Christmas 2022 easement

[whole diary]

[Sleepy]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) priced Super off peak fares on Friday 23rd December also 27th - 30th have no time restrictions 

UPDATE please ignore above - see post 5 below

[plymothian]

Traditionally, peak restrictions have been lifted across the rail network during "Christmas week".  GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) went through a few years of being Scrooge and not participating in this, but are again this year.  As Christmas Day is a Sunday, the off peak easement has been brought forward to the Friday too.

Specifically:

Up to and including Thursday 22 December: normal ticket restrictions apply
Friday 23 December: Off Peak valid all day on GWR fares; Super Off Peak restrictions apply
Saturday 24 December - Monday 2 January: no ticket restrictions.  Weekend First available
From Tuesday 3 January: normal ticket restrictions apply

Usual caveat emptor - Other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) may have different restrictions in price.  Tickets bought from a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) will not automatically offer [super] off peak before 09.30.

[ChrisB]

Tickets brought from a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) will not automatically offer [super] off peak before 09.30.

So TVMs ought to have a notice placed on them to suggest purchases made before 0930 be made at the ticket office, or if closed, at the first chance on-train (or at arrival if DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard))). I will follow up with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), but probably after the next strike disruption, as time is not yet of the essence.

Thanks for the heads up.

[paul7575]

Traditionally, peak restrictions have been lifted across the rail network during "Christmas week".  GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) went through a few years of being Scrooge and not participating in this, but are again this year…

I thought that normally only applied to the main long distance intercity operators. I’m not sure about every London commuter operation, but don’t ever recall SWT^▸ (South West Trains) or Southern doing that.

[ChrisB]

Chiltern certainly have done in the past between Christmas & New Year.

In fact, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) followed Chiltern in doing this....I had a (very) small part in its origination

[Sleepy]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website will allow you to book any train on 23rd for a Super Off Peak return, Paddington to Cornwall - is this an error then ?? 

Update: further investigations show only tickets to destination Liskeard and beyond allow Super Off Peak on any train on 23rd it seems. Also buying 1st Class Advance or Off Peak ticket would be a waste of money if travelling over those days when Weekend 1st is available.


Further update - sadly this appears to have been changed again, Super off peak fares now show on journey planners as valid on 23rd Dec. on 1104 - 1504 plus 1904 from Paddington onwards.