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)

So per person, for a 3-day trip:

£80 for travel
£60 for accommodation for two nights and 1/3 of your meals

That sounds bloody cheap to me.

Cut the £200 spending money.

@UrsulaBursula

You know there is another 250+ miles of ‘north’ above Edinburgh right?

Even more stupid to call £1k "the cost of visiting my relatives"!

I though Edinburgh was ‘Up North’?

🙄

Not sure exactly where you are going up north but if you are going to Inverness, you could get the Megabus for less than half that.
Not sure why you are paying £100 for shopping for 2 days, is that for you relatives to host? What are you eating, Fillet Steak?

Edinburgh to Inverness is £170 return for a family of four with a rail card next Mon to Wed. Where are you going?
Hotel prices have certainly gone up.

Food shop is something you buy weekly regardless though.

Surely you'd be spending money on food regardless of whether you're with family or not? So why are you counting that cost?

Are you buying food for the people you're visiting as well?

Edinburgh is the lowlands. If we say we're going up north, we arent going to Edinburgh.

oh yes, dead easy. 🙄
There are 4 dozen stations north of Edinburgh, so the assumption it’s easy to figure out is a little misguided.
Kyle of Lochalsh, Achnasheen, Strathcarron (lovely station), Plockton, Mallaig, Fort William and Oban, Aberdeen, Inverness, Dingwall, Wick or Thurso?

Are you travelling first class? I was only looking at family tickets from Edinburgh to Inverness the other day and found we could do a return (4 hours approx) trip for just over £100, using a card and split save. I thought that was pretty reasonable - although you may be travelling further. Perhaps ask a relative to drive you around and give them petrol money + expenses?

Are you getting two premier inn rooms?

Presumably eating out? Three meals a day for two adults and three kids is going to be quite a bit, isn't it?

That's really just ignorance.

You'd think people would look at a map before embarrassing themselves with their lack of knowledge about their own country.

How long are you going for? that seems reasonable for a short break for 5 people.

Because you haven't booked savvy. What stations are you travelling between?

So actually you are spending £400 on trains. Not £1000.

And on two adults, three children.

Did you book several weeks in advance? Did you see if split ticketing was cheaper?

So it doesn’t cost £1000 at all 🤪
£400 for 5 people to travel possibly 250 miles… not that bad. Not great, but it’s not a grand!

You can’t count food money, and frankly more fool you if you’re going to pay for Premier Inn breakfasts! Just bring your own. Your seriously over egging this pudding.

£100 for food for 2 nights seems like a lot. Are you planning to eat out for every meal? Breakfast is included in the hotel, get a picnic lunch from a supermarket and fish and chips for dinner, or a taste card free trial gives you 50% off in some restaurants. £200 spending money on top of food is also loads, what are you planning to buy?

Travel after 10am and a Saver or SuperSaver ticket will be far cheaper. And get a railcard: Two Together Railcard if you don't need a ticket for the 2 year old, otherwise a Family Railcard.

Advance Tickets might be even cheaper but they're not refundable and are fixed for specific date/time of train, so there's no flexibility for changing plans or missing your train.

That sounds fair for 5 people.

That's with and without a railcard. You don't pay for your daughter as she's too young. If you don't have a rail card, get a, two together card. It's likely you'll save enough in one trip to cover it. This is for Cornwall to Newcastle s pretty South to North

Do the kids not have their free bus passes?

Edinburgh is 100 miles or so south of where I live, it’s very much in the lowlands.
It’s 150 miles south of where I grew up, which is a further 150 miles from where my parents now live 🙄
A rail journey north of Edinburgh could go as far as Thurso, 273 miles away. How much would a 273 mile train journey cost down south where people like you who don’t know anything about the geography of the island they live on stay?

Pressed send too soon. Can't you go by bus so the children get free?

I’m sorry but every one saying that is responsible are bonkers,1k for 3 days is extortionate,wouldn’t be cheaper driving at £2 a litre either!