Grr Sunday train timetable

laird

Stevenage to York could well be worth looking at split ticketing, it won't get you round the problem of having to change trains but might help to get lower total cost.
As Yorkie picked up there are two train companies involved. In future for Sunday travel it might be worth looking at fares from Stevenage to Doncaster/Newark North Gate and then from there to York. The wait between trains should be about 10 minutes and usually it won't mean leaving the platform at the connecting station.
Leeds could also work out cheap but you might not like the additional travel time involved.

A benefit of changing at Doncaster is that you may find the competition from the train operators running between Doncaster and York brings down the fare for that section of the journey.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

With regards to price they have only released tickets up to 18th of may so depending on when you are making the trip you may have booked them too early.

Yorkie1

I'll remember the split ticketing suggestion for the future, thanks.

The journey is the 13th May so just within the time for released tickets.

I've never before had to change trains in 23 years of travelling up EC main line from Stevenage!

laird

Part of going to a clockface timetable was that the stopping patterns of the trains would become standardised, now if you want to travel from Stevenage to Leeds it would seem a much improved service.
The problem is that in standardising stopping patterns the range of destinations that have direct services falls.
There was a public consultation at the time of the changes being proposed but unless you travel reasonably regularly the meaning behind it would be easily missed.