Great Western Coffee Shop

Going to the FGW website (or Network Rail) to get the fare from Worcester to Paddington an anytime single costs ^31.00 an off peak single costs ^50.00

I thought the idea of off peak fares is to be cheaper not more expensive.

The ^31 Anytime single is routed via Evesham Only

The ^50 Off Peak single is route Evesham/Stroud

Not that it makes too much difference, because it should be valid on most FGW services direct to London Paddington.

The only difference it would make is if you wanted to go via Birmingham and take Virgin Trains or London Midland services from B-N-S To London (^43 Single)

I must admit I'm still confused.

Shouldn't there be an off peak single via Eversham and an anytime single via Eversham/ Stroud.

The Anytime Single via Evesham/Stroud is ^68.50.

The ^50 Off Peak is marked against Evesham / Oxford (Cotswold line) trains.

Surely then it should say under restrictions:

NOT OXFORD

Or

VIA STROUD ONLY

Go to NXEC.com, and you will get all of the available fares, with descriptions, for all the available trains ON ONE PAGE - no reloading.

No confusion, quick easy to play around to get cheapest fare.

But it's not via Stroud only. It's valid for travel on either route, whereas the ^31 anytime is via Evesham only.

The journey planners were recently merrily offering people evening peak return travel to the Cotswold Line from Paddington on CDRs, which hasn't been allowed for several years. Remember they are only as good as whoever programs the information into them. And frankly, the whole ticketing system is so complicated, riddled with inconsistencies - and getting more so - it's hardly surprising the odd bit of nonsense slips through.

The ^50 ticket is a hangover from the days of a couple of London-Worcester through trains via Stroud and Cheltenham. I can't think anyone would ever go that way by choice (I'm sure the fare restrictions will be relaxed for the diversions off the Cotswold Line in the summer) and I doubt booking office staff would ever sell one anyway, unless asked specifically for it. But this does highlight how confusing the journey planners can be for anyone who isn't wise to the system and its shortcomings.

Don't most trains that go through Evesham call at Stroud anyway?

When I ment by "VIA STROUD ONLY" is trains via Stroud as oppossed to Oxford. in other words, You have to go via Stroud/Evesham and not Oxford. An example would be:

Trowbridge - Taunton

Cheaper Ticket Route: NOT BRISTOL
More Expensive: ANY PERMITTED

You are very true in what your saying about the inconsistancies of various routes. For example:

A Ticket Marked Taunton - Frome on the journey planner will only show trains via Castle Cary. Yet There are 4 recognised routes. The recognised routes are:

Taunton - Bristol - Westbury - Frome
Taunton - Westbury - Frome
Taunton - Castle Cary - Frome
Taunton - Frome DIRECT (1 Train a day)

To confirm this, when TM annouces arrival at BTM they always say "Change Here for Services to Wesbury, Castle Cary, Weymouth etc"

Yet a Ticket marked Taunton - Yeovil Pen Mill will show up on the journey planner as:

Taunton - Castle Cary - Yeovil Pen Mill
Taunton - Bristol - Westbury - Yeovil Pen Mill

Yet a route it does not show, yet is perfectly valid is Taunton - Westbury - Yeovil Pen Mill (Pointless but an acceptable route)

What I'm trying to say here, Is that if you are going to go to Frome or Yeovil Pen Mill from Taunton. You are allowed to go via Bristol. Which is alot slower than via Castle Cary. There are only 8 Trains a day that go to Castle Cary from Taunton. When you get to Castle Cary, You sometimes have a considerable wait for your connection (Some Cases over an hour) So whilst it sounds long winded and slower. It is indeed sometimes alot faster than waiting for a Castle Cary Train.

No.

They are on separate routes. The Cotswold Line, though FGW seem to have taken to calling it North Cotswold, runs Oxford-Moreton-in-Marsh-Evesham-Worcester - hence 'via Oxford' tickets can only be used on this route.

The Stroud Valley line, aka South Cotswold, runs Swindon-Kemble-Stroud-Gloucester-Cheltenham (-Worcester, by changing trains).

Why South Cotswold?

Wouldn't Golden Valley be much more romantic?

However, as has been said in many posts on this board the general rail ticketing situation  is getting absurd with even the TOCs not knowing what fares and restrictions apply especialy on multi TOC, multi route  journeys.

Perhaps, but there are other claimants for that title, not least in Herefordshire, so it avoids confusion.

But the mainline through Herefordshire is the Marches Line. ???

I meant there is also a well-known Golden Valley in Herefordshire, so it might be a bit confusing trying to use it as a branding for the Stroud rail route.