Something to Declare: two-for-one in London; the Manchester Ship Canal

Travelling by train to the capital can save you cash on anything from theatre tickets to London Zoo.

Bargain of the week: two-for-one in London

Travelling by train to the capital can save you cash on anything from theatre tickets to London Zoo. To entice visitors, and reward those who leave their cars at home, the website www.londontrainsoffers.co.uk offers deals at a dozen West End shows, from Les Miserables to Stomp. The standard offer for theatres taking part in the scheme is two top-price tickets for the price of one, plus a £1.50 booking fee; Friday and Saturday evenings are usually excluded.

The deal with London Zoo is that the normal £13 admission price covers two adults (or an adult plus a child) if you complete the online voucher, print it out and produce it together with your rail tickets. The same arrangement applies at the Tower of London, Hampton Court and many other attractions.

Destination of the week: the Manchester Ship Canal

Mersey Ferries (above) has just released its schedule of salings along the Ship Canal between Liverpool Pool Head and Salford Quays. Between 24 April and 3 October, the vessels that normally cross the Mersey will be making 16 round trips on the 35-mile run, each taking around six hours. The standard pattern is eastbound on a Saturday (Liverpool-Manchester) and back the day after. The standard fare of £29 includes bus travel back to the port where you boarded. Book ahead on 0151 330 1444.