Should I buy a point to point ticket or is it easier to buy an England flexi pass. I will only need the ticket from London to York and York to London (2 days) but it looks cheaper to get a 3 day flexi pass? Any advice would be much appreciated. I am going mid-march and would like to purchase my ticket soon. Also, is this site a better one to purchase from that rail.uk site?.. Thanks :)
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
While standard fare tickets for long distance trains in the UK are pricey, advance purchase discount fare tickets can be very cheap. If you book NOW at www.eastcoast.co.uk, you can get a discount fare as low as £10.25 each way. These tickets are for a specific departure date and time and are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
Posted by
OP
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
4 posts
Thanks Tim, I'll look into it.
Posted by
OP
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
4 posts
Tim,
I looked into the eastcoast website. I will not be able to have my train ticket mailed to me in advanced (the website says it's only for people in the uk), but I can pick it up at a self service ticket machine. Are the machines pretty easy to use? thanks, Amy
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2775 posts
Yes, they are easy, you won't have any trouble.
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1265 posts
Amy - Self service ticket machines are easy to use. You key in you confirmation number and insert the cc you used to purchase the tickets and out they come. Easy Peasy.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
Amy, that fare Tim quoted is really good. The Eastcoast run to York leaves from London's Kings Cross station. I believe there are at least two kinds of ticket vending machines there and elsewhere. They're clearly labeled so just look for the ones to retrieve previously purchased tickets. You slide in the card used to buy the tickets. The system finds your purchase and asks you to key in your reference number. It spits out you tickets. If you haven't traveled out of Kings Cross before, give yourself time to retrieve your tickets and to reconnoiter the station to see where the tracks are located. 30 minutes, maybe? The tracks are numbered and the upcoming departures, and their departure times, are displayed on a big electronic board. Everyone in the station will be staring at it. When your train is ready to board, an announcement will be made. There is very limited seating at Kings Cross and, as at every other UK, no place to throw away trash. The train to York typically has Edinburgh as its final destination, so that's how it will likely be displayed on the board. If you are offered the chance to make seat reservations when you book the tickets, do that. Seats are almost always available, but why take a chance? Note that some seats face the direction of travel, and some seats face the other direction.
Posted by
OP
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
4 posts
Thank you Robin, Joel, J.C, and Tim for all your help. I feel more confident in possible purchasing now. Cheers!