How the heck are you supposed to work out how much a train journey costs?

[twentypence]

I'm in NZ - so have to look on the web, but want July and most of the sites I have found only do 3 months in advance. But I need to work out if a rental car is worth doing instead NOW, not next month.

We want to go to Blackwater in Surrey from Manchester - but could get to a (non London) main station instead and be picked up probably. We are quite flexible about days of the week (can avoid Friday if you still have to for instance).

In ye old days I just showed up with my young persons railcard and off I went. How simple those days were - now I think learning to count cards would be easier.

So am I just being simple?

You don't. You fuel up the car and go!

if you book 12 weeks in advance you get the cheapest tickets

I booked London to Manchester 2 days before and ended up with paying £49.50 which is a lot IMO

look on the virgintrains.co.uk website and just look for 3 months in advance

although you'd have to go into london and out again to surrey cos the train only stops at watford gap

HTH

Bear in mind that from Manchester to Surrey you'll probably have to cross London between stations, although at least Euston for Manchester is just one Underground journey to Waterloo (most Surrey trains I think!) on the Northern line. Most intercity train tickets go on sale about 3 months in advance, I wouldn't think it's going to make any difference when you book for Surrey.

Are you travelling with kids? That might affect your decision to rent a car, but there's also the question of whether spending £20 on a Family Railcard is worth it (might be). There tend to be less time restrictions if you're travelling to London from the north first than if you're starting from London, otherwise time of day is more of a problem than day of the week in my experience.

I get variously 58 pounds to go in the middle of the night and 64 pounds to only go to Reading and be picked up.

I think driving and calling at some National Trust places in the way is the way to go (sorry to the Greenies - but you have to make things REALLLY simple for tourists who come from the 2nd highest car per capita ratio country in the world).

hi, have you tried megatrain.com Really cheap fares, manchester to london for £6. Worth a look,

\link{http://thetrainline.com }
will give you the options, up to as early as it is poss to book tickets. You can also arrange to collect from the station you're leaving from. Look at the single fares even if you are doing a return journey, it can be much cheaper.

sorry link thing didn't work, its called thetrainline.com

Yes, the single fare thing is weird.
I went to Southempton form Westbury and it is usually £15. But when I clicked to buy ticket, it gave me various options, and in the end I paid £3.