Manchester - Southampton Sunday 12th January

[NSEFAN]

Hi all,

I would like to find the cheapest way of heading from Manchester to Southampton on 12th January, in the evening preferably.

An advance single on the 1827 XC departure is £50.40 without a railcard. I have tried splitting at different points and have so far found that splitting at Coventry reduces the total to £46.80.

Is there anything I can do to reduce this further?

 

[Chapeltom]

Others may disagree but I think that's very good at short notice without a railcard and I doubt you can beat that.

 

[Goatboy]

Others may disagree but I think that's very good at short notice without a railcard and I doubt you can beat that.

It's a crap price to spend 5 hours wedged into a Voyager.

Virgin will sell you a First Class Advance for £48, via Euston. Much nicer. It means leaving at 11am instead but if you can manage it thats far better value for money than XC.

 

[sonic2009]

Flybe has a departure from Manchester Airport to Southampton at 2035 for £61 arriving at 2130.

More money but beats being wedged on a Voyager for 5hrs.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Have you tried splitting at Banbury and Basingstoke as well as Coventry? They are often fruitful split points on this route.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually I just checked and that train is diverted via Guildford, so it's not possible to split at Basingstoke. It seems hard to get it much cheaper than you have already.

 

[soil]

Manchester - Stafford any XC direct train £8.80 Advance (£14.50 First Advance)
Stafford - Birmingham same train XC £4.60 Advance First
Birmingham - Southampton via Euston + Waterloo 16:30, 17:30, 17:50 or 18:30 £17.50 Virgin Advance

Total = £30.90

 

[CatfordCat]

Have you tried splitting at Banbury and Basingstoke as well as Coventry? They are often fruitful split points on this route.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually I just checked and that train is diverted via Guildford, so it's not possible to split at Basingstoke. It seems hard to get it much cheaper than you have already.

If time isn't much of an issue, XC tend to do rail replacement coaches Reading - Basingstoke when that's happening (it takes about 40 minutes on the direct coach and the last one's usually 2200-ish ex Reading) - I've not seen the timetable for 12/1 so please check my generalisations before you do it.

FGW's rail replacements tend to be 'all stations' (and very long winded as the location of Mortimer and Bramley is less than ideal for a road journey)

Whether that's a price worth paying for a possible cheaper ticket I'll leave to your discretion...