Any thoughts folks?

Haha... that’s was daft!!

Outward Kemble to Paddington, then back.

No railcards unless there was one worth me buying!!

Just me travelling, work commute as described above

Thanks for the reply, especially today!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I haven't been travelling to London much but that is about to change.... A couple of years back there were all sorts of splits and things but noticing the new timetable it looks like I will take a 06:47 out on a Monday and an 1830 back on a Wednesday.

This looks to be £114.30

Are there any cheaper combinations aside travelling past 0930? Will a Didcot or chorsley type split still work or be anyway useful for the above?

Thanks in advance!

I had bought a fare split from Stroud to London Paddington return as I was expecting to be travelling on a Didcot stopping service on the return.  For this I had paid:

Anytime single Stroud to Didcot £40.20
Anytime day return Didcot to London £64.60
Super off peak single Didcot to Stroud £14.10

Total spend £118.90.

On the way home I missed the train I was going to get and went for the Swansea 16:45 to change at Swindon. Knowing the Didcot switch to be invalid on this service I went to Paddington ticket office and said I was no longer travelling to Didcot and was now going through to Swindon on the 16:45 - he sold me a Didcot to Swindon super off peak single at £10.50

On the train the ticket inspector told me this was wrong and that I needed to pay for another ticket and was sold a Didcot to Swindon standard class for an additional £23.40

Total cost for return journey £149.80

That can’t be right can it? How do I complain or get some element of refund?

I don’t mind paying my way and I even get some of it paid by company but this just doesn’t sound right to me.

Bugger, I am sitting on the train having bought the Cholsey option as a weekly set and have just realised that sitting on this 1742 I'm in a bit of bother!!!!

When the inspector comes round what do I ask for to sort it out? A single from Padd to Didcot?

Can I take my ticket in to ticket office and get it changed and pay difference as am likely to be doing the 1742 several times this week!

So at 2 days a week the weekly option of Kem->Did, Did->Padd works out cheapest.

Which I guess will get cheaper as you go up the week-month-year options.

So armed with the latest advice I've found the following pricing:

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Website

Kemble to Didcot Return ^62
Didcot to Padd Return ^60.60
Daily return = ^122.60

Kemble to Swindon Return ^26.80
Swindon to Padd Return ^125
Daily Return = ^151.80

Kemble to Didcot single ^31
Didcot to Padd Single ^30.60
Padd to Didcot Single ^30.60
Didcot to Kemble Single ^11.60
Daily Return = 61.60+42.20=^103.80

Kemble - Padd directs:
Weekly Season ^247.40
Monthly Season ^844.10
Annual ^8792

Kem-Did Weekly ^80.80
Did-Padd Weekly ^123.70
Weekly Season = ^204.50


Has anyone found anything cheaper or know of a cheaper way of doing it?  This is on the GWR website.

Cholsey sounds a stretch to far so won't try that option.

Thanks for the info guys, I will look into this further and am now well armed with info to make a decision.

Ollie thanks for the advice on reserving seats as well.

I'm considering monthly rather than annual, will GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website be cheapest and would I still get splits I.e, Kemble to Didcot monthly and Didcot to pad monthly?

Also when I travelled the other day I noticed lots of reserved seats, how do I do that?

Thanks 

Thanks for the advice, that helps a lot.

Thinking that I need to look in to weekly/monthly/annual comparisons and go from there then... Majority of potential clients are in London but I'm going to be looking towards Bristol/Swindon/etc., so will take that in to account and check how flexible the annual.

Is best place for that simply to use GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website?

Thanks again for the help, invaluable!!!

So a split at Didcot and a potential further split at cholsey.  Then I guess look to buy as soon in advance as possible?

Think I'll have to put a spreadsheet together with lots of options to try and work it out...

I was told to watch for where the break points are for weekly and monthly as it may end up being cheaper to get a monthly even if I only use it for three days a week.. Shame they can't let people share a ticket as a seat paid is a seat paid 

I just might.... Unless I cut you up and you're looking for blood in which case it was the wife!!!  . What made you ask?

Hi all - I'm looking for those gurus/commuters that know a thing or two about living near/around Stroud/Minchinhampton and commuting to London.

I a looking to be in London 3 days a week, I would need to get there before 9am (preferably 08:30 latest) and would want to be catching a train back from Paddington around 17:30 onwards.

I have looked at Kemble or Stroud being a possible station to leave from (Kemble 20 mins drive away) and have considered the 06:43 from there with a 17:43 coming home.

My days can vary about, for example I may find that one week I can do 2 days in London, the next 4 days, or even change mid week depending on what I need to do.

For now though, considering 3 days a week and potentially 06:43 train from Kemble and 17:43(or thereabouts) from Paddington what is the cheapest way to do this ticket-wise?

I'm considering ticket splitting, booking ahead (where I can) and even a season ticket if it works out that much cheaper.

Help?!?!  It's a minefield and I'd appreciate some expert advice