Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => Fare's Fair => Topic started by: grahame on October 13, 2007, 10:21:27



Title: How many FirstMinutes are sold
Post by: grahame on October 13, 2007, 10:21:27
Does anyone know / can anyone guess what proportion of travellers on FGW are at standard fares, savers, season tickets, firstminute fares, and others?  I'm asking to help me understand the metrics a bit better.


Title: Re: How many FirstMinutes are sold
Post by: vacman on October 13, 2007, 10:29:25
Does anyone know / can anyone guess what proportion of travellers on FGW are at standard fares, savers, season tickets, firstminute fares, and others?  I'm asking to help me understand the metrics a bit better.
More than what most people think, a lot of middle distance commuters (Penzance/Camborne to Plymouth) use them to get to and fro work as a Pnz-Ply leisure advance is only ^2.50 each way as opposed to a standard day return of ^14.90, they seem to book them all on a staurday for the week ahead.


Title: Re: How many FirstMinutes are sold
Post by: vacman on October 13, 2007, 22:34:42
My post earlier was a bit hurried as I had to rush to work! going on from my previous post, a lot of commuters have learned to play the system (good on em!), the Cornish Railcard used to be the best way for peak travellers as it was valid at any time to anyone resident in Plymouth or Cornwall but FGW discontinued this product in favour of reduced rate season tickets (FGW reduced the season tickets in Cornwall to the same price as 3 day return tickets) so the regular commuters didn't see any price change, in fact they paid slightly less than previous, anyway FGW introduced the Devon and Cornwall railcard which is only valid on Cheap Day and Saver tickets (only after 0915 basicly) so the regular traveller books a leisure advance single to travel in the morning peak (^2.50 Pnz-Ply) and as they don't know what train they'll travel home on they use their Devon and Cornwall railcard to buy a cheap day single back (^5.70) total ^8.20 whereas the standard day return fare is ^14.90, a 1st class leisure advance is only ^5.50 from pnz-ply for those who want the peace and quite!


Title: Re: How many FirstMinutes are sold
Post by: grahame on October 14, 2007, 16:23:20
Many thanks for the two follow-ups.    It's complex - hideosuly complex - isn't it?   Are you suggetsing that only a tiny proportion of passengers are paying anything like full fare? 

Is the Devon and Cornwall Railcard you mention available to anyone, or just to residents of the countys?  Is there a similar scheme for residents of Wiltshire, or any other counties in the FGW area?


Title: Re: How many FirstMinutes are sold
Post by: vacman on October 14, 2007, 18:01:23
The Devon and Cornwall railcard is availiable to residents of both counties only, proof of address is required when purchasing, it is valid for up to 2 adults and up to 4 children travelling together, dont think there are any similar railcards in the south west, the others I know about in the UK are the Highlands railcard, the Esk valley railcard, and a few others. It is a good product and most people down here own one even those who only travel once or twice a year, it only cost's ^10 per year so soon pays for it's self.



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