Splitting Tickets

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

I was looking at the walk-up fares for Redland to Cosham (with a railcard travelling off-peak) and discovered that every time you add an additional ticket, the total cost actually becomes cheaper:

RDA^▸ (Regional Development Agency)-CSA ^22.45

RDA-SAL ^11.90
SAL-CSA ^10.10
Total ^22.00 (Saving ^0.45)

RDA-WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) ^5.90
WMN-SAL ^3.75
SAL-CSA ^10.10
Total ^19.75 (Saving ^2.70)

RDA-WMN ^5.90
WMN-SAL ^3.75
SAL-SOU ^5.00
SOU-CSA ^4.80
Total ^19.45 (Saving ^3.00)
(I'm sure the guard would love me when I ask for all these tickets on the train at RDA!)

If you change to a Southern train at SOU (as you would need to in the evenings), then a further 25p can be saved by buying a Southern Only ticket.

[grahame]

I think it's that 'local' tickets cost less per mile that long distance / intercity ones .. so to a certain point, the more splits the cheaper.   I wonder about that Newquay to Kyle of Lochalsh fare that was being touted around recently, and what that would work out as Newquay - Par - Plymouth - Exeter - Taunton - Cheltenham - Birmingham - Stafford - Warrington - Lancaster - Penrith - Dumfries - Kilmarnock - Glasgow - Stirling - Dunkeld - Kingussie - Inverness - Dingwall - Achnasheen split.

Naughty question - if you buy a ticket that's split at a request stop, do you have to get the train to stop there (if optionally scheduled to do so) in order to validate your tickets?

[ChrisB]

Yes.

[Btline]

One would assume that the guard checking the ticket would stop the train/ expect to have stopped at the station your ticket is valid from!

[JayMac]

I wonder about that Newquay to Kyle of Lochalsh fare that was being touted around recently, and what that would work out as Newquay - Par - Plymouth - Exeter - Taunton - Cheltenham - Birmingham - Stafford - Warrington - Lancaster - Penrith - Dumfries - Kilmarnock - Glasgow - Stirling - Dunkeld - Kingussie - Inverness - Dingwall - Achnasheen split.

It's taken a bit of doing but I think I've found the best splits for the Newquay-Kyle of Lochalsh run. The CrossCountry First Class Anytime Return fare is ^1068, and with splits (a lot of them!) I've got it down to ^650.70 using First Class walk up fares appropriate to the time of day for each leg. Between Newquay and Par there are currently no trains conveying First Class so I've included a STD fare. Also between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh there are no First Class fares in Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains).

Newquay-Par ^9.60(1xSDS 1x CDS^▸ (Off Peak Day Single [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))). Par-Plymouth ^29.60(FOR). Plymouth-Exeter SD ^26.00(FSR^▸ (First Scot Rail)).
Exeter SD-Taunton ^28.00(FSR). Taunton-Bristol TM^‡(resolve) ^28.00(FSR). Bristol TM-Cheltenham Spa ^34.00(FOR).
Cheltenham Spa-Birmingham NS ^57.00(FOR). Birmingham NS-Stafford ^23.40(FOR). Stafford-Crewe ^30.40(2xFDS).
Crewe-Warrington BQ ^26.40 (2xFDS). Warrington BQ-Preston ^24.50(FOR). Preston-Lancaster ^18.00(2xFDS).
Lancaster-Oxenholme LD ^20.20(2xFDS). Oxenholme LD-Penrith ^48.90(FOR). Penrith-Carlisle ^34.00(2xFDS).
Carlisle-Lockerbie ^38.30(FOR). Lockerbie-Glasgow Central ^46.00(FOR). Glasgow Queen St-Inverness ^97.60(FOR).
Inverness-Achnasheen ^15.40(SOR) Achnasheen-Kyle of Lochalsh ^15.40(SOR).
Total ^650.70

I've avoided using the Caledonian Sleeper and factored in overnight stops en route.

Theoretical journey departing Newquay Monday 11th January. Two nights in Kyle of Lochalsh returning Thursday 14th. All trains include calls at the fare split points I've used.

OUT
Newquay 0657- Par 0748 (FGW^▸ (First Great Western))
Par 0755 - Taunton 1025 (FGW)
Taunton 1051 - Birmingham NS 1256 (XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)))
Birmingham NS 1331 - Stafford 1400 (XC)
Stafford 1435 - Crewe 1456 (LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise))
Crewe 1509 - Preston 1551 (VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises))
Preston 1653 - Carlisle 1806 (VT)
overnight stay
Carlisle 0751 - Glasgow Central 0914 (VT)
transfer to Glasgow Queen Street
Glasgow QS 1011 - Inverness 1327 (FSR)
Inverness 1334 - Kyle of Lochalsh 1559 (FSR)

RETURN
Kyle of Lochalsh 0621 - Inverness 0853 (FSR)
Inverness 0918 - Glasgow QS 1246 (FSR)
transfer to Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central 1340 - Carlisle 1449 (VT)*
Carlisle 1530 - Preston 1642 (TP)
Preston 1717 - Crewe 1759 (VT)
Crewe 1822 - Stafford 1842 (LM)
overnight stay
Stafford 0825 - Birmingham NS 0858 (XC)
Birmingham NS 0912- Exeter SD 1146 (XC)
Exeter SD 1209 - Par 1358 (FGW)
Par 1403 - Newquay 1455 (FGW)

*Although this service doesn't call at the split point of Lockerbie, travel is permitted as doubling back at Carlisle is a permitted route to Lockerbie. No need to do the double-back of course!!

