I have a upcoming trip to London and I'm reluctant to book train tickets because it could no longer happen or get cancelled at short notice. I assume you cannot get online train tickets refunded?
I wish to drive to the outskirts of London and commute in the final 20/30 miles or so.
I seem to recall a Luton park and ride service (Parkway)?
Is that operative or is there something reliable that is similar?
Last edited by: nice but dim on Fri 5 Aug 16 at 10:46
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>> I have a upcoming trip to London and I'm reluctant to book train tickets because
>> it could no longer happen or get cancelled at short notice. I assume you cannot
>> get online train tickets refunded?
>>
Online tickets can be refunded, it depends, like ticket office tickets, on the type of ticket. It is fairly clear when booking online on trainline or similar which tickets are refundable or changeable.
Note it is usually better to use the train company's own site rather than trainline as most of them do not charge a booking fee.
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It is likely to be a mid morning start. Its a technology demo in Central London.
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Not sure where you live but you are clearly some distance from London and I think if it were me I'd look at getting the mainline all the way into town, then tube to final destination. as parking at some outlying stations can be really hit and miss. (I'm thinking of Reading, Wokingham and Twyford, which often seemed to have very few spaces left once the rush hour was over - also some of the outlying tubes.).
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Doncaster (on the main line).
I will look up the rail companies directly and see what my options are.
Prices don't initially appear too bad ~ £47 for a return cattle class ~ and see what options I have regarding cancellations.
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How about picking up a Nat express coach somewhere on route - straight in to London Victoria coach stn? - or a stop somewhere near to where you want to be.
Last edited by: devonite on Fri 5 Aug 16 at 14:27
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If it is £47 return bought now, then I presume that it is probably more like £67 bought on the day.
Given that the train seems the obvious way to go, if risking £47 by buying the ticket now is too rich, then why not risk £20 by perhaps having to buy the ticket on the day.
Depends of course on the price difference perhaps mitigated by how sort notice the cancellation could be.
Either way, driving and then stopping at Luton, or Watford, or MK etc. etc. seems an awful lot of hassle, expense time and money which would, for me, outweigh avoiding this level of *potentially* unnecessary expenditure.
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>> Prices don't initially appear too bad ~ £47 for a return cattle class ~ and
>> see what options I have regarding cancellations.
Anything as low as £47 is probably going to be based on Advance tickets. These are operator and train/seat specific and usually with no or only limited refund-ability. Anytime single is £94 each way.
As others say the problem with busy commuter stations is that the car parks are often full by 08:30. Northampton is a case in point although it will be better at present due school holidays and space being re-instated after the new station was finished. Milton Keynes can be bad too, though there is second commuter car park on Grafton Gate opposite the Santander HQ. Not easy to access the station from M1 as it's on opposite side of the city but if you take the A5 from M1/J18 it's a doddle.
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>> Anything as low as £47 is probably going to be based on Advance tickets. These
>> are operator and train/seat specific and usually with no or only limited refund-ability.
>> Anytime single is £94 each way.
Given the timing my assumption was that it was at least off peak travel.
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thanks all, I don't even have the date of the event yet but will report back and will look up what has been said here.
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..on the ECML, the cheapest flexible "on the day" tickets will be for off-peak travel after 09:30 out, and after 18:30 back (roughly).
A 13:00 appt in central London is doable on this, 12:00 is not (unless next to KX).
Maybe £70 return from Donny.
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If this is mid morning then I'd almost certainly get the train all the way if this was me. You might struggle to park at the commuter station. Cheapest tickets will be selling out and they will be for specific trains.
However, I see a flexible off-peak return from Doncaster to Kings Cross is £142.80. An any time turn is £188. Compared to Luton to Blackfriars at £27.50 I can see your logic! Milton Keynes has the cheapest tickets at £6/£16 for each leg so £22.
As for the London underground you are almost certainly going to have to use, I can say using a contactless bank card is both cheaper and easier than buying an actual ticket. Last weekend I'd have paid £4.90 for a journey paid for in cash for a ticket - contactless using a debit card it was £2.40. Just remember to tap in/out (some stations don't have barriers).
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>>, I can say using a contactless bank card is both cheaper and easier than buying an actual ticket.
Unless you are catching a train in from network south east; in which case a day travelcard from the railway station gives you unlimited tube travel (all six zones) plus a return up to Town from the railway station.
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Where are you going in London?
Luton Airport Parkway is near the M1, has a big multi-storey car park, and has reasonably fast trains to St Pancras / City Thameslink. I sometimes use it if I am going City end.
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This is fairly local for me.
Luton Airport Parkway station parking is £7.60 for 24 hrs, according to Parkopedia. No idea how crowded it is and therefore whether a place is guaranteed. You can park in Park Street and walk to the station - about 10 mins - for free. (Take the path near the bridge/embankment where the A 1081 to the airport runs overhead. For this, the best place to aim for to park is 51.869107, -0.401915. Again, I'm not sure how crowded this gets - I imagine very, but there is a fair amount of space.)
Off-peak trains start with the 09:37; if returning off-peak (i.e. before 16:30, or after 19:00), the cost to St Pancras (return) is £14.60. If you will be using the tube get a Travelcard (£21.20).
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London Park and Ride? - commerdriver
