Fares and ticketing options - 2019 - Melksham to London

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Seeking comments and corrections on a page I'm putting together to help inform the people of my home town about their train options and fares to the great metropolis for 2019.   Not part of the main menu there yet, since the trains are buses and the fares are 3% or so lower until the start of next month.

http://www.mrug.org.uk/londonfares.html

I will be topping and tailing the page, changing images, etc, before full incorporation in the site

[ellendune]

I struggled for a bit with headings the first two columns of the table - particularly the second. It was not immediately clear to me that you were referring to particular trains. 

There is a typo towards the bottom of the page "What if I miss my connecting trsin into Melksham (or if it's cancelled)?"

[grahame]

I struggled for a bit with headings the first two columns of the table - particularly the second. It was not immediately clear to me that you were referring to particular trains. 

There is a typo towards the bottom of the page "What if I miss my connecting trsin into Melksham (or if it's cancelled)?"

Typo corrected ... column titles (I hope) clarified.   Thanks.

[WSW Frome]

Hi Grahame

Very comprehensive story. Please check the NEx bus time from London since I think it is now approx. 1 hour later. The fares WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) to WAT via SAL are more variable than you say. Off peak fares vary and can be very similar to Anytime. Same fares also seem to be available from Trowbridge. A good spell check needed at the end. Good Luck

[PhilWakely]

Some small typos in the first paragraph under Railcards......

Railcards
A wide variety or railcards is available for specific groups to purchase, usuaully offering a 34% discount off ticktes.  Terms and condiitions (and which ................

[grahame]

Some small typos in the first paragraph under Railcards......

Railcards
A wide variety or railcards is available for specific groups to purchase, usuaully offering a 34% discount off ticktes.  Terms and condiitions (and which ................

Fixed ... thanks

Hi Grahame

Very comprehensive story. Please check the NEx bus time from London since I think it is now approx. 1 hour later. The fares WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) to WAT via SAL are more variable than you say. Off peak fares vary and can be very similar to Anytime. Same fares also seem to be available from Trowbridge. A good spell check needed at the end. Good Luck

NEx times updated - now vary on weekdays and weekends in one direction, and a note of caution added to the Westbury to London fare.    Since Melksham to Westbury return is cheaper than Melksham to Trowbridge return, I have suggested splitting there!



I have added two more answer at the base ....

Will I get a seat? / Can I reserve a seat on the train?
and
How do I know if my train is on time?

With an exercise such as this, there is so much more that could be done .... when you get to Paddington, for central London destinations ...

Buses - these examples from the top of the slope out of the front of the station (and turn left to stop H)
7 to Oxford Street and Oxford Circus
23 to / via Knightsbridge
36 to / via Victoria
205 to / via Marylebone, Euston, St Pancras, King's Cross and Liverpool Street

Underground
Circle line to Victoria, Charing Cross and the City (from the front of the station)
Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus, Charing Cross and Waterloo (from below the station - entrances near front)
Hammersmith and City and Circle via King's Cross - access from the bridge in the middle of your arrival platform
District Line to Earl's Court (from the front of the station, with the Circle line)

and so the page could go on (and on and on ....)

[bobm]

In the section on excessing there is a typo on likely.

Is it still the case you must excess before you board?  If so might be worth emphasising that.

[grahame]

In the section on excessing there is a typo on likely.

Is it still the case you must excess before you board?  If so might be worth emphasising that.

Typo fixed.

And I think you can excess on the train - but that's something I would like my learned friend from Chard to confirm.

[JayMac]

If your walk-up ticket (Off Peak, Super Off Peak) isn't valid only because of the time restriction then yes, you can excess on the train. The same applies if you are on a permitted route but your ticket is route restricted (i.e. travelling between Bristol and London via Didcot on a Bristol TM^‡(resolve) to London Terminals (route: Warminster/Salisbury) ticket).

From the National Rail Conditions of Travel:

If you have an ‘off-peak’ or ‘super off-peak’ Ticket, correctly dated but invalid for the service on which you are travelling; you are using a route for which your Ticket is not valid; or you break your journey when you are not permitted to do so, you will be charged the difference between the fare that you have paid and the lowest price Ticket that is valid for the train you are using.

[grahame]

If your walk-up ticket (Off Peak, Super Off Peak) isn't valid only because of the time restriction then yes, you can excess on the train. The same applies if you are on a permitted route but your ticket is route restricted (i.e. travelling between Bristol and London via Didcot on a Bristol TM^‡(resolve) to London Terminals (route: Warminster/Salisbury) ticket).

