Cheap Train Fares guide discussion

jd87

thelawnet wrote: »

I wonder if there is any chance of this article being rewritten by someone with expertise in train ticketing.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets

The article is not accurate, and is missing much info on how to save money.

Perhaps you could be more specific?

geordie_taxi

thelawnet wrote: »

I wonder if there is any chance of this article being rewritten by someone with expertise in train ticketing.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets

The article is not accurate, and is missing much info on how to save money.

excellent. I nominate the following forum members with the relevant expertise to help rewrite the guide.

fare dodging/disputes & prosecutions - geordie_taxi & stigy
tips on cheap train ticket methods - dzug1, wealdroam & jeff bridges hair
online promo bloodhounds - livingthedream & miller
routeing guide - thelawnet & redux
searching out railway info for the guide - rdwarr

sorry if ive missed anybody out

thelawnet

jd87 wrote: »

Perhaps you could be more specific?

Well for instance the season ticket section could be a whole guide in itself, and the section on split ticketing suggests that if your train is delayed on a split ticket journey, subsequent tickets might be invalidated. This is incorrect under the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, which provide that split tickets can constitute a single journey - the actual tickets used are irrelevant.

thelawnet

Some season ticket topics:

* Comparing daily with season prices - check brfares.com
* Regional products (South Yorkshire Travelmaster, and many similar) vs. point-to-point season
* Alternate tickets priced by different train companies, that may cover a longer journey than another ticket, but be cheaper
* Combining seasons with Oyster
* Season ticket routeing peculiarities:
** combining a season ticket with a single or return ticket(s) - train does not have to call at the stations you split at
** two-way routeing on a single journey, e.g., a season ticket valid from A to C via B and A to C via D, is valid for a journey between B and D
** Combining two zonal seasons

etc.

harryhound

Does an annual season ticket in the London Area still count as a "gold card" and entitle the partner of the season ticket holder to a "Gold Card" (basically a local area Rail Card)?.
I often wondered what was the cheapest annual season ticket that qualified for these "gold card" privileges?

I used to work with a colleague who had a Zone 2 card plus a bit of healthy walking BUT if the zone 2 tube route messed up, he could use an alternative route that went through the central zone.

And your specialist area on Master Mind is .......................:rotfl:

wealdroam

harryhound wrote: »

I often wondered what was the cheapest annual season ticket that qualified for these "gold card" privileges?

The cheapest annual season ticket with gold card benefits is from Ryde Esplanade to Ryde St Johns Road at £156.00.

thelawnet

A partner gold card is just a Network Railcard, available to anyone for £28.

You can get an Oyster loaded with Gold card discount, which automatically discounts off peak fares.

Cheapest NS-area gold cards are £156 per year, i.e. Pevensey Bay - Pevensey & Westham, Newhaven Harbour - Newhaven Town, Ryde Esplanade - St Johns Road. Also possibly Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids at £128 for a ticket valid 3 weekdays + weekend, but not sure if this one counts.

I would avoid the Ryde one, cos it's such a well-known loophole, and on the Isle of Wight. Still valid, but the others are better choices.

miller

If the annual travelcard season is not from a station from outside the zones, it might be worth purchasing somewhere like Richmond/Wimbledon to potentially benefit from the South West Trains 6 x free weekend tickets.

marge20

can anyone help I have a family and friends rail card but iam not taking my children on my journey with me but adding the rail card makes it cheaper could i buy it with the child on it and go alone or would I get in trouble

wealdroam

marge20 wrote: »

can anyone help I have a family and friends rail card but iam not taking my children on my journey with me but adding the rail card makes it cheaper could i buy it with the child on it and go alone or would I get in trouble

You cannot use a Family and Friends Railcard when there is no child travelling.

Not much more to be said.

Here it is from their FAQ...

Any adult can buy a Family & Friends Railcard. To use it, at least one of the group travelling must be named on the Railcard and there must also be at least one child travelling on a child rate ticket.