) train before then.hope this helps.

[windy miller]

As I suggested earlier  London midland have announced their usual 'great escape' deal again this season . Their £15 per ticket go-anywhere (on LM trains) is runnning from Feb 9th to Sunday Feb 24th. Railcard holders £9-90. 

[Discodave]

As long as they have staff.

[Westy]

As long as they have staff.

LOL