car hire v train prices

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tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

car hire v train prices

Post by tyreon »

Have 2 bikes,4 panniers and 2 people. Wots best for a single 200 mile journey. The faff of booking and getting a place on trains, or negotiating the hidden prices of car hire? Yes, those with humour might say cycle, but you dont have my knees right now. By way of explanation, I am a codger, I cant book ahead on mobile tablets, no skills and deep distrust with security. Yup, I/we are the fall guys who will be paying top dollar for forthcoming travel home
Help/advice please.
I know travelling by train after 6pm may be a liitle cheaper than the robber price charged anytime near commuter times, but other tips.

By the way, do look forward to my forthcoming broadside against automatic ticketing soon.
pete75
Posts: 16370
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by pete75 »

Where do you want to go from and to? If on East Coast mainline it's very easy to book on line for a bike space. Have travelled many times with on the line with 2 bikes, 2 people and front and rear panniers. Fares are quite reasonable e.g. £14.20 for 2 people with 2 bikes Grantham to York leaving Grantham 20 past 2 on a Friday afternoon.
If you're capable of registering, logging on and posting here then you're capable of making a booking on a railway website. The automatic ticket machines work well in my experience and most of the problems appear due to user error.
Last edited by pete75 on 10 Jul 2015, 7:06pm, edited 1 time in total.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by Mark1978 »

Car hire will likely sting you with extra charges for a one way hire plus much like trains you have to go to their depot at either end. Although obviously you can drive to drop off your gear first.

Not sure what you mean by security, of people stealing your bikes?
robing
Posts: 1359
Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by robing »

It might help if you tell us your start and end points. You can get some very cheap advance fares on some routes.
tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by tyreon »

Unfortunately I am trapped in Santander. My wife and I have never booked anything via a mobile job with giving out bank details etc. Have you heard of banking promises and those made by government. I know you mean well, with no secure network and no printer and not having done anything like this before...and knowing executive promises mean...me v30 lawyers , I remain very, very cautious about any on line advanced booking.

As an addition I dont know any friend, relative or colleague who has used this (trusted?)method.

By way of poor example the government/bbc said DAB was going to be available all over the country.It still isnt. I was once led to belive(Jimmy S!)that taking the train was taking the strain(feet up, slipper job)until I found it cattle truck style. You get the message! Iraq, NHS, Afghanistan, Help for the elderly...
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by simonhill »

Ferry. They go from Santander to UK. I imagine you can book at the terminal.

A travel agent will book flights for you.

Cant help with the paranoia because they probably are out to get you, so be careful.
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foxyrider
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Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by foxyrider »

Car hire can be cheap but one way will up the cost and you might have to change vehicles if you are crossing national borders. Hire is generally by the day or part thereof. We rented a large saloon for 4 days last week, big enough for a bike and recumbent trike plus luggage. Worked out at @ £200 including fuel from Yorkshire to Dorset and back. Prices vary considerably, last year in Germany we spent about the same for 5 days with a mid size estate.

You will get a better deal booking on line but if that's not an option wekve found Avis and Budget to be very good.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by tyreon »

Portsmouth to Leicester.
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bikes4two
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Location: SE Hampshire, UK

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by bikes4two »

I've used Hertz for one way car hire in the UK, France and Germany. The nearest Hertz depot to Portsmouth is in Fareham, about 10 miles from the ferry port. There appears to be two depots in Leicester.

On all occasion s I've used Hertz, its been arranged by telephone without difficulty.

Good luck.
Without my stoker, every trip would only be half a journey
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mjr
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Re: car hire v train prices

Post by mjr »

tyreon wrote:Portsmouth to Leicester.

Cheapest walk up fare is £88, super off peak, leave Portsmouth between 8 and 1 or after 4. Anyone know if you can book bikes onto EMT at two hours notice?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by tyreon »

Mjr if that is the cost price, I salute you sir.

Will also wash your smalls if on passing.

Thank you
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by robing »

I've used Europcar abroad. V easy to use just download the app.
TonyR
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Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by TonyR »

mjr wrote:
tyreon wrote:Portsmouth to Leicester.

Cheapest walk up fare is £88, super off peak, leave Portsmouth between 8 and 1 or after 4. Anyone know if you can book bikes onto EMT at two hours notice?


It's substantially cheaper to buy two advanced singles - about £56 - and cheaper still with a railcard although that has an up front outlay.

You can probably get it even cheaper still with split ticketing. I don't know Portsmouth but Southampton to Brighton via Clapham Junction plus Clapham Junction to Waterloo is about 2/3rds the price of Southampton to Waterloo. The place to ask for the best fare is the RailUK forum.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by tatanab »

robing wrote:I've used Europcar abroad. V easy to use just download the app.
I've used Europcar for a one way rental in England. There are 2 locations in Portsmouth and 2 in Leicester also. Cost of an Astra sized car is about £95 (plus fuel of course). I imagine there is a Europcar office in Santander where you could make a booking.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: car hire v train prices

Post by simonhill »

With no preparation a hire car is probably your best bet.

I had a look at an advance train booking site spottedredhanky and found ticket P to L for about £30 on Wednesday. You can use the site to find cheap ticket then go to station and buy same over the counter. Not suitable here as you won't want to wait 3 days in P, but might be useful next time.

An over 60s railcard gets 33% discount on most tickets, but has to be bought in advance for about £30.

Unfortunately our train system doesn't like spontaneity.
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