Fare changes 16 May 21

[whole diary]

[plymothian]

The next round of fare changes are being finalised.
On GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), the following will come in to operation from 16 May.

- Reduction in fares from Castle Cary - London/South East by 15%

- The Devon & Cornwall Railcard will become time restricted; valid on all fares (except Advance) from 08.45 (with some easements) instead of on any off peak fare.  This will mean the removal of some off peak tickets.

-Most period returns (Off Peak Return & Anytime Return) will be withdrawn from the Bristol area [boundary of Chippenham, Westbury, Weston-S-Mare, Severn Tunnel & Ashchurch]

- Low priced fares in Devon & Cornwall (under £3) will increase by up to 30p

- Off Peak Day return valid on GWR only introduced on Gloucester/Cheltenham - Worcester/Great Malvern trains

- The Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) line (St James Park - Barnstaple + Exeter St Thomas) will trial single leg pricing, only an Anytime Day Single or Anytime Day Return will exist between any station.  The SDS being half the SDR fare.

- New GWR only advance tickets between Bristol - Weymouth & Reading - Gatwick

- New family advance purchase ticket on key GWR flows to/from Paddington as a trial. Quota controled non refundable fixed priced ticket for a group of 1 adult + 1 child to up to 2 adults + 4 children.  Cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount.

[RichardB]

The Off Peak Day Return will also still exist for Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line journeys.

[Jonathan H]

- New GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) only advance tickets between Bristol - Weymouth & Reading - Gatwick

It looks like the upshot of this change on the Reading to Gatwick line is to remove the ability to book through advance fares from the West where the quotas don't match up.

Why does the Reading to Gatwick route need advance fares?

[CyclingSid]

Why does the Reading to Gatwick route need advance fares?

To book at the same time as your flight? Problem is that it doesn't guarantee you seat, and it is a long way to stand.

[grahame]

Why does the Reading to Gatwick route need advance fares?

To book at the same time as your flight? Problem is that it doesn't guarantee you seat, and it is a long way to stand.

Reverse problem ... are flights ever delayed back into the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)?   Advanced tickets are accepted on the next available train if your connecting public transport RAIL service (even if operated by another company) is delayed and you miss the connection.  Sadly, that rule does not apply if your connection public transport ROAD service or public transport AIR service is delayed and you miss the connection.

[eightonedee]

To book at the same time as your flight? Problem is that it doesn't guarantee you seat, and it is a long way to stand.

...but at Gatwick you will be getting on at the first stop on the service, so you very unlikely not to get one.

More of a problem might be you onward connection, if (like many people I have encountered when commuting on this line for 20-odd years) you are going on to South Wales, the West of England or the Cotswolds, or even Cross Country to the Midlands and beyond. On these services you arelikely to lose a seat reservation.

[didcotdean]

TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) "Airport Advances" from Manchester Airport are valid for the next departure up to three hours after the booked service if your arrival has been delayed although you need to get them endorsed at the station before travel. Shame GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) (seemingly) haven't imported this this term even though it is from another First operator.

[ChrisB]

At the station? Odd - as the station staff don’t have access to flight arrival info

[grahame]

TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) "Airport Advances" from Manchester Airport are valid for the next departure up to three hours after the booked service if your arrival has been delayed although you need to get them endorsed at the station before travel. Shame GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) (seemingly) haven't imported this this term even though it is from another First operator.

At the station? Odd - as the station staff don’t have access to flight arrival info

Do they need that info?   Why else would you arrive late at Manchester Airport ...

[ChrisB]

Seeing a friend you travelled with off via different transport?

[Oxonhutch]

At the station? Odd - as the station staff don’t have access to flight arrival info

At an airport station - absolutely the staff would have access to flight arrivals information - probably from a live stream displayed. Even here at home I have access to live arrivals information for most airports in the land; on my phone or PC.

[MVR S&T]

So how does having flight info make the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) more money?
After all is that not the point of business?
Seems to be what this forum is about, the custormer or making money. hopefully there is a sweet spot somewhere in between. with safety the first item of course.

[grahame]

It strikes me that if someone turns up at an airport station and says "I had planned to be on the xx:xx train but got delayed" and does so in good faith, the train operator has much to gain and little to loose by endorsing their ticket onto the next available train.  The delay may be caused not only by a delayed flight, but also if the unfortunate traveller's luggage has gone astray, or (s)he has taken longer than anticipated through customs or immigration.  And such individual and personal data will not be available to endorsing staff.

The crux is that "in good faith" comment; modern electronic systems and ticketing tracks us to an uncomfortable degree and should the individual's account show up during the endorsement procedure as being a regular event for [him/her], that could be taken as an example of  failure of good faith.  But even without the electronics, an individual or group presenting, late and flustered, for a train and not recognised as doing it in a routine manner is probably bona fide - and is there much to gain by doing it pre-planned anyway (( only exceptionally, perhaps where an off peak advance is endorsed to a really peak train ))

[ChrisB]

At an airport station - absolutely the staff would have access to flight arrivals information - probably from a live stream displayed. Even here at home I have access to live arrivals information for most airports in the land; on my phone or PC.

So you’ve not been through Manchester Airport station?

There are departure screens but no arrival ones (last time I was there, at least)

[Oxonhutch]

Live Manchester Airport Arrivals