Great Western Coffee Shop

Tomorrow, I want to travel from Bath Spa to Basingstoke (via Reading) and back, leaving Bath at around 09:30 and leaving Basingstoke for the return leg at around 3.

I'd like to travel 1st class on the main line, and standard class on the Reading - Basingstoke "branch" in order to save costs.

Guess how many different ticket price combinations (e.g. First Advance Single + Off Peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) have been offered via The Trainline.com?

The quiz isn't looking for costs, just a guess at the total number of different available options available to me as a potential traveller.

Can I have two guesses:

a) None - says you have to make separate enquiries

b) 27 - but you've found something cheaper by splitting at Didcot  ;)

Neither are anywhere close to the result I was given. I can't imagine anyone will guess so I'll post it here in a minute...

Right, here's the results.

I make it 226 different options (there may be some duplicates, but not many).

All I can say is, I'm really glad they made the fares structure simpler!

82.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single)
82.55 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
83.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
83.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
84.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
85.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
85.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
87.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
88.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
90.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
90.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
91.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
91.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
91.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
92.55 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
92.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
93.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
93.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
93.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
93.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
94.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
94.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
94.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
95.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
95.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
95.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
95.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
96.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
96.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
97.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
97.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
98.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
98.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
98.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
99.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
99.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
99.80 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
100.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
100.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
100.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
101.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
101.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
101.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
101.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
102.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
102.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
102.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
102.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
102.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
103.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
103.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
103.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
104.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
104.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
104.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
104.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
104.80 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
105.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
105.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
105.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
105.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
106.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
106.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
106.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
106.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
107.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
107.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
107.55 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
107.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
107.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
107.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
108.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
108.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
108.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
108.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
108.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
109.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
109.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
109.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
109.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
109.80 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
110.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
110.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
110.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
110.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
111.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
111.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
111.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
112.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
112.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
113.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
113.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
114.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
114.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
114.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
115.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
115.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
115.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
115.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
116.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
117.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
117.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
117.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
117.55 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
117.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
117.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
118.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
118.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
118.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
118.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
118.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
118.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
119.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
119.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
119.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
119.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
119.80 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
120.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
120.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
120.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
120.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
120.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
120.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
121.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
121.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
121.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
122.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
122.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
122.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
122.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
122.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
123.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
123.95 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
124.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
124.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
125.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
125.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
125.65 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
125.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
126.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
126.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
127.30 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
127.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
128.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
128.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
128.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
129.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
129.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
129.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
130.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
130.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
130.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
130.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
130.65 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
130.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
131.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
131.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
131.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
132.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
132.05 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
132.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
132.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
133.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
133.40 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
133.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
133.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
134.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
134.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
134.50 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
134.80 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
135.05 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
135.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
135.65 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
135.90 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
135.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
136.20 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
136.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
136.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
137.05 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
137.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
137.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
138.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
138.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
138.95 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
139.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
140.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
140.35 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
141.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
141.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
141.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
142.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
143.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
143.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
143.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
144.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
144.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
144.55 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
145.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
145.35 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
145.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
146.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
146.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single) 
148.15 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
148.15 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
148.40 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
149.55 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
149.80 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
151.20 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
154.20 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
155.60 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
156.45 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
157.00 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
157.85 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
158.70 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
159.25 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
159.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
160.10 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
160.90 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
161.50 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single) 
161.75 GBP  (First Advance Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
162.30 GBP  (First Advance Single + Anytime Day Single + First Anytime Single) 
163.15 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single + First Advance Single) 
164.55 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + First Advance Single) 
164.80 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
166.20 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single + Off-peak Day Single) 
167.60 GBP  (First Anytime Single + Anytime Day Single) 
(total: 226)

hi Phil,


Cant find all them but to be fare to FGW you can at the moment find a 38.45 First advanced single on the 9.13 from Bath Spa

Basset

DOH my brain hurts!

How on earth can there be 126 different combinations of tickets? It's not even a multi TOC journey.

I did attend the Which AGM in town today and did make the point to several council members that they ought to keep up their campaign on rail fares and in particulear the totally confusing structures and variations restrictions etc  in fares for the same journey as illustrated here. I widsh Phil had posted this yesterday so I could have used it as illustration. I will pass this onto them if I may.

They did say they are meeting with Passenger Focus who are allegdely taking up this issue. But as I understand from othe threads they were the ones that did the recent  simplification of the fares structure.

Perhaps Phil you should forward it to them for their comments.

I assumme that all FGW booking clerks and on board train staff are fully aware of all of these 126 combinations. If not why not?

EightF, you are welcome to do anything you like with the information - it's entirely extracted from and posted into the public domain. Thanks for reassuring me that the time it took to get it all into a presentable format wasn't wasted :)

What worries me is that even this isn't an exhaustive list - I realised afterwards that what's listed above are the alternatives to the lowest price presented to me on screen, which was I think ^80.30 - and as Basset states, there are walk-up fares as well. Crazy.

I dont see what the problem is.  You have a cheapest quoted fare so surely you go for that one.  Were all the different fares for the same train or different trains. 

What makes me laugh is that some First Advance Singles are actually more expensive than the equivilant First Anytime Singles... :D