From the National Rail Conditions of Travel:

If you have an ‘off-peak’ or ‘super off-peak’ Ticket, correctly dated but invalid for the service on which you are travelling; you are using a route for which your Ticket is not valid; or you break your journey when you are not permitted to do so, you will be charged the difference between the fare that you have paid and the lowest price Ticket that is valid for the train you are using.

Thanks for that ... I think it confirms what I thought I knew, but I'm suspecting it would be wiser for people - especially newcomers to this plain and simple set of rules (  ) to excess before they argue with the barriers / barrier police / train manager who may not be quite as in-the-picture as you and I.   Perhaps I should add "The National Conditions of Travel do also allow you to pay the excess on the train. This is useful if you're in a hurry to catch the last connection of the day to Melksham. However, some railway staff who check your ticket may not be familiar with condition 9.5.1 so it's easier to excess before you board if you have time".

[Rob on the hill]

Some minor typos I have spotted:

What does a return trip from MELKSHAM to LONDON cost?

There and many different fares - Here is a summary for 2019

If you are certain which train you want to catch in advance, also take a look at advance fares. These are SINGLE tickets offered at a lower cost (sometimes a little lower, occasioanly a lot lower) that the equivalent "walk up" single fare. But beware - miss your train and your money is lost, change before tarvelling and you'll be limited in how much you can change and you'll be charged an admin fee.

At Melksham station, a display board tells you about trains due in the next 100 minutes, and an information button will connect you to a customer service person if you need help or advise. At Paddinton Station (and at Swindon when you change trains) there are also display boards telling you about current running, and staff to help you too - they will also help you find your train as unlike Melksham there are lots of platforms at these stations.

* Tickets listed in the top section above are also valid into London Waterloo, changing trains at Reading as well as Swindon. Please check ahead of time for off peak restrictions coming back out from Wateroo, and for your connecting train at Reading.

Season Tickets
 If you are making the same journey multiple days in a week at peak times, a season ticket can save you money. Usually, a season ticket becomes chepaer if you're making over 4 return trips but on Melksham to London journeys, you may make a saving on as few as 2 return trips (it's £282.30 for a 7 day ticket, valid any time)

First Class
 There is no first class on trains that call at Melksham (or if there is, there is not supposed to be and anyone can use it). However, when you change into your main line train to London, First Class should be avaiable. The fare is usually higher - often much higher; you get more legroom, wider seats, complementary coffee and nibbles.

Note that if your missed connection / cancellation is due to weather or other issues outside the railway's control, they are not required to provided for you - nor will they do so if you were delayed by a bus (even if it was a First bus) or a late flight.

[rogerw]

One point on the connecting buses from Paddington.  TfL^» (Transport for London - about) are proposing to reroute the 205 straight along Euston Road, omitting Marylebone station.

[grahame]

One point on the connecting buses from Paddington.  TfL^» (Transport for London - about) are proposing to reroute the 205 straight along Euston Road, omitting Marylebone station.

I would welcome that ... though it seems to generate good business there.

[Celestial]

In trying to explain in simple terms, it just goes to show how complicated the fare system is.  Although I'm unlikely to ever need to travel from Melksham, I started looking up option on nationalrail to try and understand it.  One thing puzzles me.  There is a 1912 from London which is shown as connecting at Swindon with the last train to Melksham, and which is a super off peak fare.  This isn't shown as an option and I wondered why?

[grahame]

In trying to explain in simple terms, it just goes to show how complicated the fare system is.  Although I'm unlikely to ever need to travel from Melksham, I started looking up option on nationalrail to try and understand it.  One thing puzzles me.  There is a 1912 from London which is shown as connecting at Swindon with the last train to Melksham, and which is a super off peak fare.  This isn't shown as an option and I wondered why?

Wow ... you have spotted something interesting there - thank you THANK YOU

I took my times from the new B1 timetable, page 25, which shows the 19:00 train connecting to the 20:08 off Swindon as the final service, which it has done for years.     However, looking at the new BT it shows the 19:12 off Paddington now running nonstop to Swindon at 20:03 on Monday to Thursday and so connecting with the 20:08.  And I suspect the 20:08 would be held back a couple of minutes if the super-express was slightly late to avoid getting in its way, so it may be a better connection than at first it appears.   On Fridays, the 19:12 calls additionally at Reading and Didcot and does not connect - so the 19:00 remains the connecting train.

I will correct my page ... report the misprint to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) which has propogated to various places ... and look to help generate some good publicity;