Ridiculous Fares (Too Low?)

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

I am looking to go to Devizes to help my cousin and his boat down the 29 locks.

I have the chance of a lift down but could come back public transport.

Given I've just received my bus pass and have Senior Rail card what do you reckon is the cheapest fare I can get for Devizes to Taplow?

i've come up with ^2.95 for Swindon Taplow on the 17.59 ex Swindon!

Given if I was to do this I would book via Chiltern that means FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will only get 2.68. I can do First Class for ^7.25.

Now I know we all like cheap fares but I do think these are ridiculous compared with the walk up fares, Off peak ^15.20 which only seems to be available on the 15:59 ex Swindon and Anytime fare of ^22.75.

Transport direct gives a car cost of ^19 return.

However if I try to do it both ways   by public transport ^22.40 for the train plus I'd have to pay one way on the bus as I want to travel before 09:30.

So if I can't get a lift I'm afraid it will have to be the car.

[eightf48544]

Update on above post.

My lift to Devises didn't materialsie so I had to drive.

However, I have just come back from another trip on the boat from Bristol to Gloucester.

The passage was booked for Tuesday 18th.

As it involved a 05:30 start from Bristol and an 18:00 arrival at Sharpness I had to go down on Monday and return Wednesday.

Browsing through National Railway I found I could get to Bristol on a choice of trains for an advanced fare of  ^6.95 standard with railcard compared with offpeak of ^25.75 and an anytime fare of ^38.30!

It also said First Class form ^12.55, on clicking on this i got the same range of trains for ^12.55 with  off peaks at ^76.55! and an anytime of ^61.40 (why less than teh off peak?)
 
So I opted for the Frist Advanced purchased through Chiltern so First only got ^11.42

Coming back was more of problem in that I had to take a chance on the weather and pilot availability to ensure I got to Gloucester on Wednesday.

Fares for coming back were cheaper than Bristol.

Namely on one train standard advanced at ^4.25 off peak ^22.45 anytime ^37.30.

First Class ^10.90, offpeak ^66 anytie ^52.80.

So I opted for The advanced booked again through Chiltern pick up Gloucester.

Had the passage been les assurred and I might have got to Gloucester on Thursday instead I could have bought two advance one for each day First class for less tha the off peak standard.

Can anyone make any sense out of these differrentials.

Given I was the only person in coach G on teh way out except between Swindon and Bath when someone else joined.

Comimg back I think there were about 3/4 of us in coach G by the time I got off at Reading.






 

[JayMac]

Advance fares are subject to availability and this availability is subject to yield management. Managing yields is an imprecise art, although FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are one of the better TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) at it.

[devon_metro]

G is normally quite empty I find. F is full of staff, and H is full of reserved seats