Euston - Wolverhampton options

[6Gman]

Friends from Canada coming over in a few weeks. The only rail travel they're planning is London - Wolves Monday 29 April (need to be there by lunchtime), returning Wednesday 1 May - any time.

Looking at options there are advance singles at £50 available, flexible off-peak at £100, and open at some eye-watering figure (£188?).

Two Together or Senior Citizen railcards could come into play.

Any suggestions?

 

[island]

Is 14:07 too late to arrive? A super off peak return on LNWR/WMR will get you there for then for £32 before Railcard discount. A tenner more for an off peak return if you need earlier. These fares won’t pop up readily on searches as the trains are quite slow, but you can get them with a bit of specification or just buy at the station.

 

[Haywain]

Fully flexible (in terms of route) Off Peak Returns will cost £71.50 each, but come down to £47.15 each with a Two Together Railcard discount. The Railcard would cost £30 giving a total of £124.30. As above slower trains are available at cheaper fares.

 

[6Gman]

Fully flexible (in terms of route) Off Peak Returns will cost £71.50 each, but come down to £47.15 each with a Two Together Railcard discount. The Railcard would cost £30 giving a total of £124.30. As above slower trains are available at cheaper fares.

What are the restrictions on Off Peak Returns on that journey?

 

[jfollows]

What are the restrictions on Off Peak Returns on that journey?

9I

Look up fares for any train journey in Britain

Full details of all British rail Single, Return & Season tickets and Travelcards. Built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

Not valid on trains timed to depart:

• London Euston after 04:29 and before 09:26 or after 15:00 and before 18:45 (Restrictions do not apply on Fridays)

Also https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ticket-types/validity/9i/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

What are the restrictions on Off Peak Returns on that journey?

It's coded 9I for the Any Permitted/Avanti Off Peak Return - dep Euston after 0926, return to Euston after 1130.
First valid train is 0933 via Stafford at higher fare (£54.25 with railcard), arr 1114.
The 0940 change Birmingham NS gets in at 1137 for the £47.15 fare.
There is a 1002 change Stafford arr 1156.
Nothing else for those fares gets there by 1200 - the 1016 direct gets there at 1229.

First valid return on May 1 is the 0945 direct, reaching Euston at 1138.
Any train after that.

 

[paul1609]

Flixbus Victoria Coach station or Finchley Rd to Birmingham Summer Row (from £3.99 single), short walk to New Street Station next train to Wolverhampton £5.90
Journeytime Finchley Rd to Birmingham is around 2 hr 30. More reliable than Avanti West Coast not suseptable to random Industrial action.

 

[Wolfie]

Worth having a look at Chiltern services running between Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street and then going Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton. The walk between the two Birmingham stations is about 5-10 mins.

A super off-peak return without Railcard seems to be £36.40 each, valid for departures from Marylebone after 0830.

 

[6Gman]

My thanks to all. Boy, am I glad I've got my staff travel boxes!

Does anyone know what evidence one needs for a senior citizens railcard? (We are talking Canadian citizens, so no UK pension books!)

 

[jfollows]

My thanks to all. Boy, am I glad I've got my staff travel boxes!

Does anyone know what evidence one needs for a senior citizens railcard? (We are talking Canadian citizens, so no UK pension books!)

See https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/visiting-outside-GB/

Most frequently asked questions​

• Can visitors to Britain buy a Railcard online?
  A:
  Yes, you can.
  Simply click ‘Buy Now on the website homepage to get started. When you get to the question 'Choose the type of Railcard you would like' select 'Digital' and follow the instructions on the screen to complete your purchase.
  You can also buy a Railcard at Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport rail stations, Luton Airport Parkway and Manchester Airport – but NOT at London Heathrow Airport.

Personally I wouldn't have anything to do with a digital railcard.

 

[Haywain]

Does anyone know what evidence one needs for a senior citizens railcard?

Proof of age, such as a passport. And a railcard can be purchased at any station that has a ticket office. For one visitor a Senior Railcard would be appropriate but for a couple, a Two Together Railcard might be more appropriate - it's worth looking at both.

 

[jfollows]

Note that you can buy tickets with railcard discounts in advance online and buy the railcard immediately prior to travel, if this helps.

 

[P Binnersley]

roof of age, such as a passport. And a railcard can be purchased at any station that has a ticket office. For one visitor a Senior Railcard would be appropriate but for a couple, a Two Together Railcard might be more appropriate - it's worth looking at both.

A Two-Together railcard required a passport sized photo of each applicant. No photograph is required for a senior railcard.

 

[Hadders]

Personally I wouldn't have anything to do with a digital railcard.

Trainsplit sell railcards via their app. Took me less than 60 seconds to purchase (including taking a couple of pics with my phone).

The app seems very stable and hasn't be an issue at all for me.

 

[Haywain]

A Two-Together railcard required a passport sized photo of each applicant. No photograph is required for a senior railcard.

Two photos will cost less than a second railcard without a photo.