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Title: Rail replacement services in National Rail journey planner Post by: Worcester_Passenger on June 17, 2011, 12:53:47 This is a re-post of a question that I asked in the 'Cotswold line re-doubling' stream yesterday. The response that I've had from National Rail raises a more-general question.
My earlier post was: Does anyone know when FGW are going to post the details of the August bus replacement timetables? I've been asked about how you'd get from London to Worcester on the first Sunday (Aug 7). According to the National Rail journey planner, there's a couple of direct trains back to London in the evening, but none that would get you here during the morning or early afternoon. The alternatives that they give are via Birmingham, with a coupld via Bristol Parkway. But there's nothing about buses from Oxford to Worcester. At first I thought that these might not posted yet - but that seems unlikely, given that it's only 6-7 weeks away. Is it possible that they're so slow that the get overtaken by the journey opportunities via B'ham or Bristol P'way? The FGW 'North Cotswolds' webpage is still offering me the timetable for last month's work. And a bit later... Oops - spoke too soon. It looks like I've asked the journey planner a question in a different way. But I don't understand why I'm getting the 'wrong' answer. If I ask for Padd'n -- Worcester, I'm offered a 10:37 departure, into Shrub Hill at 14:23, having changed at Bristol Parkway. If I ask for the same thing via Charlbury, I'm offered a 10:42 departure, into Foregate St at 14:22 on the bus from Charlbury. But I'd've thought the latter was quicker. Ok, so the journey planner is giving an odd answer here - it's telling me about a train-train journey that gets overtaken, but not about the train-coach one that overtakes it. So I ask National Rail about this. And the reply that I've had says: Quote Thank you for your email regarding the National Rail Enquiries website. I understand the Online Journey Planner displays a faster route when you specify Charlbury. The 10:37am service from London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill via Bristol Parkway takes approximate 3 hours and 46 minutes. The 10:42am service via Charlbury takes approximate 3 hours and 40 minutes. The Online Journey Planner by default displays the fastest way to travel via trains between two stations. For the journey via Charlbury one leg of the service is a bus replacement and hence it is not displayed by default. There is an ^Advanced search^ which has several options to plan a journey. Customers can use the option, if they are aware that there is a faster option. How am I supposed to be "aware that there is a faster option" without using the journey planner? Title: Re: Rail replacement services in National Rail journey planner Post by: ChrisB on June 17, 2011, 13:25:56 I think someone failed to engage brain when composing their answer!
It sounds as though the PLanner is programmed to get you to your destination by the fastest *all-train* journey where they are available, and only puts you on a bus when there's no alternative. I guess it makes sense.... This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |