The secret trick to slash rail fares

[island]

Trainsplit and our members Mike@Raileasy, SickyNicky, and Indigo2 have been written up on page 10 of today's Sunday Times under the above headline explaining the science of ticket splitting. This forum gets a hat-tip for bringing everyone together.

The Sunday Times website is paywalled so the article can't be read online. If only they had managed to get the journalist not to mention thetrainline though.

 

[bb21]

The secret trick to slash rail fares

Mark Hookham and Pete Wise Published: 22 February 2015

RAIL enthusiasts have devised a computer code that could save passengers tens of millions of pounds by exposing cheap fares hidden from the public.

The creators who came up with trainsplit.com met on an internet forum for “train buffs” and built an algorithm that can navigate complex rail fares and find the cheapest way of travelling between two stations.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1522362.ece

Given that trainsplit goes through raileasy and charges a fee (albeit only on the saving), criticising thesheepline for charging fees may come across as hypocritical.

I think they made a good decision in that respect in this case on the balance of things.

 

[plymothian]

Is it really a secret?

 

[Unixman]

What is especially interesting in that article are the last two paragraphs which seem to confirm what the Telegraph reported a couple of years or so back:

Train companies have reportedly lobbied the government to ban split ticketing, which is permissible under the rail network's conditions of carriage. Transport department sources said the government welcomed moves "to increase competition".

The Rail Delivery Group which represents operators and Network Rail, said split tickets were "often a more complicated" way of buying and using tickets.

 

[dzug2]

It's ironic that most attempts to 'simplify' the fares system have made it more complicated.

 

[yorksrob]

'Train companies have reportedly lobbied the government to ban split ticketing, which is permissible under the rail network's conditions of carriage. Transport department sources said the government welcomed moves "to increase competition".

If they think they're going to slip that one through without a massive political stink being kicked up, they're living in a dream world.

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

Trainsplit and our members Mike@Raileasy, SickyNicky, and Indigo2 have been written up on page 10 of today's Sunday Times under the above headline explaining the science of ticket splitting. This forum gets a hat-tip for bringing everyone together.

The Sunday Times website is paywalled so the article can't be read online. If only they had managed to get the journalist not to mention thetrainline though.

Wouldn't have happened without the Forum and your dinners

 

[Harpers Tate]

It's ironic that most attempts to 'simplify' the fares system have made it more complicated.

and, in many cases, more expensive.

 

[suzanneparis]

We take the Sunday Times.

In the article discussed one line said something to the effect that Rail companies were opposed to 'split journeys' and wanted the government to stop it!

Deeply deeply shocking!

 

[NSEFAN]

It sounds like something worthy of clickbait: "ATOC hates him! Rail enthusiast discovers shocking way to slice rail fares using this one weird trick!"

In the article discussed one line said something to the effect that Rail companies were opposed to 'split journeys' and wanted the government to stop it!

Split ticketing cannot be legally stopped, as the NRCoC would need to explicitly ban it. They'd also need to ban break of journey, as this is another opportunity for finding cheaper tickets. Of course in many cases these may not even be enforceable, and in trying to ban creative ticketing further public awareness of it has now been raised.

 

[Hadders]

I also believe there are some TOC's who are very keen on split ticketing because it allocates them revenue they wouldn't otherwise get.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

In the article discussed one line said something to the effect that Rail companies were opposed to 'split journeys' and wanted the government to stop it!

What is especially interesting in that article are the last two paragraphs which seem to confirm what the Telegraph reported a couple of years or so back:

For those interested, the thread about the Telegraph article is here : Telegraph article on proposals to ban split tickets.

My own confirmation of the industry's attempts to restrict 'split ticketing' was in post #40. That was in June 2012, though proposals to restrict 'splits' (rather than to completely eliminate them) had been put to the Department in 2011 and had been discussed with the Minister (at the time, that was Theresa Villiers).

What we should take from this historical reference is that there is either, no appetite by Government to restrict 'split ticketing', or, there are no viable proposals available for detailled consideration (due to the complexity and/or the loss of journey opportunities and/or the financial disbenefit), or, both.

 

[GarethJohn]

The site appears to be down or unavailable and rail easy is not offering the split that I used before Xmas.

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

The site appears to be down or unavailable and rail easy is not offering the split that I used before Xmas.

Splits are only on Trainsplit. It got a mention on Mail Online so visitor numbers have gone ballistic. Please leave it a while if you can.

 

[GarethJohn]

Splits are only on Trainsplit. It got a mention on Mail Online so visitor numbers have gone ballistic. Please leave it a while if you can.

Trainsplit.com was showing as no longer available as what happens when a website closes(as I'm writing it appears to have returned).

