Arriva are complete and utter rip off merchants!

[Crosville]

Next time, should try Birmingham to Carlisle on Avanti West Coast, might get some decent advances [i've seen £27.70 single listed for the direct services], but the normal off peak fare is £105 return, &  valid from 06.15 on a normal weekday

Then Northern, Carlisle to Newcastle, the Northern fare is from £18.70 off peak day return, to £23.60 anytime return.

Always buy split tickets on long distance services

[Stu]

I'm heading off to Cornwall next month to go visit my brother and his little family.

I originally checked for ticket prices at nationalrail.co.uk, and a return from Birmingham New Street to Penzance (changing at Plymouth) came to £189.90 return.

Which I was initially happy to pay, then I was reminded about using 'split tickets' to save money on long-distance journeys.

Not sure if this one has been mentioned here before but I found the site https://www.splitmyfare.co.uk/

By splitting the journey into five tickets, it ended up costing me £142.97 - the actual cost is £134.70 but the site charges a small percentage of the cost saving, in my case £8.27.

[Stu]

Not Arriva this time, but just goes to show how the whole train fare setup penalises long-distance travellers.

I'm heading off to Borth in Wales next month again. NationalRail.co.uk is quoting a return ticket at £67.80 from Birmingham New Street to Borth, on the Transport For Wales service to Aberystwyth via Shrewsbury.

Checking on SplitMyFare.co.uk, it is cheaper to buy two tickets, splitting this time at Caersws. 

#1 - Birmingham New Street to Caersws - Off-Peak Return - £32.10 
#2 - Caersws to Borth - Off-Peak Return - £22.70

(Interestingly last time I checked, for a journey in July, which I didn't end up making, the split point was at Welshpool)

Not that much of a saving compared to my last trip, but still, every little helps, as they say.

[Isle of Stroma]

Not Arriva this time, but just goes to show how the whole train fare setup penalises long-distance travellers.

I'm heading off to Borth in Wales next month again. NationalRail.co.uk is quoting a return ticket at £67.80 from Birmingham New Street to Borth, on the Transport For Wales service to Aberystwyth via Shrewsbury.

Checking on SplitMyFare.co.uk, it is cheaper to buy two tickets, splitting this time at Caersws.

#1 - Birmingham New Street to Caersws - Off-Peak Return - £32.10
#2 - Caersws to Borth - Off-Peak Return - £22.70

(Interestingly last time I checked, for a journey in July, which I didn't end up making, the split point was at Welshpool)

Not that much of a saving compared to my last trip, but still, every little helps, as they say.

... Or you could get:

Birmingham - Dovey Junction, anytime Day Return £28.30 &
Dovey Junction - Borth, anytime Day Return £4.30

So,  £32.60 ;-) 

[Stu]

I'm heading off to Cornwall next month to go visit my brother and his little family.

I originally checked for ticket prices at nationalrail.co.uk, and a return from Birmingham New Street to Penzance (changing at Plymouth) came to £189.90 return.

Which I was initially happy to pay, then I was reminded about using 'split tickets' to save money on long-distance journeys.

Not sure if this one has been mentioned here before but I found the site https://www.splitmyfare.co.uk/

By splitting the journey into five tickets, it ended up costing me £142.97 - the actual cost is £134.70 but the site charges a small percentage of the cost saving, in my case £8.27.

Making the same journey again this year, on the CrossCountry website they wanted over £200 for two singles, with an 'open return' at £199 


Booked through SplitMyFare again, and paid just £114.31. They claim that they have saved me £135.49, as the journeys I picked should have cost about £249.

A review of train fares is long overdue, especially for long-distance travellers, and especially for any journey involving CrossCountry trains.

[Tony]

Making the same journey again this year, on the CrossCountry website they wanted over £200 for two singles, with an 'open return' at £199 


Booked through SplitMyFare again, and paid just £114.31. They claim that they have saved me £135.49, as the journeys I picked should have cost about £249.

A review of train fares is long overdue, especially for long-distance travellers, and especially for any journey involving CrossCountry trains.

I've just had a bonus.
I went to Cardiff two weeks ago, got back to Cardiff Station to find the train to Birmingham cancelled so jumped on another train to Newport, and then the train home from there. I put in for an hours delay repay from Cross Country, but they have just refunded my whole return fare for a 2 hour delay because the following train was cancelled from Cardiff as well, although it ran from Newport!

[markcf83]

I've just had a bonus.
I went to Cardiff two weeks ago, got back to Cardiff Station to find the train to Birmingham cancelled so jumped on another train to Newport, and then the train home from there. I put in for an hours delay repay from Cross Country, but they have just refunded my whole return fare for a 2 hour delay because the following train was cancelled from Cardiff as well, although it ran from Newport!

What a result you had.