to think no wonder no-one uses the train.....

[loflo]

ok I live in the north of scotland and thought it would be nice to explore some of england this year with DH and DS. Priced the train (1st class out of interest :-))to Newcastle so a six hour journey and chin(s) still on floor!!!! £682.50!!!!!! FFS!!!!!

I'd fly if I were you

Ouch!
TRy changing day/time of travel. You might find it cheaper. Also check out ticket prices for each leg of your journey. I'll be back with a link in a moment...

Try this

You need to break it up into seperate journeys and buy singles - it works like flights - you need to know what you're doing with it...

And have you got a family railcard as well?

aw bless you girls - you are good to me and a mine of information No railcard cos we never use the train(!!!!) but might be worth buying one for the saving. Cheers m'dears.

I find it a pain, too, with kids and you get on them and half the time the loo is out of order. Or there's all these people acting ghetto or openly drunk or fighting and you know, it's just something I can do without when trying to travel.

Not to mention, little kids have a lot of kit. It's a PITA to get it on a train.

And more expensive than running our car.

Actually, the problem is that LOTS of people use the train but the blasted train companies and the government don't give a toss about whether you get a seat/working loo/to your destination on time in return for the extortionate fares. Swines.

Did you see that report the other day that we have the MOST expensive train fares in the whole of Europe?

I saw it, edam. It's not surprising to me, having lived in Europe before coming to the UK.

Wouldn't dream of taking my car to Europe, but wouldn't be without it here as the train's a WAY expensive, unreliable, crap alternative IME.

www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/voucherterms

Save 25% on a family and friends railcard here

Have just been from near Edinburgh to London for £56 return-that is for two adults and two kids with a family railcard!

Have you tried megatrain?

Fascinating to read about the "travelling short" thing. How would anyone know?

Well, I sure wouldn't, UD, because I'd fill up the ol' Astra with diesel, load up the boot, get all three of them strapped in and we'd be off!

Long live the car!

Best £250 or so I ever spent, a couple hours off work to the DVLA to put in my passport and paperwork for my provisional (it's different for foreigners), some lessons with a driving instructor, the theory and then the practical and then sending it all off again for the blessed pink full UK license.

Paid for itself about 10 times over.

ok another quickie for you clever girls..... do i need to have my railcard in my sweaty delicate hand before I can book online or can I say I have one then just have in time for travelling?

You need to have it with you on the train or if you buy it in person but boking online there's no way they can tell.

If you are travelling on a Saturday or Sunday, you might be able to use Weekend First with a Standard Class ticket (though I would check the restrictions on the specific ticket). Using Weekend First costs about £10 per person, I think, and you pay the supplement to the Senior Conductor on the train.

It might be worth checking to see if you can book into Weekend First so you'd be sure of getting seats/seats together.

Rachmumoftwo Thanks for the link. I still regard myself as an internet novice so I prefer to google the homepage and work my way through the system. Could you give me the promotional code for me to put in the box, please? TIA