train tickets

With the discount from internet advance booking, the discounted fare could be even cheaper than with a Railcard... Since those 30% off on Railcard is based on standard return... But now, you will find on many routes that there are discounted 1way ticket...
Since you will only be staying in London for 2/3days, you can consider buying a 3day travel card from the ticket machine which allow you unlimited travel throughout the day within the Zone you bought the ticket for... And 3days non-stop as much as you like... It will also not only cover London Underground but also London Bus and some NationalRail services within London...
Then for the railway trip up to Manchester then York and back to London... You can have a look at www.nationalrail.co.uk which will have plenty of discounted fare around if you book in advance (at least 14days in advance)... And sometimes there are heavily discounted one-way fare which buying 2 one-way could be cheaper than buying a return...
As I have said, with the discount that NationalRail website provide, I really dont think you can get any cheaper than that... For example, a one-way journey to Manchester with Virgin Train could cost you as little as GBP12.5 one-way... But of course these cheap discounted ticket are usually during non-peak hours (after 9:30am...)...

而家D火車飛已經平咗好多
圖片參考：http://hk.yimg.com/i/icon/16/4.gif
, 如果你有留意嘅話會發現有時買兩張 single 仲平過一張 return. 7-days advanced ticket (single or return) 同 day-saver return ticket 係最平嘅飛, 所以都係嗰句 - 越早買越好 (7 days at least), 上 www.nationalrail.co.uk 格格價你就知. 但講明先, 唔係條條 route 都有特別票價. 仲有, 即曰响火車站買長程車飛永遠係最 $$$$$$!!
其實如果你父母超過 60yrs 嘅話坐 Nationalexpress coach 會有半價, 乜嘢 route 都係.
Hope this helps :)

2007-03-25 11:39:25 補充：
Ooorrr.... 如果係 London centre 又唔同喇! 建議你買 1-day 或 3-day travelcard, 視乎係留兩曰定三日. 價$如下:1-day off-peak = 5.1pounds each1 day peak = 6.6pounds each3-day anytime = 16.4pounds each(全部價$係適用於 zone 1-2 (London 市內), 大人飛. Peak 冇時間限制, off-peak 要 930am 後先用得但 weekend/假期除外).

2007-03-25 11:45:21 補充：
至於去 Man 同 York, 仍然都係嗰句 - 上 www.nationalrail.co.uk 睇吓D火車飛價$同時間, 越早買越好! 火車係呢個 website, 冇得再平... 所以早D plan 定個 trip 買平飛, 可以慳啲$. 順帶一提, 返工時間坐火車係會貴D.

2007-03-25 11:48:12 補充：
仲有, D London travelcards 喺 underground station 嘅 ticket machine 有得賣. 呢D飛巴士都用得.