Combined Rail and Travelcard prices

[whole diary]

[teamsaint]

Hi all

it seems that if I buy an off peak return from Basingstoke to Waterloo, I can add a zone 1-6 travelcard for about ^5, but if I try to add one to a ticket from Salisbury or Winchester, it adds the full ^9.

Anybody know why this is?

Trying to get the best prices into London from around here is a job in itself. Ticketsplit is a big help though.

Cheers.
TS

[ellendune]

I am sure we have discussed this recently on another board but I cannot think where at the moment.

[JayMac]

Off Peak Day Travelcard (Any Permitted) Salisbury - Waterloo with Railcard ^28.80
Off Peak Day Return (Any Permitted) Salisbury -Waterloo with Railcard ^34.80

DIfference ^6.

From Winchester-Waterloo the difference between those two fare types is ^5.95

Where are you actually travelling from? There is an option to undercut the fare from Salisbury.

[teamsaint]

I travel from between Salisbury, Andover and Winchester, and any of those is an option , including Grateley.

If I put in times  into the National Rail Enquiries site, for the first train which gets me into Waterloo after 10.00, and thus off peak,  it definitely shows the ^9.00 differential from Salisbury or Winchester.

Incidentally, I use a ticket split, EG Grateley to Basingstoke anytime return, plus off peak return plus travelcard from Basingstoke.

thanks for your reply, BTW^▸ (by the way).

[JayMac]

I was going with info from brfares.com and a booking engine. I rarely use National Rail Enquiries for fares queries as I hate the interface.

I can be fairly certain those prices I quoted will be the ones you pay at a station or from a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine). Incidentally, if you want a cheaper price from Salisbury you can buy an Off Peak Day Travelcard from Clifton Down-London Waterloo (route: Warminster/Salisbury) for ^24.75 with Railcard. Valid for arrival at Waterloo after 1000, return by any train, and also valid to start and end short at Salisbury/Grateley/Andover.

[teamsaint]

OK, cheers BMN.

I can get round the (apparent) travel card difference by ticket splitting anyway.

I'll certainly try your suggested  plan though.
Which booking engine would you use please?

Edit: actually, found it on the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) site, ^33.00 (plus ^4.50 travelcard) from Salisbury with no railcard, as I don't think I qualify for anything other than a Network railcard which wouldn't  work.

I'll give that a go on my next trip.

So is BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) fares the best place to search for that kind of unusual fare?

Many thanks for your help, amazing.

[Chris from Nailsea]

In my personal opinion, my colleague 'bignosemac' has achieved an understanding of the vagaries, inconsistencies and illogicalities of the ticketing system that would, quite frankly, make my own brain explode. 

[JayMac]

Thanks Chris!

Cheque's in the post. 

[teamsaint]

In my personal opinion, my colleague 'bignosemac' has achieved an understanding of the vagaries, inconsistencies and illogicalities of the ticketing system that would, quite frankly, make my own brain explode. 

extraordinary knowledge indeed.

how would you know, even with BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) fares to use, about the example he gave, (which I hope to use), except by extreme good fortune...or some technique which he has yet to reveal ?!

[JayMac]

Shared wisdom is usually the reason. Many people out there who know of fares loopholes.

Before I was living near stations on the Severn Beach Line I was aware that a Day Return (via Warminster/Salisbury) to Waterloo from say, Redland, was cheaper than a Day Return from Bristol Temple Meads. How I became aware is lost in the mists of time, but it was my first bit of knowledge that the fares system had loopholes that could be exploited to save money.

I quickly learnt about split tickets, then I studied the Routeing Guide and the Fares Manuals. I attended a couple of workshops with like minded folks and learnt of more loopholes and passed on knowledge of ones I'd found.

Ticket splitting apps/programs/websites are getting better and better, but there are still many other ways to save money, such as that being discussed here, where a ticket for a longer journey can be used from an intermediate station that has a higher fare.