FGW - carnet tickets for Oxford and the Cotswolds

[whole diary]

[Busboy W1]

Just out of interest to anybody but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do offer Carnet Tickets in the Oxford area, again from unmanned stations and a couple on the North Cotswolds as below :

Kings Sutton
Heyford
Tackley

Radley
Culham
Appleford

Hanbrough
Combe (Oxon)
Finstock
Charlbury
Ascott under Wychwood
Shipton
Kingham

And also Chiltern Railways gained the Bicster branch so they are also avaliable from:

Islip & Bicester Town.
 
 Yet to see them advertised officially by FGW but the regulars use the magic word of mouth so that seems to work.

 However there are terms and conditions to these tickets which you can get from ticket offices and they are also printed with the tickets if purchased from a STAR machine unlike those produced from AVANTIX machines on train.

Also FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) have a carnet system in place link here :

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/prb225ca2e6e40ef93d44bccd007b205.aspx

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for posting that very useful information, Busboy W1!

I've simply split your post from the 'Carnet tickets for Bristol to South Wales' topic so that it can start this new topic here, for ease of future reference by our readers. 

[ChrisB]

Chiltern to my knowledge did away with the carnet on the Bicester Town - Oxford route when they took it on from FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

[Busboy W1]

Carnets are still available on The Bicester Town service for Islip also. However there is surely a limited time for the continuation of this ticket type because of Evergreen 3 ? Also with the new GW^▸ (Great Western) Franchise announced on Thursday I wonder if the Carnet ticket is included in the deal ?

[ChrisB]

Not as far as I understand - they're investigating Smart Ticketing though - which would allow for part-time season tickets.

I agree with you that I think Chiltern will remove the carnet once Oxford-Bicester is up & running....but I hope not.

[CLPGMS]

Quote from the Forum on the Charlbury Website:

I tried to buy a Charlbury - Oxford carnet this morning - it was "blocked" on the computer system and staff didn't know why.

Last autumn, a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) member of staff mentioned a "rumour" that it may be withdrawn. As there were no notifications / advance warnings - as far as I am aware - the rumour was long forgotten.

Does anyone know anything about this? Is this a temporary "blip" or a more permanent situation?

Has anyone any inside knowledge about this?  I cannot see the fare in brfares.com, but do not know whether it was there previously.

[ChrisB]

Q asked of FGWs^▸ (First Great Western) fares guru......

[Brucey]

The National Rail Enquiries website ("the definitive guide for passengers") only gives information about Oxford-Bicester Town, Bicester Town-Islip and Islip-Oxford carnet tickets: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/pr79d943db4a42118d3964786f7bbfe5.aspx