How to cut the cost of train travel by half

students in particular can save money on train tickets, but there are ways we can all reduce costs. Follow the six key steps

students across the country to go to college in the next few weeks, and many will have to pay through the nose for expensive tickets train. However, it only takes a few simple steps to reduce expenses by almost half - despite railways rarely say how

We take the example of a student who lives in Gloucester from the University of Newcastle, where the cooler weeks after September 23. Leave it at the last minute (see below) and you have to pay 108 pounds sterling. However, a single ticket purchased for the trip this week on September 21 cost ? 58.50, depending on National Rail Enquiries.

But our students can beat that. We have reduced the cost of ? 28.50 in four steps (boring, could not give a practical example of a return ticket at the end of December that the railways do not usually allow buyers to return books more 12 weeks in advance).

step: Divide your ticket

This applies to almost all medium-haul flights and long distance. In the example from Gloucester to Newcastle, the route requires a change of train from Birmingham New Street. If the traveler only buy two one-way tickets from Gloucester to Birmingham New Street (? 11 Sept. 21) and Birmingham New Street to Newcastle (the cheapest ticket 37 €), he or she could save € 10.50 immediately . Tickets can be purchased from the beginning of the journey, so that the traveler does not have to rush around the interchange station to buy another ticket.

Split-ticketing is a must for all travelers and not similar to what you have to change trains, but sometimes in trains. For example, it may be advantageous to buy from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport to split the ticket on trains that stop at Stansted (it clips ? 4 ? 23.40 on a single purchase to advance).

Step Two: Get a 16-25 Train

The Train 16-25, also adult students in full-time training, registration of third owners of the rail fares. It costs ? 30 per year or € 70 for three years.

Note that there is a minimum of ? 12 travel before 10am Monday to Friday, except July and August and holidays.

students who choose to open their main bank account to Santander will this year receive a free railcard, making it one of the best offers from different banks offers.

application of our travel railcard Gloucester to Newcastle takes a lead single standard price ? 58.50 to ? 38.60. However, if you split your ticket and use your Railcard, the price drops to ? 31.70.

Third step: Get an additional discount with NUS extra card

trains between countries gives students a 10% discount on the price if they have an NUS card. This rule applies even after the 33% discount on your Railcard, and can be used on any skiing and Central tickets early. See crosscountrytrains.co.uk.

In our example Gloucester Newcastle, where two matches of the day are the trains cross country, discount brings the price of conventional ticket € 34.75 and split reduces the input price only € 28 , 50. So with these three simple steps, a bill of ? 58.50 is now 28.50 EUR.

NUS extra cards cost ? 12, but they also offer discounts on a wide variety of shops and services, such as 5% off Amazon - if the position of the company in the tax would not too many ethical concerns. It is available in NUS.org.uk.



Step: Avoid booking fees


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NSA surveillance critics to testify before Congress

Rep. Alan Grayson said he heard help stop "misleading information" constant intelligence chiefs

testimony before Congress criticism of supervisory practices of the NSA for the first time since the termination leaks Edward Snowden explosives made public.

Rep. Alan Grayson, who is leading a bipartisan group in the organization of the Congress of the hearing, told the Guardian that serve to counter the constant intelligence community "misleading".

The hearing will take place on Wednesday, comes as signs of rebellion growth NSA data collection methods of the Congress.

Wednesday, a vote in the House of Representatives tried to curb the practice of mass collecting the phone records of millions of Americans of the NSA was defeated.

However, it exposes the broader concern than expected among members of Congress about surveillance tactics of the United States. A majority of Democratic members voted for the amendment.

Grayson, who was instrumental in building support among Democrats of the amendment, said Wednesday's hearing will mark the first time critical methods NSA monitoring have testified before Congress Snowden leaks published by The Guardian and The Washington Post.

"I am concerned that we have always heard in recent weeks by General Keith Alexander [NSA Director] and James Clapper [Director of National Intelligence] side of your story" he says. "We just do not hear anything in Congress critics of the program.

"We set up an ad hoc bipartisan hearing on the plan on Capitol detractors domestic surveillance program should come and give their views - .. From left to right and right "

Grayson told the audience had the support of both parties and has been endorsed by Republican Congressman Justin Amash, a draft amendment was narrowly defeated.

• "Mr. Amash has declared an interest in the public, there are several others who have a libertarian bent - .. Similarly to represent the minority of Republicans who have decided to vote in favor of Amendment Amash "

The hearing will take place during a Senate hearing on the activities of the NSA. This may Gen Alexander and his assistant, Chris Inglis and senior officials of the Ministry of Justice and the FBI will.

The simultaneous hearings will result in a remarkable juxtaposition between opponents and supporters of government surveillance activities.

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Biographies of 3 Chinese SF airliner crash victims

Pulp fiction: bringing pop-up paper theatre to life

magical and beautifully designed

, Kristin and miniature model of the universe Davy McGuire is full of visual wonders, the last of which is presented in London Barbican season beyond

Davy McGuire grew up as an only child. He lived in his imagination, keeps loneliness by building small houses with small imaginary characters. A few decades later, it still is - but now with his wife, Kristin. Overall, the McGuires build worlds entirely of paper, which then gives them life with projections, optical illusions and the involvement of stakeholders.

"We never had to work with paper," says Kristin. "I just came out of curiosity. Modelers were not. I do not even know how to cut the paper. Ended up having to acquire the skills they have been good. "

The McGuires, including the latest installment, the role of the architect, opened in Leytonstone, East London, as part of the Barbican season beyond, are just two of a wave of modest but interesting to explore the creative possibilities of paper artists. Include book, creating exquisite Films DIY cuts cornflake-packet and a projector, and visual artist Yuken Teruya, including paper bags purchase can currently be seen in an exhibition titled - what else? - Document Saatchi Gallery in London. Even the advertising is having his Blue Peter moment: a city announcement on national television has a role emerge

Enter study

McGuires "in Bristol, where they work with her dog - cat named, but of course - and enter a world that feels like a last bastion of 19th century kingdom illusion and magic. lit paper butterflies dance in jam jars, a row of Edwardian houses complete with iron railings richly detailed and washing lines reminiscent of a doll house, and a rural scene with pool and trees cry until come to life.'s all done by hand entirely of paper. A smaller than the little finger represents hours of hard work for the couple, who met at university in the Netherlands exquisite cage, where Kristin, who was trained as a dancer, Dartington Davy Graduate threw in one of his pieces.

"I kept asking, we have developed a working relationship, we can have a private well?" Smiles.

two were interested in exploring the limits of performance (Kristin is a former national rhythmic gymnast), but neither imagined their lives would be so closely linked to the dough. One day in 2009, Kristin was shining a light behind a pop-up book, and began to wonder if it would be possible to turn a book into a play. Even Maguire are not quite sure what you need to describe what they do, which covers installation, dioramas, music videos, animations and performance.

• "Maybe I would not call a lot of what we do as a theater, but it was always strong theatrical elements," says Kristin. His first theatrical adventure pop-up, Icebook, was certainly different - an animated fairy tale mixed paper tricky and cunning in this respect that the experience was like falling head first into a pop history of childhood Everything was so fragile that it felt like. a dream.

The McGuires Icebook seen as a miniature map, and were surprised when it became an international success. "We think it is an opportunity to get out of a big show," said Davy, "but people appreciated the privacy." Kristin agrees: "When you start playing with the scale, makes people look in a new way his approach is different start to see all the little details and moments in history in a digital world, there is something attractive in something ... which is done by hand. With CGI, you can not discuss something as quick and easy, but when done by hand, you can see the beauty in imperfections. "

Davy
nods. "People always ask me how, but do not want to tell them. This is not just for business reasons, but because they want to keep the element of magic and surprise."

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Islamists rally to support Egypt's president

Powerball jackpot quickly jumps to $550 million

> Ticket sales soar as the excitement grows for a chance to win the grand prize.

Adam Buxton: 'I was called a smarmy, greased-up dwarf'

solo Adam Buxton Bug mocks the casual brutality of expression online

"is a sharp turn in the era of network," says comedian Adam Buxton, "learn to cope with a new kind of sport, brutal criticism from people that you have ever met. " Remember, with a slight smile, someone once described as "a smarmy little dwarf oiled-up." But the 43-year-old, is better able to handle more Internet obnoxiousness. Past several years, been on a live comedy show called

Bug makes great horrible things they say to each other online. "Children, especially, pressing buttons each "as Buxton think" say the unsayable, kiss How Social interaction works. "

It is the most expensive, no doubt, the teen comedy created with his friend Joe Cornish under the banner of his double act, Adam & Joe. But Bug

was successful sustainable solo Buxton, held regularly since 2007 at the BFI in London and on tour in the UK this summer. I met him in a sunny spot in London, right next to the station from his home in Norfolk, and a couple of hours before he was due on stage in West London.

Bug

VIDEO

is nominally extravagant showcase, taken from YouTube and enthusiasm associated with Buxton, which is something like an amateur. (Once, I ran a promo Radiohead.) The real fun, however, comes after each clip when Buxton read some of the comments that have been published on the film. Blunt ads, surprising confessions, mean little Snipes ... Logical errors and mocked misspellings subtly highlighted, the exchanges become small surrealist works. "I think the Internet has created an environment where people are not forced to consider the consequences of what they say," said Buxton. "It may be unlocked some of the people in the past have learned to hide, but you know, even saying something like that now seems reactionary snob course, everyone has the right to speak - .. And people for it. "When Bug started, remember, do not imagine that this would be the last Once those expected to beat and overwhelming comment Internet "failure." N

• What has disappeared, to the chagrin of fans across the country, it is their 6Music radio show with Cornish. After diffusion into and out of 2007-2011, they stopped because promising Cornish launched a second career as a director, responsible for the British sci-fi thriller 2011
• Attack the Block
• . Does the radio gone forever? "I hope not," said Buxton. "It is understood that we are on a gap year, while Joe conquer the film world ... I would be very sad if we do nothing more. Fingers crossed that everything goes wrong for Joe."
If that last comment posted online may need an emoticon Winky or more exclamation points, clarify sarcasm. Thus, Buxton leans forward and clear in my dictaphone. "It was a joke"

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