Is London (King's Cross) to Ely valid via Peterborough?

[arb]

I'd never have considered that King's Cross to Ely via Peterborough would be a valid route, and a quick attempt to check the routeing guide seems to back this up (notwithstanding any mistakes I might have made!)

But National Rail Enquiries seems quite happy to offer this as a valid route at weekends, offering to sell me the £20.50 super off peak single for this journey, whether via (and changing at) Peterborough, or direct via Cambridge.

However, it only seems to allow it when travelling northbound, and says I need two tickets to make the journey via Peterborough if I look for the reverse southbound journey from Ely to London. It also says I need two tickets for both northbound and southbound journeys on weekdays.

What's going on here?

 

[Paul Kelly]

I think it's down to the bug in the SilverRail IPTIS journey planner (used by National Rail Enquiries) in interpreting map easements, which has been mentioned several times before on the forum. It seems to be taking Easement 700804 (Due to the closure of London Euston station over the weekends of the 18 - 19 August 2018; 25 - 27 August 2018 and 01 - 02 September 2018. Journeys between London and Manchester, Wilmslow and Stockport will be permitted via London Kings Cross, Leeds and onward on Trans Pennine Express services via Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly. This map easement applies in both directions) and applying it to any journey that starts in King's Cross and goes via Finsbury Park, allowing it to take any route at all later in the journey, rather than just deviating from the maps via the routeing points listed in the easement.

 

[JB_B]

Interestingly, Trainline and Assertis based sites will sell this ticket via Peterborough as advertised by NRE.

 

[alistairlees]

Interestingly, Trainline and Assertis based sites will sell this ticket via Ely as advertised by NRE.

But the OP was talking about going to Ely via Peterborough?

 

[JB_B]

But the OP was talking about going to Ely via Peterborough?

Sorry - typo - corrected above. These sites are offering Kings Cross -> Peterborough -> Ely for £20.50 today as per the OP's question.

 

[RJ]

I'm in the ticket office this evening and RJIS is confirming this route as valid - might as well fill your boots as I'm sure it will be fixed before long!

 

[alistairlees]

Sorry - typo - corrected above. These sites are offering Kings Cross -> Peterborough -> Ely for £20.50 today as per the OP's question.

Or for £20.60 return. A bargain, really.

 

[yorkie]

Sorry - typo - corrected above. These sites are offering Kings Cross -> Peterborough -> Ely for £20.50 today as per the OP's question.

Yes and Kings Cross to Cambridge via Peterborough, and even King's Cross to Birmingham via Peterborough (and Leicester).

Interestingly, Trainline and Assertis based sites will sell this ticket via Peterborough as advertised by NRE.

Most of the fares data providers are affected by this.

I'm in the ticket office this evening and RJIS is confirming this route as valid - might as well fill your boots as I'm sure it will be fixed before long!

True; at some point on Monday I expect it will no longer be possible to book these itineraries. That said, it may be a lot longer, you can never really tell!

 

[arb]

Or for £20.60 return. A bargain, really.

The return doesn't let you travel via Peterborough in both directions, though. Only northbound. So I would have thought it's of limited use for anybody not wanting to make the full journey to Ely (or Cambridge, or any of the other destinations affected).

Unless you're going to try and argue that NRE showing it as a valid route in one direction means it must be valid in the other direction as well, even if NRE won't show it both ways?

 

[Wallsendmag]

One to add to the call sheet in the morning.