Hi

For 2 years I have commuted from Bristol to Reading, using an annual ticket, but due to a change in how I work, I now use a combination of weekly season tickets, working from home and driving.

Today, however, I chose to use the train a buy a ticket, here are the options

Bristol PW to Reading
89 - Open Return
38 - Saver Return (After 0930 Out and Non peak train return)

Bristol PW - Didcot PW - Reading
22.30 - Cheap Day Return (16) + Cheap Day Return (6.30) (After 0930 and NO Return Restrictions)

Why is it £22.30 to buy two tickets and £38 to buy a single ticket for exactly the same journey? Why does FGW not offer a Cheap Day Return to Reading? The Server Return restricts the time you can travel at and costs 80% more!

The biggest irony today was that the young passenger near me was checked by the guard, and asked to leave the train a Didcot PW and wait two hours until his ticket was valid, or pay an extra £45 for the crime of using a Saver Return from Reading to Bristol PW on the 17:11. He paid the price for a Full Single from Reading to Bristol. In all, he paid almost 4x what I paid for the same journey!

The prices are different as Didcot - East is in the 'Network South East' region and hence has lower ticket prices.