National Express...arghhhhhh!!!!!

[Erin]

Im getting stressed out big time here.

Im just looking at my travel options for getting up to Aberdeen next weekend. Unless I can get a shift change at work (so my last shift will be next friday rather than Saturday) flying is out of the question because the flight are coming up at stupid prices.
Trains too.....106 pound for a single journey

Anyway, I have been looking at national express again (even though I swore last time that I would never do the journey by bus again,but i need to get there as cheaply as poss as Im not sure when Ill next begetting paid ), to get from Birmingham to Aberdeen it will cost 60 pound for a single journey, I only paid 65 last time for a return so I thought this was a bit expensive. So I looked at how much it would cost if I travelled from London. Total to travel from London (including cost for travel from Kidderminster to London) is 29 pound, how do they work that out!!! The bus from london, would be the one that I would be getting on in Birmingham, but if I got on in Birmingham it would cost me 31pound more

So after looking at this I looked at how much it would cost if I booked the journey from Birmingham to Aberdeen seperately (there is a coach change in Glasgow) at it would cost me .......... 39 pound, 21 pound cheaper. Using the exact same coaches, routes, stops etc as I would be if I booked it all in one rather than the 2 seperate tickets

Arghhhhhhh, how on earth can they do that?! Makes me sooo mad

Still not sure what Im going to do yet

Hope I've not confused you all!!

[dandysmom]

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, Erin! How in the world do they come up with such strange rates

[Erin]

Its crazy isnt it Eileen, it really makes me angry that they can get away with it!

[yola]

It's the same with trains! I was trying to book OH to a business trip to Manchester last year and the prices were so confusing, the timetables so impractical and the routes (in theory a direct train from Reading) nonsensical.

He ended up driving!

I hope you work out the best/cheapest route. Bear in mind Kidder > London > Aberdeen is a heck of a journey; I did New Street to Euston once on National Express when at college in Stourbridge and it was seriously chaotic and stressful!

[Erin]

I think Ive pretty much ruled out the kiddy - london - aberdeen route, it would be about 15 hours travelling if I did that
If I dont get to change my shift at work then Ill book the Birmingham to Glasgow, then Glasgow to Aberdeen tickets.
Ill hopefully be able to swap, 1 hour on a flight is heaven compared to 11/12 on a coach

[Mags]

Have you managed to sort out your travel arrangements Erin?

[calismum]

What a nightmare. It really in a nonsense isn't it.

Do hope you get a decent option eventually. (just a thought - would it be cheaper to buy a return, sometimes they are on special?)

[Erin]

Nope not managed to book anything yet.

Like a fool I took my bank card out with me on Friday when I went out for leaving drinks with the guys from work, I tried to withdraw money out of it while drunk and blocked the pin have spent os of the day on the phone with my bank today as they told me yesturday that I could unblock my pin at a cashpoint, but it wouldnt allow me to do it. I cant even use it on line to pay for my ticket they have ordered me a new card as they think my card may be damaged which would explain me not being able to unblock the pin at the cash point. So i have to wait untill I have my new card through, hopefull will be here soon!!

[dandysmom]

Oh my, Erin, one wretched thing after another! Hope it gets sorted!!

[Moli]

Would it maybe be cheaper getting a coach to London, then the train to Aberdeen???