 

[fairysdad]

Just seen this reported on the Independent's website. Nothing really there that is different, but some of the comments are, shall we say, amusing, viz:

All public transport should be free at the point of use, paid for out of general taxation.

(Not to mention the ones that are comparing the fare structure over here with that in Europe.)

I do wonder though whether the site would be able to calculate the best fares I managed to get in November when doing a round trip...

 

[GarethJohn]

Are there any other sites offering split ticketing? Trainsplit.com has not been working properly all day.

 

[pne]

Is it really a secret?

It is in the sense of "not widely known", though probably not in the sense of "the Powers that Be wish to keep this hidden".

 

[sheff1]

Splits are only on Trainsplit. It got a mention on Mail Online so visitor numbers have gone ballistic. Please leave it a while if you can.

Two days later and it is still down. It would appear that publicising the site has resulted in its disappearance.:cry:

 

[MikeWh]

Two days later and it is still down. It would appear that publicising the site has resulted in its disappearance.:cry:

It's up at the moment.

 

[sheff1]

So it is. Clearly need to wait for the office workers to go home.

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

It's up at the moment.

Sickynicky has been a busy boy, better now

 

[RJ]

I've found another use for www.splitticketing.com which is probably the opposite of it's eponymous selling point - which is splitting the journey in order to get a cheaper available Advance fare.

On some corridors, certain trains have cheaper Advance fares available than others - but with other ticket selling websites, it is impossible to force a change onto the cheaper trains. This site allows me to do it - the pros being the cheaper fare and a superior train to change onto, the cons being the short time and interchange penalty. In my case, it's not a problem at all as the First Class Advance is usually very cheap, so I can make use of the First Class lounge where I interchange.

I do still wish American Express was accepted however - I'd put more purchases through the site if it was.

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

Glad it's useful. Problem with Amex is they charge 2.5% or something like that. We are picking up the card charges.

 

[NLC1072]

I must commend you, the site is great!

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

We just do the simple bit, the booking process. The clever stuff, the algorithm, is all SickyNicky's. There's more to come too.

 

[Starmill]

The site is excellent. The only thing that stops me from using it is for split journeys it doesn't let me mix First and Standard class.

Typical example, CrossCountry service from Plymouth to Birmingham. Lowest / Very cheap tier 1st Advances Plymouth - Exeter, Exeter - Taunton, Taunton - Bristol and Bristol - Cheltenham. No 1st Advances Cheltenham - Birmingham, and as I am using a 16-25 railcard, no discount on walk-up First, meaning the crazy £51.20 Cheltenham - Birmingham Anytime 1S is selected. Sometimes this will be on a train with a Standard advance for less than £5, so the choice is obvious, move to Standard for the final half an hour!

 

[simple simon]

It sounds like something worthy of clickbait: "ATOC hates him! Rail enthusiast discovers shocking way to slice rail fares using this one weird trick!"


Split ticketing cannot be legally stopped, as the NRCoC would need to explicitly ban it. They'd also need to ban break of journey, as this is another opportunity for finding cheaper tickets. Of course in many cases these may not even be enforceable, and in trying to ban creative ticketing further public awareness of it has now been raised.

Just wait until smartcards replace paper tickets.

Oh and look at the ghastly Dutch experience with their OV Chipkaart.

Simon

 

[island]

The site is excellent. The only thing that stops me from using it is for split journeys it doesn't let me mix First and Standard class.

Typical example, CrossCountry service from Plymouth to Birmingham. Lowest / Very cheap tier 1st Advances Plymouth - Exeter, Exeter - Taunton, Taunton - Bristol and Bristol - Cheltenham. No 1st Advances Cheltenham - Birmingham, and as I am using a 16-25 railcard, no discount on walk-up First, meaning the crazy £51.20 Cheltenham - Birmingham Anytime 1S is selected. Sometimes this will be on a train with a Standard advance for less than £5, so the choice is obvious, move to Standard for the final half an hour!

It will still be a while before computers can replace the human brain.

 

[IanD]

I've found another use for which is probably the opposite of it's eponymous selling point - which is splitting the journey in order to get a cheaper available Advance fare.

On some corridors, certain trains have cheaper Advance fares available than others - but with other ticket selling websites, it is impossible to force a change onto the cheaper trains. This site allows me to do it - the pros being the cheaper fare and a superior train to change onto, the cons being the short time and interchange penalty. In my case, it's not a problem at all as the First Class Advance is usually very cheap, so I can make use of the First Class lounge where I interchange.

I do still wish American Express was accepted however - I'd put more purchases through the site if it was.

www.splitticketting.com

Think you missed off the s in https