New Ranger/Rover ticket coming soon - Cotswold Discoverer

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

A new Ranger/Rover ticket called Cotswold Discoverer is being introduced covering the Cotswold and Golden Valley Lines. There's a 1 Day Ranger type ticket and a 3 Day (consecutive) Rover type ticket. Not sure when it will become available, but an educated guess would be around the time of the next fares database update on May 20th.

It also includes unlimited bus travel across the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Details of bus services the Cotswold Discoverer can be used on can be found here. NOTE: I cannot confirm validity on all the services listed through that link. Do check with bus operators if you plan to travel with this Ranger/Rover.

The specific rail validity is services between Oxford - Moreton in Marsh and Swindon - Ashchurch for Tewkesbury via Stroud/Gloucester. It is not valid between Oxford and Swindon.

Prices:

^10 Adult, ^5 Child and ^8.30 Railcard for the 1 Day Ranger.
^25 Adult ^12.50 Child and ^20 Railcard for the 3 Day Rover. 

Time validity on trains is after 0850 Mon-Fri, any time weekends and bank holidays. Valid any time on buses.

No publicity as yet from either First Great Western or National Rail Enquiries. 

I've gleaned this information from the independent GB^▸ (Great Britain) Rail Rover Guide.

http://railrover.org/pages/cotswold-discoverer.html



NOTE: Edited to include updated link to bus timetables and to clarify that the Cotswold Discoverer is not yet on sale.

[bobm]

Always nice to see a new Rover ticket.  I'm off on the first day of an 8 in 15 Freedom of the SW tomorrow.

It is not valid between Oxford and Swindon.

Being in Swindon it is frustrating there seem to be no rovers valid east of Swindon - except of course the All Line Rover.  I suppose with this new Rover I could get to Oxford via Ashchurch, a bus and Moreton-in-Marsh to pick up another rover there!!

[Btline]

That's a bit bizarre having 2 unliked rail routes. Why not extend to Worcester and down to Ashchurch from there?

[JayMac]

They are linked.

By bus!

[Ollie]

It's worth noting that this ticket isn't actually for sale yet..

[JayMac]

Did wonder that. I've edited my OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter, or Off Peak, depending on context) to reflect the fact it is not yet on sale.

I assume it'll go into retail systems come the next update to the fares database on May 20th - NFM^▸ (National Fares Manual) 12?

[grahame]

It's worth noting that this ticket isn't actually for sale yet..

Although the bus timetables that the links take you to are for June to December 2010

[Btline]

They are linked.

By bus!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

It's available on the system with certain railcard discounts, I'm not great on that area but is there not a Cotswold railcard?

[JayMac]

Although the bus timetables that the links take you to are for June to December 2010

I have edited my OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter, or Off Peak, depending on context) to link to Cotswold AONB^▸ (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) bus timetables that are current until June 2012. The link to bus timetables provided by http://railrover.org/pages/cotswold-discoverer.html has also been updated.

http://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/?page=transportpublications

Now.... as to availability to purchase....

Relex109 says it's available, Ollie says it isn't....

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

But being available to sell and being able to sell are two very different things,we have not been briefed on it (out of area) and its unlikely that we will ever sell it but it's deffo on our system, both the 1 day and 3 day version

[JayMac]

Webmaster at GB^▸ (Great Britain) Rail Rover Guide has said elsewhere that he's removed the details of the Cotswold Discoverer from his website until such time as it becomes available to purchase. It's no longer listed in the index, but the actual page is still loading..... for the moment.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

This brings up a point.... Is it on the manual? If it is and had no mention of when it goes on sale it could be sold

[JayMac]

Not in 'The Manual'. Yet.....

[Ollie]

It is in systems ready to go, but an issue has to be sorted until it can actually get sold. I will update here when I find out it is possible to sell (allowed to sell)