The cost of getting to Southampton by train

[Sue's Mom]

My hubby and I will be travelling by train from Liverpool to Southampton. I have just spent half a day getting online quotes and really wanted to travel first class, never having done it before. The quote for the complete return journey by first class coach was £636.20. A bit too much for us so I broke up the travel into one return journey Liverpool to Birmingham New Street, and a further return journey Birmingham New Street to Southampton. All these journeys use the same train companies and the same trains and the same routes! I finally paid £171.20 plus credit card fees and a booking fee. What a difference! I did leave extra time at BNS in each direction just in case the first journey was delayed. :D

Edited July 13, 2014 by Sue's Mom

[turnip eater]

It is a minefield!:eek:

 

Did you use trainline.co.uk?

 

My sister-in-law does this route from Southport,although she has done it from Lime Street and she changes at Manchester Piccadilly.

 

She uses Cross-Country trains Manchester to Southampton.

Edited July 14, 2014 by turnip eater

[NorbertsNiece]

There's also a very cheap option on http://www.megabus.co.uk from London which puts you on a train.....

Edited July 14, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[RJHNorthyorks]

The trick is to buy tickets as soon as they come on sale. You can set up email alerts. Then if you can travel outside of peak time use a two together railcard. Amazing savings including first class to be had. Other options if you have to travel in peak time is to split the tickets. It' takes a bit of work but again good savings available.

Helpful advice on http://www.moneysavingexpert.com

[tartanexile81]

We're travelling to Southampton from Edinburgh at the beginning of September and as RJHYorks suggests we set up an email alert and got our tickets the day bookings opened. We always use the rail operator's website and travelling through London keeps the cost down. We paid £61 for both of us using our twotogether card. We find it's much more expensive to split our journey. Other websites give you quotes but they're never as cheap as East Coast. We sometimes use Cross Country via Birmingham and that's a bit more expensive at £81 but still a considerable saving by booking early.

 

I recommended megatrain to a US member of our roll call. She tracked it till booking started for the given date then got two tickets from London to Southampton for £2.

[Surreyman]

I would advise against using the trainline.com, there are plenty of sites out there which do not charge booking fees or for using a credit card.

[dancinman66]

Get a car to pick you up

No good travelling with bags

That's hard work

170 quid return and do easy and quicker

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Tosara21]

Flying down from Newcastle direct to Southampton this Sept. Booked in Jan. early saver return tickets £165 for DH and I.

 

Short taxi ride to cruise terminal after just 1hr. flight.....easy

 

Did the maths for train journey but would have to change trains twice and handle all the luggage, also a longer time travelling.

 

Everybody needs to find the best way for them, that suits their pocket and preferred way to travel,....This is ours.

[tartanexile81]

Torara

I see you are from Durham and in fact there are 4 direct trains a day from Durham to Southampton on Crosscountry- three each morning and one at tea-time. We sometimes use that route. I don't fly and we like to stay overnight in Southampton to add to the excitement of the cruise for us, but as you say each to their own.

 

BTW is anybody else having trouble with the quote button? I can't get it to work.