Train To Birmingham...

[cassa333]

OMG I've just had a look at the cost of a day return from Cosham to Birmingham on the train and for me and the two small people it is £221.

How can anyone afford to travel these days?

[ummmm]

Crazy especially when you can get a flight to Ireland for £40.

[rowanwitch]

book in advance .... I can get tickets to london for as little as £8.60 at times just needs a bit of flexibility and off peak travel. Sometimes its cheaper to travel a day earlier and stay in a cheap hotel overnight rather than travel during the peak

[pastafreak]

I can travel from Plymouth to London for as little as £18...but I think I'd need to book at least 2 weeks in advance. I booked about 4 days in advance last time I went,and it was £33 each way.

[EDDIE51]

£156.40 according to this ,then if you have a rail card you get another 30% off
http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/combinedmatrix.aspx?Command=TimeTable

[mushroom25]

depending on time of day, a cheaper journey is available via London.

This may be even cheaper if you price each leg separately, particularly if you choose to undertake the London-Birmingham leg with either Chiltern or LondonMidland (although the journey takes longer)

[Booldawg]

depends how far in advance you book. We're off to Wales in June and I've noticed if I book 2 months in advance its 102GBP - if I turned up tomorrow it'd be 102GBP. If I book 6 weeks in advance its 38GBP. A month in advance is 48GBP. Theres a sweet spot, its getting to know the pattern.

Sorry for lack of pound sign - damn American keyboard!

[cassa333]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I really need a quick and easy (and cheap lol) route as I will have my two kids in tow and it's only for a meeting (12 to 3pm) then home again. :)

[mushroom25]

easiest (if you've kids in tow), drive to the west midlands and park somewhere like marston green (near the NEC) and get the train from there.