Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Slicker777

John89001 wrote: »

"Doubling back" is not normally allowed, and this is defined as passing through the same station more than once.

But the computer systems seem to have decided that there is no station you would pass through more than once on this journey and, having looked at this carefully, I think that is right.

Now Willesden Junction station is not on the West Coast Main Line - it is several hundred metres to the east. Of the three intermediate stations, none have platforms on the fast lines, so I think it is correct to say that there is no station that one passes through more than once.

If this is correct then all tickets (except perhaps some Advance tickets) routed Kensington Olympia are valid via Euston in this way - a significant discovery.

John

When you say "doubling back" should the train stop at the station that I'll be going via or should it just pass through? Or either?

Thanks

dzug1

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

When I was searching for my Southport to Hereford trip I checked a few sites, and none of them had any £11 tickets except for qjump. I was quite surprised at that and have no idea how it works. Incidentally I got the same seat that I often get for the Manchester Piccadilly to Hereford leg of the journey, and I usually get it when booking via National Express, so they obviously don't allocate certain seats to certain agencies.

.

Qjump I think searches for the cheapest fare.

Most of the others search for the fastest journeys and then look for all fares, including the cheapest, for the journeys that they have found. If you know how to ask them, they will show the cheapest fares as well - but it can be a bit of a black art.

dzug1

John89001 wrote: »

Very interesting. Thanks for pointing this out.

"Doubling back" is not normally allowed, and this is defined as passing through the same station more than once.

But the computer systems seem to have decided that there is no station you would pass through more than once on this journey and, having looked at this carefully, I think that is right.

The route would be from Coventry to Euston on the fast lines, then from Euston to Willesden Junction on the "electric" lines, then from Willesden Junction to Gatwick via Kensington Olympia. (I know that all 6 lines out of Euston have been electrified since the 1970s, but the slowest pair of lines still retain that title.)

Now Willesden Junction station is not on the West Coast Main Line - it is several hundred metres to the east. Of the three intermediate stations, none have platforms on the fast lines, so I think it is correct to say that there is no station that one passes through more than once.

If this is correct then all tickets (except perhaps some Advance tickets) routed Kensington Olympia are valid via Euston in this way - a significant discovery.

John

I've found an easement in the routing guide:

000085Journeys from Kensington Olympia and Willesden Jn made on tickets with a cross-London marker may double back from Euston. This easement applies in both directions


Whilst I wouldn't have though this particular ticket should have a cross London marker it sounds as though that's what's been programmed into the database.

aleksander

dzug1 wrote: »

Qjump I think searches for the cheapest fare.

Most of the others search for the fastest journeys and then look for all fares, including the cheapest, for the journeys that they have found. If you know how to ask them, they will show the cheapest fares as well - but it can be a bit of a black art.

That is why National Express East Coast is (in my opinion) the best company to book with, because you can select 'show slower routes' on the left-hand side and choose the fares and routes you want more easily than everyone else based on The Trainline.

John89001

Slicker777 wrote: »

When you say "doubling back" should the train stop at the station that I'll be going via or should it just pass through? Or either?

Unless there is an easement, or the station is part of a group of stations for this purpose, it is not permitted to pass through the same station more than once. It doesn't matter if the train stops there or not.

Easements are listed here http://www.atoc.org/rsp/_downloads/Routeing_Guide/easements.htm

Group stations are explained and listed here http://www.atoc.org/rsp/_downloads/Routeing_Guide/instructions.htm

John

John89001

dzug1 wrote: »

I've found an easement in the routing guide:

000085Journeys from Kensington Olympia and Willesden Jn made on tickets with a cross-London marker may double back from Euston. This easement applies in both directions


Whilst I wouldn't have though this particular ticket should have a cross London marker it sounds as though that's what's been programmed into the database.

I don't think this easement applies to a Coventry to Gatwick journey. I think the journey planners are allowing travel via Euston because they deem that there is no station which one passes through more than once. I didn't think this would be possible but, having examined Quail's track diagrams, I'm convinced.

John

adamtrainman

The 'cross' on london tickets implies that it includes the cross london connection be it tube/tram/train or DLR. The easement is saying instead of going by tube you can use the overground to into Euston and get your mainline train back out instead, its nothing to do with this ticket via Kensington.

My advice is to take the change at Watford Jcn as its a shorter overall journey time and less changes too. If you do decide to take the via Euston journey then print out the journey itinery off the internet for your chosen journey as proof to anyone who queries it that the journey planner says you can.

spikejrt

Dear All

Does anyone know a cheaper way to get a standard walk on fare from Bath Spa to Sheffield with YP card to travel tomorrow come back Saturday? So far the cheapest I can get it for is £48 or splitting about £45 (bath-chelt, chelt-brum, brum-sheffield). Any other ideas?

Spikejrt

muffinhead

Can anyone help me find a better price for a single ticket from Reading to Bristol Temple Meads for between 7:30am-8am on Wednesday 4th March. Cheapest I can find is one for £45.

Bogof_Babe

muffinhead wrote: »

Can anyone help me find a better price for a single ticket from Reading to Bristol Temple Meads for between 7:30am-8am on Wednesday 4th March. Cheapest I can find is one for £45.

There's one on Qjump for £7.50 if you don't mind leaving at 6 minutes past midnight, and arriving at 1.21 a.m. If you could work out what to do with yourself for a few hours during the small hours of the morning, (make sure you stay safe), that is a heck of a good price.