Sunday train takes twice as long but fare the same

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  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,357
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    Sago48 wrote: »
    My main question - is there a way to get the fare reduced because it's a poor journey - doesn't seem to have an answer and I'll assume that the answer is no.

    No, because the disruption has been publicised in advance and the departure and arrival times notified to you before you choose to purchase a ticket.

    If the train is delayed for reasons under the control of the railway and does not run according to timetable then there are delay compensation arrangements.
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • yorkie2
    yorkie2 Posts: 1,595
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    Sago48 wrote: »
    Thanks for those responses. I did find a split but on one leg only and it would be more expensive.
    There is a website which calculates splits for you. It did find a split but it was only £4 cheaper.

    Do you want the cheapest journey, albeit a slow one? If so, a London - Crewe Super Off Peak R valid on London Midland only £29. Then Crewe - Preston Off Peak R is £25.30

    However you'd need to use LM between London & Crewe which will increase journey time.
  • mrs_sparrow
    mrs_sparrow Posts: 1,917 Forumite
    There is a 'Travel card' option that is Groupsave 3 or 4 - try adding that onto your booking to see if you can save money too, it never just comes up automatically, you have to choose to add it on. It more than halved the cost of my friends travel price so would even be worth buying for someone who *might be sick and could not travel after all*.
  • Sago48
    Sago48 Posts: 42
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    Well the MSE site has now lost two drafts - when I post it requires me to log in again and then gives me a blank screen. When I navigate back here the post has gone. I'll copy this on into a text editor before trying to post.

    It worked this time.

    Thanks to all.

    Mrs sparrow it's a good idea but we've got Freedom passes.

    Owain I agree about the usual delay stuff but hoped that I might find something to cover my Sunday situation. I've asked Passenger Focus.

    Wealdroam - I appreciate your faith in our ability to understand train fares.

    Yorkie2 you're right about the sup off peak return on LM to Crewe - £19+ with a railcard - and I'd already looked, but no returns were offered at all for my dates. When I read your post I had another look with a different return date and the cheap fare was there. So I think the problem is that there are no LM trains into London on the Sun and so no cheap fare. I'll ring LM on Mon and ask them. Many thanks.
  • Sago48
    Sago48 Posts: 42
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    4th time it's deleted the post. Copied it this time so here it is:

    Well the MSE site has now lost two (3 now) drafts - when I post it requires me to log in again and then gives me a blank screen. When I navigate back here the post has gone. I'll copy this on into a text editor before trying to post.

    Thanks to all.

    Mrs sparrow it's a good idea but we've got Freedom passes.

    Owain I agree about the usual delay stuff but hoped that I might find something to cover my Sunday situation. I've asked Passenger Focus.

    Wealdroam - I appreciate your faith in our ability to understand train fares.

    Yorkie2 you're right about the sup off peak return on LM to Crewe - £19+ with a railcard - and I'd already looked, but no returns were offered at all for my dates. When I read your post I had another look with a different return date and the cheap fare was there. So I think the problem is that there are no LM trains into London on the Sun and so no cheap fare. I'll ring LM on Mon and ask them. Many thanks.
  • Simon11
    Simon11 Posts: 745
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    Virgin aren't looking to increase revenue because of the disruption (since NR will cover all revenue losses). Its more the case that service frequency is reduced to a minimum so they can't carry the usual amount of passengers.

    No point bothering Passenger Focus, they can't do anything here. Virgin have already done as much as they can to ensure they can run the best service possible.
    "No likey no need to hit thanks button!":p
    However its always nice to be thanked if you feel mine and other people's posts here offer great advice:D So hit the button if you likey:rotfl:
  • yorkie2
    yorkie2 Posts: 1,595
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    There is a 'Travel card' option that is Groupsave 3 or 4 - try adding that onto your booking to see if you can save money too, it never just comes up automatically, you have to choose to add it on. It more than halved the cost of my friends travel price so would even be worth buying for someone who *might be sick and could not travel after all*.
    The passenger is travelling to Preston and doesn't appear to require a London Travelcard.

    GroupSave discounts are only available on selected flows (and, in the case of Travelcards, only for selected 'out-boundary' Travelcards from origins outside the London Zones 1-6).

    Although it's not clear, it appears there are likely to only be 2 passengers, so a GroupSave discount wouldn't help anyway.

    And finally, the OP says in post #10 that they have Railcards, and therefore a GroupSave discount (which is inferior to a Railcard discount) wouldn't be applicable.
    Sago48 wrote: »
    Yorkie2 you're right about the sup off peak return on LM to Crewe - £19+ with a railcard - and I'd already looked, but no returns were offered at all for my dates. When I read your post I had another look with a different return date and the cheap fare was there. So I think the problem is that there are no LM trains into London on the Sun and so no cheap fare. I'll ring LM on Mon and ask them. Many thanks.
    If you use the LM website, search for London to Crewe and choose 'select a route' then tick both "LM only" options, the results should show, and they do for 8th August, but not for 10th August, so yes contact LM about that. You could try contacting LM on Twitter? Some of their Twitter people are very knowledgeable indeed...
  • Sago48
    Sago48 Posts: 42
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    Thanks again. I've not been able to log in and have had to get a new password - again. Strange site this.

    Simon - I didn't think Virgin were trying to make money out of the disruption. I'm intrigued that you know Virgin have done their best though.

    Re Passenger focus. I was going to ask them about any 'rules' but decided there weren't any so didn't ask in the end.

    Yorkie - thanks again for your efforts.Yes we've got Freedom passes (hoorah!) senior cards, and there are only 2 of us. Have tweeted LM -haven't rung them yet as was out all day yesterday.

    Overall it's pretty clear I'll just have to do the 4 hours +++ option and pay whatever the normal fare is. I really don't think this is reasonable though.
  • dzug1
    dzug1 Posts: 13,535
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    Cheap advances on Fridays and Sundays at short notice are not that plentiful at the best of times


    There is a £29.50 advance still available on the Friday - on the 2030 from Euston which may be too late for you
  • Sago48
    Sago48 Posts: 42
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    Site asked me to log in again and then deleted this post. So it'll probably appear twice when I post again. We shall see.

    The LM tweet advised that there is an agreement between some operators to honour tickets and this includes Chiltern but not Virgin. So return will be via Brum and then Marylbone. Outward is an hour longer in all, and saving is £40+

    So not quite the model result I was looking for, but a good reduction even so.

    Thanks to Yorkie2 especially, whose advice re the LM options enabled me to persist in getting to this result.
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