Daneille08

Hi Everyone, Train fares in the UK appear to be ridiculous at the moment. We need to get from Doncaster (or maybe we can get a lift to Manchester), where we will be visiting relatives, to Southampton to pick up a cruise. Can anyone point me somewhere that may have discounted train fares or any other ideas how we can get there. We have looked at hiring a car but that is costly as well with the price of fuel and the drop off being different to the pick up point. We will be carrying 2 large cases as we are on an extended trip. We are even considering flying from Manchester to London as an airfare may turn out to be a cheaper option than the train depending on luggage allowances!!!

crellston

Leaving on Friday, www.thetrainline.com shows fares from £33.30 Doncaster to Kings Lynn (closest station to Sandringham). What sort of fare were you expecting?

PatrickLondon

Use www.nationalrail.co.uk direct to the train operating company, and www.seat61.com for a general overview and tips on using the system and getting the best price.

Heimdall

Now you need to find a way to get from Kings Lynn to Sandringham House without a car. There are buses from Kings Lynn to Hunstanton with stops in villages near Sandringham, but the estate is huge and Sandringham House well off the main road. You could take a taxi each way from Kings Lynn, but that would be more expensive than the train fare. I’ve been there several times myself, but always with private transportation.

Geordie

I suspect the title should say Southampton but I could be wrong 🙂

crellston

and now it has changed to Southampton!

bilboburgler

a lot of bus routes are being cancelled at the moment due to the post-covid ongoing recovery, so worth keeping an eye on any bus as your trip gets closer

https://www.traveline.info/ very useful for buses

Heimdall

So it has, which makes my reply among others look stupid, and no word from the mods that the title has changed!

In that case, definitely take the train even though you think fares are high. Be thankful you aren’t a British commuter, faced with those expensive fares every day.

MmePerdu

Depending on when you plan to travel & implementation of a new fare structure you may benefit from the plan to scrap the current system in favor of 1-way fares being half the cost of round-trip fares.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...-rail-shake-up

sofarsogood

You don't say when you're travelling and that's very important for finding cheap fares.

Doncaster to London from about £16 then London to Southampton from £5.

You need to look for Advance tickets

janisj

I suspect Daneille08 changed it to Southampton in the body of the text after posting (she edited something 16 minutes after posting the thread). Daneille should ask the Moderators to correct the title.

Heimdall

Janisj, the title has already been changed from Sandringham to Southampton, but I can’t change my post #4 to delete the directions to Sandringham House.

janisj

That is very (VERY) weird since the title on my laptop is clearly

How to get from Doncaster to Sandringham (UK)

I just copy/pasted it directly from the top of the thread. The first line of text (which is usually the same as the title) is:

How to get from Doncaster to Southampton UK)

Are you on a laptop, or phone, or other device??? Which Fodors display do you use?

MmePerdu

The main title says Sandringham on my desktop, too, but the one just below & just above the text of the OP does say Southampton.

nonconformist2

You can actually fly from Manchester to Southampton, but prices may well be higher than they used to be due to flybe, one of the main airlines doing this route, going bust.

crellston

Now that we have the mystery destination sorted out (that must be one weird auto correct !), a quick search reveals fares between £33 & £50 from Doncaster to Southampton. Not sure what sort of fare you were expecting, but that seems fairly reasonable.

Re the proposed new fare structure linked in #9, I wouldn't hold your breath for this either happening anytime soon or, if it does, fares actually being any cheaper. That is rarely the result of any fare pricing revisions, quite the opposite.

Heimdall

With Fodor’s forums nothing surprises me anymore.