Great Western Coffee Shop

Travel requirements are to get an evening train into Bristol Temple Meads, then a return to Nailsea & Backwell mid-morning on Thursday - so both off-peak trains.

I'm rather struggling with the GWR ticketing website: it's only offering me two singles at £4.60 each way.  Am I missing something?  While I've never needed to book such a combination of journeys before, I do seem to remember from reading posts on this forum that there's a minimum ticket price of £10 for open returns: is that it?

Off Peak Day Singles at £4.60 each way is the cheapest way to do that rail journey.

Generally, period returns aren't offered for short distance journeys.

Many thanks - that is rather the conclusion I'd reached.   ;)

An alternative, bus, solution has been suggested to me - I'll investigate that one instead.

Thanks again, CfN.  ;D

Agreed.

Only day not period returns on shorter journeys. Day returns are not "return within 24 hours", I'm afraid - they are "return by 04:29".  I have had complaints from people working night shifts in Swindon, travelling up from Melksham to Swindon to arrive there at 20:20, then back at 06:12 ... they have to pay an off peak single and a peak single - total £15.60, versus anytime day returns of £9.90 or £7.40 off peak (suggestions being that the 06:12 is scarcely a peak train!)