Advise please - Bath to Prestatyn

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Bath to Prestatyn - 2 adults, no rail cards.
Out Friday evening after 4 p.m.
Back Sunday any time

Best price found by my friend 167.20 on the Train Line. What should I advise?

Thanks

P.S. Friend is not over 55, nor is friend's friend

[Brucey]

Bruce's Big Bonus Advice: Buy that ticket through any TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) but not The Train Line's own website as you won't have to pay a booking fee (or whatever they call it).  In any case, this is just an Off Peak Return (SVR) that can be purchased for the same price at the station on the day of travel.

I've tried a few splits but haven't found anything that provides a saving.

[grahame]

I've just had a few minutes to shake out a couple of ideas ... got it down to 135.00 (split at Newport, out on the 16:36 from Bath change into the 17:36 there, 34.00 advanced to Prestatyn.  Return on the 19:56, unpleasant overnight to Newport arr 07:33 for 15 quid each, then 8.00 on to Bath after a wait.)

Somehow, I don't think that having to change trains lots of times, sleep on a platform somewhere, be late for w**k on Monday, and go through all the split ticket messing about is going to be worth the 20 quid apiece saving.

[Brucey]

Yes, I did try that option but decided that the overnight journey was probably not suitable!

[JayMac]

Having a had a quick look at the flexible walk-up fare options only, I've found these splits.

Chippenham - Bromsgrove SVR ^25.40*
Birmingham - Crewe SVR ^23.50
Crewe - Prestatyn SVR ^21.40

Total: ^70.30 (^140. 60 for two)

*Fare valid starting short at Bath Spa and via Birmingham to end short.

Possible journey options with that split:

OUT on a Friday eve:
1600 Bath Spa - Bristol Temple Meads 1615
1630 Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Birmingham News Street 1756
1820 Birmingham New Street - Crewe 1907
1956 Crewe - Prestatyn 2101

RTN on a Sunday:
Would need actual date of travel due to engineering works.

You don't say which Friday evening or Sunday return, so I can't look at Advance Purchase.

[grahame]

You don't say which Friday evening or Sunday return, so I can't look at Advance Purchase.

Good stuff, thanks, BNM.   

Let me have a look in my "missing words" bag ....










Ah - here it is.  got left out of the post ....







This






Out this Friday - 3rd.   Then back this Sunday - 5th    - Thanks

[JayMac]

Thanks grahame. I hope you didn't mind the slightly admonishing tone in my reply. 

The Friday timings stand as posted. This Sunday will involve buses for part of the journey whether that be on a walk-up or Advance.

Example return on Sunday around midday:

1215 Prestatyn - Chester 1320 (Bus)
1330 Chester - Crewe 1350
1401 Crewe - Birmingham New Street 1451
1612 Birmingham New Street - Bristol Temple Meads 1735
1745 Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Bath Spa 1845!!! (Bus)

What with there needing to be buses at each end of the return journey, I'm not sure how worthwhile it would be looking at Advance splits this late in the day. May offer up some small savings but you then lose all flexibility.

Whilst I've offered up a double split that only saves just under ^30 for the two travelling, the route taken and change of trains is pretty much how it would be without the split fares. Paying the extra for the through fare (^167.20) does however give the option of travelling via Newport, but there will still be buses at each end on Sunday.

Whatever you do advise your friends, best to state that they should avoid thetrainline.com. No point adding on booking fees and the like....

[matt473]

Depending on purpouse of the journey, the 4 day train and 8 day bus flexi pass might be a suitable option as you can travel on most bus services and all rail services in Wales for ^89 so would save money on transport whilst there. This option also allows great flexibility but the problem is they would have to get to Wales first. If they wish to then return to Wales within a week I guess they could make even more use of it if they wish. The only restriction seems to be that it can only be used after 9.15 Monday to Friday which shouldn't be a problem. May not be the cheapest option if its only the return trip required but can be good value for money the more you use it

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pr14490cc35ce74101d518784bce2d58/details.html

[JayMac]

I'll second those thoughts on the Freedom of Wales Flexipass. If, while your friends are in Prestatyn, they plan to make additional trips by rail or bus in North Wales then this product maybe a worthwhile investment.

To add to the FoW Flexi would be needed a Chippenham - Severn Tunnel Junction Anytime Return (No Off Peak Return on this flow), at ^16.40 each*. Used in combination with the FoW Flexi there is no need for a train you are on to call at Severn Tunnel Junction, as per National Rail Conditions of Carriage section 19(c).

*Yet again, another fare that is cheaper from Chippenham (incidentally, also Melksham  ) than Bath, but still valid to start short from Bath. 

[WSW Frome]

Useful hint about the Bromsgrove easement from Bignosemac higher up. Would be interesting to see how many XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) conductors accept it without a fuss.

The easement as written (by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here)) seems clear enough but I suspect only available from points south of Cheltenham. So will this option be available on all/most flexible tickets from South West lands?

Trainline searches do not show fares for (some/all?) routes from South West to Bromsgrove, but Mixing Desk searches do, although these are generally shown as via WSH.

Recently made an (OPR) booking Frome to Derby and saved ^10 by doing a Cheltenham split, but Bromsgrove would save about ^30!

[ECML]

Useful hint about the Bromsgrove easement from Bignosemac higher up. Would be interesting to see how many XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) conductors accept it without a fuss.

If just that ticket were shown and the customer stated that they were travelling to/from Bromsgrove, it should be accepted. The easement only applies if travelling to/from Bromsgrove.

It is not valid as part of a combination of tickets for a journey to somewhere like Prestatyn.

The easement as written (by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here)) seems clear enough but I suspect only available from points south of Cheltenham. So will this option be available on all/most flexible tickets from South West lands?

Providing you are going "via Cheltenham Spa" and "to Bromsgrove" yes.

Trainline searches do not show fares for (some/all?) routes from South West to Bromsgrove, but Mixing Desk searches do, although these are generally shown as via WSH.

Different interpretations of the easements by different programmers. I quite like this as it gives us a choice and we can use the one that gives the best deal.

Recently made an (OPR) booking Frome to Derby and saved ^10 by doing a Cheltenham split, but Bromsgrove would save about ^30!

I can't find a Frome to Derby OPR, but OPR fares are sometimes SSRs depending on who sets the flow, but I can't find any consistent differences between an OPR and a SSR other than the OPRs tend to be more likely to be more heavily restricted (but not always).

[JayMac]

If just that ticket were shown and the customer stated that they were travelling to/from Bromsgrove, it should be accepted. The easement only applies if travelling to/from Bromsgrove.

It is not valid as part of a combination of tickets for a journey to somewhere like Prestatyn.

It's for that very reason why I supplied example timings that involve a change of trains at Birmingham New Street. In fact travelling via the route suggested by the splits would mean any journey would require a change at Birmingham New Street.

Whilst the tickets may be used for one journey, you could argue that you are making two journeys. One to Birmingham New Street ending short on the Bromsgrove ticket, and one from Birmingham to Prestatyn splitting at Crewe. As you are changing trains at Birmingham NS anyway, the chances of being followed off, or met by someone on arrival of your incoming service, and watched to ensure you board a service to Bromsgrove are next to none. To be followed by an RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)), that staff member would have to be aware that you hold tickets to an onward destination other than Bromsgrove.