I booked tickets for someone last year,it cost £20 - £30 can't remember but it was something like that.
They now want £50 standard class..........does anyone know why this is

Depends how far in advance you book. Can get much cheaper if a week / two weeks in advance.

It depends in part on how far in advance you buy your tickets, and which train you want to catch - the peak hour trains (first thing in the morning, and early evening) are always more expensive.

I travelled down to London a few weeks ago for £15 - I booked my seat about a week in advance, and travelled outside rush hour :) It's worth asking if you can get a cheaper ticket if you get a different train.

Originally posted by Dicko
Depends how far in advance you book. Can get much cheaper if a week / two weeks in advance.

I want to book second weekend in December travel on 9th return on 11th

I know to go on the day it's £59....:rant:

Did you try this site? http://www.thetrainline.com/default.asp?href=&T2ID=9348_200599122422

Originally posted by Strix
Did you try this site? http://www.thetrainline.com/default.asp?href=&T2ID=9348_200599122422

Yes and midlandmaineline.co.uk

Originally posted by SheffBloke
Yes and midlandmaineline.co.uk

You can only book up to three months in advance, but should be able to book online next week. Look at buying two singles (£6 each!!)

and also GNER are doin a £15 one from Donny. YEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 so im goin again!!!! :)

Originally posted by Dicko
You can only book up to three months in advance, but should be able to book online next week. Look at buying two singles (£6 each!!)

Yup, just bought four singles a week ago travelling in October, and it cost us £16 there (for two people) and £16 back (for two people)

Buying singles instead of returns is often a much cheaper way to go!

If travelling time isn't a major issue try the coach.....£22 return.

or try www.megabus.com. from £1.

Originally posted by LL200
or try www.megabus.com. from £1.

I'd rather walk.

The following note on midlandmainline.com about changes to the discounted advance booking fares may be of interest:

As part or our aim to improve the services we offer our customers, we have reviewed and made important changes to our advance purchase fares range.

These changes have been designed to make the overall booking process simpler and more flexible. So, for journeys from 25 September 2005 all advance purchase ticket types will be replaced with a new range of single leg journey fares, which will all have the same conditions.

These changes will allow you to mix and match your outward and return journeys to get the best value fares.

This means when booking your ticket, for travel from 25 September 2005, you will be offered the best available fare for each leg of your journey. This means you will still be able to travel at a time that suits you or if you’re flexible you may even get a better deal when booking in advance.

For more information click here to download a copy of our customer information leaflet.

Just to add, tickets go on sale 12 weeks in advance, current booking horizon is Sunday 4th December.

Single fares in Standard class vary from £6.00 up to £56.50 and First class varies from £10.00 up to £86.00.

The cheapest tickets are generally available at the less popular times, and in limited numbers.

I jus booked tickets last nite fr travel next weekend. Was 31pounds for 1ST class travel on midland mainline. Go on the trainline's website and look through wot they've got.

Originally posted by Dicko
You can only book up to three months in advance, but should be able to book online next week. Look at buying two singles (£6 each!!)

As a regular Sheffield/London rail user I am now totally confused about the Sheffield/London fare structure, would really appreciate it if someone would mind explaining this for me and how it is possible to get such cheap fares. Very, very Gratefully

Originally posted by wendygs
As a regular Sheffield/London rail user I am now totally confused about the Sheffield/London fare structure, would really appreciate it if someone would mind explaining this for me and how it is possible to get such cheap fares. Very, very Gratefully

Book online at Midland Mainline's website. You should book as far in advance as possible, and will need to tie yourself to a specific train. To get the best fairs you will need to travel off-peak.

www.midlandmainline.com

Are Midland Mainline really selling tickets for £6 and how far in advance does one have to book? Also where on their website are these prices displayed because I couldnt see anything when I looked?

Originally posted by nick2
I'd rather walk.

Why, what's wrong with them??

