question re train reliability (or lack thereof)

[toursenlair]

If I were to take a train from London to Nottingham to see BRB for a Wednesday 230 pm matinee, can anyone give me an idea how much I should rely (or not) on the train timetables? I would plan to have lunch at the Theatre Royal before the performance. I would be accompanying a group of up to 25 people, and that always means allowing more time than if I were going by myself.

 

For instance, there's a train that leaves St Pancras at 1015 and is supposed to get into Nottingham at 1155. Should I believe that? Or should I take an earlier train?

Edited November 16, 2016 by toursenlair

[LinMM]

During the week they are usually VERY reliable and there are fairly frequent trains to /from Nottingham to London

 

I just came down from Leicester yesterday .....very near Nottinham .....and there was a train about every 15-20 mins down to London

 

There was some working on the line further north from Leicester on Sunday but not in the week.

[LinMM]

By the way the train company you mentioned going to Nottingham doesn't sound right as it's usually the East Midlands line but maybe south east runs the odd train further north?

[toursenlair]

sorry you're right. It is East Midlands.

[LinMM]

Actually if you can wait till 10.29 you will,get a super off peak fare so a bit cheaper .....still gets there before 12.30!

[toursenlair]

thanks for the suggestion.

[Jan McNulty]

I'd go for an earlier train.

[LinMM]

Maybe earlier trains than 10am are less prohibitive going out of London rather than going into London!!

 

Because travelling BEFORE 10 ......Monday to Friday.....is very costly for someone like myself travelling from Brighton into London but perhaps it's not so costly for someone travelling from London to Brighton?

 

Or is rush hour travelling just generally more expensive whichever direction travelling in?

The advantage of getting an earlier train is ...just in case...a train gets cancelled.

So,balancing cost against convenience I suppose.

[alison]

Looking back at my records, travelling from South London to Brighton for a conference a couple of years ago, it cost me about £25 for lateish rush-hour.  I was shocked when I got down there to find the ticket machines selling tickets up to London for getting on for twice that.

[nottsballetlover]

Hi Katherine. I live in Nottingham and don't drive so use the trains a lot! The London to Nottingham East Midlands Trains service is very reliable, usually bang on time. As LinMM said,any delays or disruption tends to be on weekends, especially Sundays.

[toursenlair]

Thank you all, that's very helpful indeed! balletcoforum is so useful!.

[Yaffa]

Just saw that the London to Nottingham East Midlands train (including the 10:15 a.m. train) is one of a few routes that is offered at a discounted rate by Megatrain/Megabus (http://www.megatrain.com). The tickets are for exactly the same journey, but (unlike normal rail tickets) they can be cancelled/changed for just £1 (50p rebooking fee and 50p. change fee) until 48 hours before the journey for train journeys, 24 hours for bus journeys. The booking window is smaller than for regular booking sites and they have very limited number of routes and times, plus there is no discount for children/seniors etc. or for return journeys (you need to buy two singles).