Tarka Line tickets to Barnstaple promotion (22 Oct 2016 - 17 Apr 2017)

[whole diary]

[plymothian]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are once again running a half price fares promotion on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line (Exeter - Barnstaple) in conjunction with the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

From 22 October 2016 - 17 April 2017 inclusive, all off-peak day returns in the Barnstaple direction will be half price [ticket code SCO].

Tickets are available for travel from: Topsham, Newcourt, Digby and Sowton, Polsloe Bridge, St James Park, Pinhoe, Exeter Central, Exeter St David's, Exeter St Thomas and all stations on the Barnstaple branch.

Tickets are valid for travel to: Newton St Cyres - Barnstaple inclusive.

Promotion is available to purchase from ALL retail channels (ie ticket office, TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine), guard, web and GWR app)

Passengers making through journeys be aware, it could be cheaper to split your ticket.

[plymothian]

Oops, wrong forum - please move to either Fares or Devon board!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Done. 

[plymothian]

Update note.

Although these are advertised as available from ticket machines they are not, and won't be - they can only be bought from a ticket office, or on the train.

If boarding at St James Park - the promo has not been loaded from this station on to Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains); the guard needs to manually enter the 50% discount.

There is no time restriction with the exception that return travel is not permitted on the 07.00 departure from Barnstaple.  The promo is valid all day.

[RichardB]

Update note.

Although these are advertised as available from ticket machines they are not, and won't be - they can only be bought from a ticket office, or on the train.

If boarding at St James Park - the promo has not been loaded from this station on to Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains); the guard needs to manually enter the 50% discount.

There is no time restriction with the exception that return travel is not permitted on the 07.00 departure from Barnstaple.  The promo is valid all day.

Thanks for this.  Just a PS - while there is not a time restriction from Exeter St Davids and Central, there is a time restriction from Topsham, Digby & Sowton, Polsloe Bridge and St James Park.  The first train people can catch is the 08 52 Exmouth - Barnstaple on weekdays.

[John R]

Update note.

Although these are advertised as available from ticket machines they are not, and won't be - they can only be bought from a ticket office, or on the train.

If boarding at St James Park - the promo has not been loaded from this station on to Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains); the guard needs to manually enter the 50% discount.

There is no time restriction with the exception that return travel is not permitted on the 07.00 departure from Barnstaple.  The promo is valid all day.

Thanks for this.  Just a PS - while there is not a time restriction from Exeter St Davids and Central, there is a time restriction from Topsham, Digby & Sowton, Polsloe Bridge and St James Park.  The first train people can catch is the 08 52 Exmouth - Barnstaple on weekdays.

That makes sense, as the offer is designed to attract more custom on the reverse from commuter flow, whereas from those stations earlier trains would clearly be with the commuter flow as far as Exeter.

[plymothian]

Update note.

Although these are advertised as available from ticket machines they are not, and won't be - they can only be bought from a ticket office, or on the train.

If boarding at St James Park - the promo has not been loaded from this station on to Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains); the guard needs to manually enter the 50% discount.

There is no time restriction with the exception that return travel is not permitted on the 07.00 departure from Barnstaple.  The promo is valid all day.

Thanks for this.  Just a PS - while there is not a time restriction from Exeter St Davids and Central, there is a time restriction from Topsham, Digby & Sowton, Polsloe Bridge and St James Park.  The first train people can catch is the 08 52 Exmouth - Barnstaple on weekdays.

Unless they split at EXC or EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) , which works out cheaper than a through ticket.

[John R]

Ah, good point.  No doubt there will be questions asked in parliament and exposes on Watchdog (other tacky consumer programmes are available) and in the Daily Mail as to why rip off scam merchant GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) didn't train every ticket office clerk across it's network to look out for and offer an appropriate split ticket.