It's cheaper via Guildford

grahame

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It's cheaper via Guildford

« on: October 18, 2022, 20:25:27 »

Next Monday ... looking for an early train to Gatwick and GWR^▸ offers me £76 with my senior pass. Ouch - modify the request to add "Via Guildford" and by magic the price halves, for a few minutes later at Gatwick. Good to know the "tricks".

Am I the only one thinking it's a bit naughty of the GWR web site not to offer the cheaper option to the unwary? Do I recall SWR^» doing something similar unless we used a piece of magic like "via Tisbury"; SWR explained that it was due to a temporary timetable ...


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eightonedee

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Re: It's cheaper via Guildford

« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2022, 20:41:48 »

Frankly ridiculous - this is the only route that GWR^▸ can get you from Melksham to Gatwick, and it's probably the most direct and the one with the easiest transfers between trains when changing.


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Surrey 455

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Re: It's cheaper via Guildford

« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2022, 21:15:52 »

I have similar experiences at Bookham when travelling to Brighton. £18.05 return with railcard via Clapham Junction. Play around with the settings and choose "Avoid Clapham Junction" it goes down to £10.40. On most journeys the departure and arrival times are the same or similar. I've used this "trick" succesfully for other Sussex stations too including Gatwick and Hastings. On the down side, it often involves more changes of trains.


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ChrisB

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Re: It's cheaper via Guildford

« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2022, 19:32:47 »

As we already are aware from other threads, journeyplanners work on quickness of journey & will always offer the fastest journey-time


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grahame

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Re: It's cheaper via Guildford

« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2022, 19:55:16 »

Quote from: ChrisB on October 19, 2022, 19:32:47

As we already are aware from other threads, journeyplanners work on quickness of journey & will always offer the fastest journey-time

Can we amend that to some journey planners, please, Chris. There are some that offer you (and make it clear they are doing so) alternative trains that may be overtaken and may be cheaper or involve fewer changes.


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ChrisB

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Re: It's cheaper via Guildford

« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2022, 20:05:14 »

As standard without having to set a selected option? You sure?

Care to advise which one(s) then, for everyone's benefit?


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