Bolton to London 4th to 5th May

[NorthWestRover]

A friend has asked for advice for a 70 year old travelling from Bolton to London outward on 4th May, return on 5th May. I know there is a tube strike on 4th May.

No railcard held (but obviously likely worth getting just for this one trip).

Not too worried about an early start on the Saturday, wants a fair bit of time in London.

Off Peak Return is £109, with railcard is £71.90. Return appears not possible from Euston on 5th May - being offered St Pancras with change at Nottingham or Sheffield. Is that right? The EMR trains out of St Pancras are usually wedged in such circumstances, aren't they?

Doing splits knocks between £15 and £25 off those prices but creates some slow journeys.

Any other ideas?

 

[tspaul26]

Potentially via Manchester, Reading and Paddington.

Should be valid with the Bolton to London Off-Peak Return and journey planners will offer itineraries and reservations.

 

[30907]

NRE also offers Thameslink to Bedford, bus to MK, then train. Likely to be quieter than any of the all-rail routes.
Avanti aren't showing anything

 

[Trackman]

Doing splits knocks between £15 and £25 off those prices but creates some slow journeys.

Any other ideas?

Just had a look, the quickest journey time is around 4h30m.
If I had to travel by train, I'd bite the bullet and choose the St Pancras/Chesterfield/Piccadilly one, It's the quickest one (I think) and seems to be the one with the less faffing about.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Thank you. My advice is going to be the off peak return and do the change at Chesterfield and Oxford Road on way back. Could be a few pounds cheaper, but with the flexible tickets they can change plans if they want to. Not a great weekend to be going!

 

[paul1609]

I'd get a local train to Manchester Airport then a coach (probably National Express) to Victoria Coach station, a slower journey but hugely more reliable than rail and considerably cheaper.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'd get a local train to Manchester Airport then a coach (probably National Express) to Victoria Coach station, a slower journey but hugely more reliable than rail and considerably cheaper.

You might well do and you have the choice. Of course, not everyone wants to spend 5+ hours (each way) on a bus.

 

[paul1609]

You might well do and you have the choice. Of course, not everyone wants to spend 5+ hours (each way) on a bus.

Indeed I do point out that its potentially a slower journeytime. Normally I'd recomend a LNWR superoff peak return from Crewe with local trains from Bolton to Crewe but ive seen the chaos that occurs at St Pancras everytime Kings Cross or Euston is closed. The coach will probably be halfway to Manchester before the poor people at St Pancras have got to the front of the queue for the EMR platforms. They then have potluck for seats on a crushloaded train to Chesterfield no thanks and this of course is on the assumption that industrial action isnt announced on one of the alternative operators 14 days before your journey. Im assuming that the OP wants to go to Central London otherwise British Airways would be an option.