Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

lea_t88

thelawnet wrote: »

There are cheaper tickets, e.g., Chinley - Leeds, at £55.70/week, which are valid from Stalybridge, since the shortest route from Chinley to Leeds is:

Chinley - Guide Bridge
Guide Bridge - Leeds (via Stalybridge)

and a ticket is, unless stated otherwise, always valid on the shortest route.

Since this would be a season ticket you can start and finish short at any point along the route, e.g., Stalybridge - Leeds.

Thanks for your help. I have looked into this and the National Rail site says:

"Available Standard Class Adult Season Tickets (Travel is allowed by any route option shown by the Journey Planner where the journey can be made using only one ticket.)"

Chinley to Leeds via Stalybridge (at the time I want to leave Stalybridge) isn't an option on the journey planner unfortunately.

All this conusion makes me want to take the car instead!

lea_t88

To elaborate on this, I have just spoken with an online advisor from First TransPennine Express who said the £6.25 fare from Manchester to Leeds at 08.06 is definitely valid even though I have used my railcard.

miller

lea_t88 wrote: »

To elaborate on this, I have just spoken with an online advisor from First TransPennine Express who said the £6.25 fare from Manchester to Leeds at 08.06 is definitely valid even though I have used my railcard.

They are correct.

From [URL="http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/buy-16-25-railcard/railcard-terms-conditions]"]http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/buy-16-25-railcard/railcard-terms-conditions[/URL]
A £12 minimum fare applies for journeys starting between 4.30am-10am Monday to Friday excluding Advance Fares.This minimum fare does not apply on Public Holidays in England and Wales or throughout July and August.

thelawnet

lea_t88 wrote: »

Thanks for your help. I have looked into this and the National Rail site says:

"Available Standard Class Adult Season Tickets (Travel is allowed by any route option shown by the Journey Planner where the journey can be made using only one ticket.)"

Chinley to Leeds via Stalybridge (at the time I want to leave Stalybridge) isn't an option on the journey planner unfortunately.

No, you don't need to consider whether Chinley to Leeds via Stalybridge is an option on the journey planner at the time you want to travel.

If you look at your contract for travel:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/nrcc/NRCOC.pdf

You may travel between the stations shown on the ticket you hold in:
(i) a train on which you are able to make your entire journey without changing trains;
(ii) trains which take the shortest route which can be used by scheduled passenger services; or
(iii) trains which take the routes shown in the National Routeing Guide.



The shortest route is not necessarily trivial:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/maps/nationalrailnetworkmapZoom.pdf

As you can see the shortest route between Chinley and Leeds could be:

Chinley - Romiley
Romiley - Guide Bridge
Guide Bridge - Stalybridge (note there is no scheduled service marked on the map)
Stalybridge - Leeds


Chinley - Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly - Stalybridge
Stalybridge - Leeds

Or

Chinley - Sheffield
Sheffield - Leeds

Chinley - Sheffield is officially 25 1/2 miles http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20078.pdf

Sheffield - Leeds shortest route is:

Sheffield - Wakefield Kirkgate via Barnsley (27 miles http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20034.pdf)
Wakefield Kirkgate - Wakefield Westgate (1 mile http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20032.pdf)
Wakefield Westgate - Leeds (10 miles http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20031.pdf)

Total 38 miles

So Chinley - Leeds via Sheffield is 63 1/2 miles

Chinley - Manchester Piccadilly is 16 1/2 miles (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20078.pdf)
Manchester Piccadilly - Stalybridge is 7 3/4 miles (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20039.pdf)
Stalybridge - Leeds is 35 1/4 miles (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20039.pdf)

So Chinley - Leeds via Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge is 59 1/2 miles.

So clearly the route via Sheffield is NOT the shortest route.

However "trains which take the shortest route which can be used by scheduled passenger services" is the key phrase here.

As it happens there is one train per week from Guide Bridge to Stalybridge, at 09:43 on Fridays.

So the shortest route is therefore

Chinley - Romiley (9 miles http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20078.pdf)
Romiley - Guide Bridge (5 3/4 miles http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May12/timetables/Table%20078.pdf)
Guide Bridge - Stalybridge (3 miles, based on Manchester Pic - Stalybridge at 7 3/4 miles, minus 43/4 miles Manchester Pic - Guide Bridge)
Stalybridge - Leeds 35 1/4 miles as above

Total 53 miles

All of which means that you can definitely use a Chinley - Leeds ticket from Stalybridge.

All this conusion makes me want to take the car instead!

Indeed

thelawnet

A bit more on the Guide Bridge - Stalybridge service:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockport-Stalybridge_Line

It's definitely there, but if they close it down then the shortest route would in future be via Manchester!

Livingthedream

lea_t88 wrote: »

To elaborate on this, I have just spoken with an online advisor from First TransPennine Express who said the £6.25 fare from Manchester to Leeds at 08.06 is definitely valid even though I have used my railcard.

My advice, phone them back up, stating that your a bit concerned about getting challenged on the train by the train manager with that ticket and is there any chance they could email a valid itinerary.

Or buy online and print out the itinerary.

firstnoel

I wonder if anyone can suggest the cheapest way of travelling to IOW from london. To leave london on 23rd dec and return on 27th or 28th dec. I saw national express coach tickets for 36pds return to Ryde, but I'm not too sure about coach journey. Would prefer train journey if there's anything cheap.

I've never been to IOW before and it looks like there are so many changes to make on the trip. Grateful for any help.

thelawnet

London - Ryde Hoverport is £53, from Waterloo direct to Portsmouth Harbour then across on the hovercraft. Fully flexible. £35 with a network railcard or young person's railcard (both cost £28 and valid for a year)

Slower is a Southern Daysave

http://www.southernrailwaytickets.com/buytickets/daysave/DaySave.php?sEvent=TicketDetails

£12 per day but only via a slow route

then take one of the ferries, e.g. £17.50 from Southampton to Cowes

http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/ferry-travel/red-jet-hi-speed-service/fares-and-offers-from-the-iow/

thelawnet

There is also East Croydon - Ryde Hoverport, for £42 return (£27.70 with railcard), valid from Clapham Junction to Portsmouth Harbour, if you want to start from Waterloo then you need a train that calls at Clapham Junction, plus a single London - Clapham Junction at £2.80 each way (less with 16-25 railcard)

wealdroam

There is also National Express Coaches through booking from London Victoria to Ryde Esplanade.
The coach goes to Clarence Pier Southsea, where the hovercraft departs from.
£18.00 each way including hovercraft.