Group travel from Thatcham to Paddingtn 13/12/2014 Saturday

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

Hi all - we (13 adults and 6 children between 5 and 15) are planning to go to London on the above day. Apparently the group saver we bought last year where the kids travel for ^1 and the parents get a reduced rate no longer exists

So what is the cheapest way of doing this?

As an aside I am aware there are intermittent engineering works between reading west and reading on that day - which makes me wonder if they are joining up the flyover tracks that day

[ChrisB]

Groupsave exists up to nine pax now. Above that, it is suggested you call FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer service to see what deal they can do you. If they can't, split your group into two.

[grahame]

Group Save changes were in May 2014 ... talked about at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13908

For certain groups, it's a huge price increase - but the old system was deemed "unsustainable" by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) in discussions within the industry / connected, and "illogical and needed simplification" in public.   I can appreciate the "unsustainable" in some cases - 8 seats from Swindon to Weymouth for a day out for around 36 pounds was too good to pay for the cost of running the train, even if every seat was filled, for example.

We're going through the same loop as you, BerkshireBugsy, with the Santa trip pricing for December;  the rail ticket cost has indeed increased dramatically from Melksham to Swindon.   We, fortunately, have had a balancing reduction on direct train fares so that Santa doesn't have to put his prices up from Trowbridge or Westbury.

[ChrisB]

AS I said, they should negotiate separately on groups of 10+....try customer services and/or Groups booking lne, if one appears on their website somewhere.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Many thanks all.

As I side note for the first time ever forum notications ended up in my (gmail) spam folde. I must stress I want checking for diamond shaped purple tablets or extensions of any descriptions