5 Retailers - 5 different fares for same journeys

[whole diary]

[njt]

Looking at tickets for a trip to Exeter in a few weeks time with my son and of the five different retailers I checked all offered a different fare for the same journey.

St Austell to Exeter Central on a Tuesday in March
Depart St Austell 0736 Arrive Exeter Central 1018
Depart Exeter Central 1514 Arrive St Austell 1745
1 Ad & 1 Ch with Devon & Cornwall Railcard

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - £62.05 1) Advance Singles SAU – EXC £44.25, 2) Off Peak Singles EXC – SAU £17.80

Trainline App - £52.60 + £2.19 ‘booking fee’ 1) Anytime Day Return SAU – PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) £34.65, 2) Anytime Day Return PLY – EXC £17.95

Trainline Web - £88.50 1) Advance Singles £44.25 SAU - EXC, 2) Advance Singles EXC – SAU £44.25 - I could not re-create the App fare on the website.

Trainsplit - £51.45 + £1.59 ‘share of savings’ 1) Anytime Day Return SAU – PLY £34.65, 2) Anytime Day Return PLY – TOT^▸ (Totnes station) £9.35, 3) Off Peak
Day Return TOT – EXC £7.45. 

Virgin - £60.70 1) Advance Singles SAU – NTA^» (Newton Abbott - next trains) £36.00, 2) Off Peak Day Single NTA – EXC £6.90, 3) Off Peak Day Singles EXC – SAU £17.80

Last year we did this the same trip for £28.50 on advance tickets.  That fare hasn't been available at all this year on the 12 week booking window.

[plymothian]

The trainsplit fare is cheapest, but not cheapest due to the share of savings add on, eliminate that at the ticket office.

The rest are relying on advance fares, which are quota controlled.  Trainsplit is just including walk up fares as all the advances that are available are dearer.

On your chosen itinerary, the DCR isn't valid until 08.45 (at Plymouth), but off peak doesn't become valid until Totnes.
 
If you're able to drop back to the 08.05 departure, which means you'll arrive at Exeter Central 10 minutes later than planned, on walk up fares you'll have SAU - PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) SDR £23.10 + £11.55 & PLY - EXC CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')) with DCR £9.75 + £1 = £45.40.  Cheaper advance fares might be available.

[UstiImmigrunt]

Also remember certain 3rd party sellers may be a bit cheaper but assistance when it goes wrong can be difficult to obtain. I remember many a TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) moaning about SeatFrog, Trainline etc because passengers are on the wrong trains and complain about being charged a full fare single for the journey made. Plus how would you get back delay repay?

[ChrisB]

Which Tuesday in March were you trying, coz all the advances will be likely different availability....

[njt]

My travel plans are to fit around a fixed appointment. My point is how easy it is for someone to end up paying more that they need to due to the complex nature of the fares system.

[grahame]

My travel plans are to fit around a fixed appointment. My point is how easy it is for someone to end up paying more that they need to due to the complex nature of the fares system.

Supremely easy (and it happens all the time).   Just as it's very easy to go into a supermarket and pick up a rather more expensive tin of chopped tomatoes or bottle of cola.  And the choice is not always obvious.