...and finally.... yes I know, anorak city But there was no footy highlights to watch tonight so I thought I'd tackle this. Pretty pointless, but engrossing and sort of fun. I should get out more!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks very much for all that research, bignosemac! 

One of the things I find fascinating about this forum is that we have members here who are so interested in the technicalities of UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail travel that they want to undertake such 'investigative journalism'.

So, how about offering your 'research results' to the Daily Mail, as a 'top money saving tip'?

C. 

[JayMac]

Damn....all that work calculating the split fares and I forgot one thing. My theoretical trip form Newquay to Kyle of Lochalsh and back in 5 days can be done by purchasing one ticket for ^565. A 7 day First Class All Line Rail Rover.  In fact why bother with the journey via Brum at all, go via London paying an extra ^8 for two tube singles.

[ChrisB]

But that ^1068 fare is valid for one month, so what's the cheapest way if I wanted to stay away that long? You haven't compared like with like either.

[moonrakerz]

Recently there seems to be a growing number of rail staff who don't know the rules with regard to splitting tickets.

My daughter travels from Kent to Wiltshire (and back), often using the W'loo - Temple Meads service. She is no longer a "young person" and uses a Network Card for part of the route.
She "splits" at Basingstoke to get the best fares, at her last attempt to buy the two tickets (at Rochester) she was told that she was "not allowed to do that" - when she said jokingly that she would "hop-off and back on again" she was then told that was not allowed either and that she would have to get a different train onward from Basingstoke !
The lady in the ticket office initially seemed to say that "splitting" was not allowed - full stop. When my daughter insisted that it was, the lady then changed tack slightly and said it was in the conditions of her Network rail card (it isn't, it just refers back to NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage)). Apart from which she isn't actually "splitting" a Network Card journey, only using it to get to Basingstoke, then using an undiscounted ticket onward from there.

Eventually the ticket office did give her the tickets she asked for but still said that she was not allowed to do this. This is not the first time this has happened to her in recent months - is there now an unofficial "policy" of trying to reduce the number of split tickets being sold ??

PS: She had no bother on the train and I have sent her the relevant section fom NRCoC to carry with her.

[ChrisB]

What tickets was she buying?

As I understand it, they cannot refuse to sell you tickets requested - it is down to staff doing ticket checks to enforce any ticket restrictions.

[Btline]

Send a complaint to Southeastern that staff do no know the NRCOC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage).

[Timmer]

As you say you can purchase a Network railcard discounted ticket up to the Network railcard boundary station and purchase another ticket that covers your journey to your destination station outside the boundary.

[devon_metro]

I often buy my first leg of the journey at the ticket machine, then the split at the office, to avoid any potential grief.

[moonrakerz]

What tickets was she buying?

As I understand it, they cannot refuse to sell you tickets requested - it is down to staff doing ticket checks to enforce any ticket restrictions.

I think she was buying something like Super Off Peak Returns, or something of that ilk, as she normally doesn't have enough notice to get an Advance, and has to be a bit flexible about returning.

Totally agree with your other comments: they HAVE to sell you what you ask for, and it is up to others to enforce any applicable restrictions.

Timmer: Your comment actually shows up another quirk in the splitting fares story in this particular case. She could use her Network card all the way to Salisbury, but the fares are structured in such a way that she gets a better saving on the overall trip if she forgoes the extra Railcard discount to Salisbury because of the large increase in fare from Rochester to SAL compared to BSK^▸ (Brake Standard Corridor (carriage)).
to BSK = ^22.40
to SAL = ^34.60
Whole trip:
Split at BSK. ^42.00 ret
Split at SAL. ^46.20 ret

[JayMac]

But that ^1068 fare is valid for one month, so what's the cheapest way if I wanted to stay away that long? You haven't compared like with like either.

You're quite right. However my theoretical journey was completed within a week. (I wanted to avoid weekend timetables which make the split points and changes more difficult!)  If you want to spend longer than a week in Kyle then my split options may be the cheapest 1st class fare. Return within the week then the Rover works out cheaper.

The alternative route via London can also be split to save on the advertised ^749.00 First Class Anytime Return. I managed to get that down to ^560.30 by splitting at London, Edinburgh, Inverness and Strathcarron.