Reasons to travel midweek

5 reasons to make the most of midweek travel

The cities across our region have so much to offer. There’s shopping in Leeds, history in York, the sights of Edinburgh, the hustle and bustle of Glasgow and so much more. And while a weekend away in one of these fantastic locations is always fun, you can’t beat a midweek break.

Whether you’re looking to save some cash or avoid the crowds, here are five reasons why a midweek break could be your perfect escape.

1. You’ll find smaller crowds and shorter queues

   If you want to visit the National Football Museum in Manchester, Edinburgh Castle, York Minster or The Deep in Hull, a weekend trip will mean crowds and queues.
   
   By heading to one of these cities during the week, you can enjoy the attractions in peace without the weekend tourists. And if you travel outside of the school holidays, you won’t have to contend with families looking for something to entertain the kids. That means you’ll be able to really take in the beauty of the stained glass in York Minster and take your time strolling around the magnificent cathedral. Plus, the queue to take a penalty at the Football Museum will be much shorter!
   
   
   
   

2. You have your pick of the restaurants (and some great deals too)

   When you travel last minute to a UK city at the weekend, you’ll no doubt struggle to get a table at the best restaurants. But if you travel during the week when less people will be eating out, you have a much better chance of getting a table – even on the same day. This gives you more choice of potential places to eat and allows for spontaneity with your travel plans.
   
   You’ll also be able to take advantage of deals on midweek meals. You can enjoy a three course lunch at the new Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Manchester – Lucky Cat – for £35 per person from Tuesday to Friday from 12pm to 6.30pm. It’s a great deal to sample one of the city’s most exciting new restaurants.
   
   
   
   

3. You’ll get a unique experience

   There are some things you just can’t experience at the weekend. If you’re travelling to Glasgow, you can see Rangers or Celtic play a Scottish Premiership league match on a Saturday. But if you travel midweek, you can head to Celtic Park to watch a Champions League match under the floodlights on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The same goes for Newcastle United.
   
   If shopping is more your thing, most of the cities in the North and Scotland have late night shopping during the week. You can stroll around Harvey Nichols in Leeds until 8pm on a Thursday! You’ll also find special events held during the week at many of the independent cinemas across our region. At HOME in Manchester, Monday night is usually held for Q&A screenings of independent films with question and answer sessions with the director straight after.
   
   
   
   

4. You can save money on your train travel

   Travelling midweek is all about flexibility. You can pick a restaurant last minute or head to an attraction when you want without fear of too many queues. And that flexibility applies to your travel plans too. By travelling off-peak during the week you’ll cut the costs of your ticket. If you can be flexible with what time you travel, you can choose your train based on which offers the cheapest train tickets. Remember to always check trains an hour or two either side of your ideal time to see if you can save some money.
   
   But if you’re planning your midweek break with plenty of time to spare and you want to be super organised with your train, you can do that too when you book an advance ticket. This can save you over 50% on your train travel.
   
   
   
   

5. You can give yourself a break

   Yes, a weekend break is still a break, but with a midweek break you’re completely changing up your routine and doing something out of the ordinary.
   
   A Wednesday and Thursday night away in the middle of the week for example, means two days off work and a chance to treat yourself. You could go for a well-being break with a spa day, a sporting break with a day at the races or a music-themed break with a Wednesday night gig. Whatever you choose, you’ll be doing something memorable and getting a much needed respite from everyday life. We should all do it every once in a while!
   
   
   
   We love a midweek break and we know you will too. You’ll save some money, avoid the queues and have an amazing experience. Wherever you’re headed for your next midweek break, remember to book your tickets in advance either online or on our TPExpress app.