I am trying to work out whether I can get over to the UK for my Aunt's funeral.
My usual route, fly to LHR and cadge a lift with my brother isn't an option this time so I am looking at flying to Birmingham and getting the train to Leamington Spa where the funeral is.
I'd need to stay a couple of nights somewhere due to the timing of it all, probably at BHX so I can fly in late and out early.
If I buy an any time return from BHX to Leamington can I only use it on the trains I specify online when buying the ticket or is it good for all trains that day? Since I don't know how long events are going to last I don't want to commit to a particular time of train, only to find myself leaving early, or worse at a loose end in Leamington.
Is it even worth buying a ticket online or will it cost the same at the airport for such a short journey?
A couple of questions on UK train tickets
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There is no reason to buy on-line. An Anytime ticket will cost the same at the station as on-line. And will take no more time to buy at one of the ticket machines as it would to collect a prebooked ticket from the same machine.
Thanks ron. Then I'll wait until I get there, if I manage it.
More crucially, there aren't any Advance fares (those you can get a discount on by advance booking) between BHX and Leamington.
Any direct departure after 0930 is Offpeak (the rate that's the same whether you buy as you're departing or weeks earlier), and you won't get cheaper tickets than that even if you book months in advance. And before 0930, the walkup fre is a gobsmacking 40p dearer
The National Rail website implies you can also buy pricier Anytime tickets. Look at the details though, and you'll see they're absurd: if you miss the hourly, direct, 20 min train you can buy a ticket on a journey leaving 2 mins later, changing twice, walking across Brum centre and getting into Leamington ten mins before the next direct train. For just 50% more than the direct route.
You wouldn't.