Cheap rail fares on main lines but not on suburban lines

JAK57

yorkie2 wrote: »

Raileasy will be cheaper when their "split ticketing" engine is launched. Yes, there will still be a small fee to pay, but it will offer through reservations and all the tickets under one booking confirmation.

Do you know when Raileasy will be launching this scheme. Presumably Train Line will also be doing something similar to remain competitive. Any information please. How far in advance is it best to book your tickets or does timing make little difference as long as you do it say, at least a week before departure.

dzug1

If you are buying off peak or anytime tickets then timing makes no difference - you can generally buy them on the day at the same price


for advance tickets timing is important - the best time to buy is as soon as they go on sale 8-12 weeks ahead of travel. But they remain on sale, at increasing prices, until the day before travel for as long as the allocations remain unsold




(great long screed about exceptions anomalies etc omitted)

Magic_Moments

JAK57 wrote: »

Do you know when Raileasy will be launching this scheme. Presumably Train Line will also be doing something similar to remain competitive. Any information please. How far in advance is it best to book your tickets or does timing make little difference as long as you do it say, at least a week before departure.

I think the question being asked is when Raileasy and Train line will be introducing this scheme. Does somebody know the answer please.

yorkie2

Raileasy - soon, not sure of exact dates. I am meeting the developers in a weeks' time so will post an update then (if not before).

Thetrainline - not on their agenda at the moment. The Train Companies do not want "split ticketing" to be offered. Thetrainline is a site run by sheep, for sheep, and does what the Train Companies want it to do, therefore it will not offer split tickets.

MikefromRaileasy

It's all ready, just waiting for RSP.

It'll do returns unlike Tickety Spilt/TTL. Consumers shouldn't be encouraged to do 2 x single journey bookings for a return, it can often be way more expensive.

That's cos of walk on singles only being £1 less than a return.

Did you know the ORR did some research that found 41% of travellers subsequently found they could have travelled for less?

DavePollard

MikefromRaileasy wrote: »

It's all ready, just waiting for RSP.

It'll do returns unlike Tickety Spilt/TTL. Consumers shouldn't be encouraged to do 2 x single journey bookings for a return, it can often be way more expensive.

That's cos of walk on singles only being £1 less than a return.

Did you know the ORR did some research that found 41% of travellers subsequently found they could have travelled for less?

That is very interesting. I presume it will simple and show the cheapest way to purchase tickets even if it means a split journey buying two tickets for example single/return to Peterborough then a direct single/return to York. It often appears through a quirk in the system splitting tickets even on the same line can be cheaper than a direct one. We saved 30% on the cost last time we did a train journey from London up to the North.

MikefromRaileasy

DavePollard wrote: »

That is very interesting. I presume it will simple and show the cheapest way to purchase tickets even if it means a split journey buying two tickets for example single/return to Peterborough then a direct single/return to York. It often appears through a quirk in the system splitting tickets even on the same line can be cheaper than a direct one. We saved 30% on the cost last time we did a train journey from London up to the North.

Well done on that saving. Yes, it will work like this and look at multiple splits not just one like you know who :-)

It's going to make it interesting cos TOC web sites are going to find it difficult to say they have the cheapest fares, even when they have discounted fares they don't make available to retailers.

Splits will have to be everywhere :-)

Steve_and_Angie

We hope when this system is up and running on Raileasy website it will be easy to follow and clear, especially when it is a case of split ticketing. We presume this could mean the outward journey you could have 3 single tickets and the return journey you may have just one return ticket, if this turned out to be the cheapest option. Hopefully someone will publish on this forum when the new system is up and running and tested.

MikefromRaileasy

Steve_and_Angie wrote: »

We hope when this system is up and running on Raileasy website it will be easy to follow and clear, especially when it is a case of split ticketing. We presume this could mean the outward journey you could have 3 single tickets and the return journey you may have just one return ticket, if this turned out to be the cheapest option. Hopefully someone will publish on this forum when the new system is up and running and tested.

It's very simple to use. It won't do a return journey as you describe above. For walk on fares singles are really expensive so it would invariably be cheaper to buy those "3 single tickets" as returns. Hope that makes sense!

Michael131

I expect the cost of the tickets will depend on the time of day you are travelling. If you want to take a train across London during the Peak Period tickets will be considerably more. The Raileasy new "System" looks interesting but what is the proposed release date. Will it cover all journeys even those involved in using the London underground system to get from one main line station to another.