to think it shouldn't cost a thousand just to visit family

[number5namechange]

a few hrs away on the train?

So both me and dh don't drive due to medical issues/lack of confidence.So use public transport.

We are going to visit his family in a few weeks ( monday to Wednesday) with a grand cost of one thousand pounds!!!
That includes train fare for 2 adults and 3 kids. Premier inn with breakfast. We also have to pay for our own food when there. Some spending money ( 200)

Well yes, £80 each for 5 people on the train is going to be a lot more than £80 to fill up one car with petrol

You’re not just visiting family though, with hotels, taxis, a food shop plus spending money you are effectively going on holiday.

Don't buy breakfast at Premier Inn. Find a supermarket nearby that has a cafe.

Yeah, no such thing as a cheap fare up here! Are you staying in one of the cities?

Edinburgh to Northern Scotland? How much is the taxi cos that seems v high for train fair with a family railcard.
£150 a night for two rooms I assume isn't cheap but isn't crazy. Did you look at air B&Bs? Or trad B&Bs?

I assume if you're in a hotel your good shop Inc eating out? What else are you factoring spending £100 a day on?

You can’t really include spending money and food shopping in the trip cost though.

You're going Monday - Wednesday and are spending £300 on food and 'spending money'?

What on earth are you doing?

a few hrs away = I will assume few = 2 or 3 (is what dictionary says)

So London to Manchester (just over 2 hours)
Family & Fds rail card = £30
2 adults + 3 kids under 16
4 July arrive by 2:30pm, 6 July depart at 2:45pm
£56 out & £56 back (advance purchase)
Train = £142

Premier Inn in Manchester, £324 for 5 people for 2 nights (may not include breakfast,)

Other meals you could picnic for lunches (I would). I'm thinking £250 is enough.

But yeah,
£142 + £324 + £250 + £200 ... nearly a grand.

How much is the taxi?

There's loads of train tickets on sale for Edinburgh to Aberdeen for £30 return and that's before you add on the railcard and presumably child discount.

A bit of exaggeration methinks. It's like complaining that cars are too expensive but failing to mention that you're standing in a BMW dealership at the time.

Assume it’s a few hundred miles.

If it’s a holiday as well as visiting family then fair enough if your visiting family because of obligation then just don’t go. We often stay with our families as they live overseas I assume it’s not possible to.

Is it ScotRail as if so kids should go for £1. It’s not very well advertised and you have to go through their website or ask at station.

I think you are budgeting in a lot that many wouldnt include in "visiting family".

Eg if I visit my parents or siblings, DH & I and two kids will stay at their home, no hotel. Plus even if we got the train, we wouldnt pay a taxi, someone would collect us at the station.

We would contribute food but it wouldnt be a £100 shop. We wouldnt budget spending money as the time would be spent with family - we might do a walk or visit a nearby beach or lake.

Are you going to a popular location where people holiday? In july/August? Travel in peak weeks is always more.

So not knowing where up north is exactly I put in the furthest north station, including railcard it's £165 off peak return. I'm guessing the taxis are what is costing you?

So it's £400 train fare, not £1k.
Spending money and grocery shopping are irrelevant, surely?!

When I visit family I stay with them and my mum provides food so we wouldn't be comparing like for like as a comparison

I though Edinburgh was ‘Up North’?

How can it cost that much to go from the North to another Northern region?
You must be travelling in first class for that money

@Johnnysgirl

Train and taxi !

Going next week Edinburgh to Inverness return with family railcard is £110 return. Where are you going that it's £300?

Spending money and food money shouldnt be counted.

Can the family pick u up? Cant you stay with the family?

That’s an anytime return though, which is generally only appropriate for people travelling on urgent business. Why aren’t you getting an advance return?

That's an Anytime ticket which is the most expensive way to book. Book an off-peak or super-off-peak return instead, or two advance singles instead of an anytime return and the price will drop.

I though Edinburgh was ‘Up North’?

There's a lot of the country north of Edinburgh, about 250 miles

Travel by Megabus, book in advance, much cheaper

Edinburgh really isn't North in Scotland tho