This was featured on the local bbc news at lunch time saying prices were cheaper now than 1975...it may be on again on look north at tea time

Originally posted by wendygs
Are Midland Mainline really selling tickets for £6 and how far in advance does one have to book? Also where on their website are these prices displayed because I couldnt see anything when I looked?

Originally posted by Debk
This was featured on the local bbc news at lunch time saying prices were cheaper now than 1975...it may be on again on look north at tea time

I have just received clarification about how it will work in practice. Apparently the new ticket structure is similar to the airlines and they will no longer sell the many diverse advanced tickets. Instead after the 25 September there will be 1 price of ticket available for each leg of your journey determined by how many seats there are left on that train. The earlier in advance that you book the cheaper the ticket will be and reflects airline practice. MMs cheapest London/Sheffield ticket will be £6.00 with the price for each journey will be based on the number of seats on a train. I gather this new structure will supposedly make it simpler for MMs customers to book tickets knowing they will always be offered the cheapest price possible instead of various ticket prices with different terms and conditions.

There we have it.

Looks like MML will be making great profits as we have one of the worst train services to London from the North!!

STOP PRESS

Midland Mainline (MM) take leave of their senses. Sheffield to London "service" (sic) which MM currently offer their highly valued customers is a RIP OFF.

AND the really, really great news if you dont have a budget is that it would seem to be quite impossible for them to say how much a ticket will cost whether bought in advance or on the day.

Although I am still unable to elicit a definitive statement one way or the other, it would appear that there is no upper price limit.

Perhaps MMC (Monopolies & Mergers Commission) should now investigate MM. :rant:

Just got a mail shot from midland mainline advertising fares to London from £ 6 one way and telling about one range of single fares. Importantly if you enter " Sept05" code while booking online you are to get 10% discount.

Originally posted by wendygs
STOP PRESS

Midland Mainline (MM) take leave of their senses. Sheffield to London "service" (sic) which MM currently offer their highly valued customers is a RIP OFF.

AND the really, really great news if you dont have a budget is that it would seem to be quite impossible for them to say how much a ticket will cost whether bought in advance or on the day.

Although I am still unable to elicit a definitive statement one way or the other, it would appear that there is no upper price limit.

Perhaps MMC (Monopolies & Mergers Commission) should now investigate MM. :rant:

Not sure why you think that, as all you have to do is go on the website, tell it where you are travelling from and to and when, and it lists every fare and which trains they are available on.

In many cases journeys cost less under the new system as you can enjoy the cheapest available rate both ways, in the case of the £6 fare that is cheaper than any fare for individual traveller that existed before, and finally, all the advance fares now offer railcard discounts, which means if you hold a Young Persons Railcard, Senior Railcard, Family Railcard or Disabled Persons railcard you can potentially travel for £8 return!

They are also much simpler to understand as they all have the same booking deadline (6pm day before travel, subject to availability) and all have the same terms and conditions, including rules about change of travel plans and refunds.

The advance purchase deals vary from £6 up to £22 single in Standard class, and in First class vary from £10 to £30 single.

In addition to those, the more flexible turn up and go fares still exist, priced at £56.50 Standard class single and £86.00 First Class single, with a Saver Return also available at off peak times priced £51.00. These fares are the maximum you will pay.

The principle for the advance purchase deals is the same as the budget airlines where there are bargain single fares to be had if you committ yourself to a departure time well in advance and are flexible about when you travel. Naturally the best deals are at the less busy times.

Just to add, these new advance purchase deals are available to most Midland Mainline destinations, not just London. They are available from Sheffield to Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, London St Pancras and York.

The advance purchase tickets on their website from Sheffield to St Pancras actually go from £3.95, albeit the dates have not yet been released.

£3.95 is the £6 fare with a railcard discount.

Tickets are currently on sale for trains up to and including Sunday 11th December.

well when I tried to look on their website I couldnt find anything sensible and when I emailed to ask for clarification I was told they cant say how much teh maximum fare was going to be. Does this therefore mean MM are getting sensible about their pricing policy?