Preston to chester split tickets

[premier01]

I will be travelling from Preston to Chester this Thursday returning the next day and trying to see if there are any good deals with split tickets.

There doesn't seem to be any good options on West Coast route and I would prefer this route. Also would like to try the new First Class lounge at Crewe but not necessarily traveling in First Class all the way-as this a leisure trip and paying myself don't want to pay a lot so was trying to see what the minimum amount would be just to get into the lounge.

A lot of the First Class tickets that I have checked seen a lot for the short journey times-annoying when First Class tickets are available for £34 to London some times.

 

[yorkie]

Preston to Warrington is the minimum to get an "Open" (ie, return valid for up to 1 month) return, but then Warrington to Chester is Day tickets only so you'd need 2 singles for that, or buy from Wigan (and be doubly valid) for an SVR.

Preston - Warrington
SOR is £13.80
FOR is £24.50

Chester-Warrington is £7.80 each way but is cheaper from Wigan for an SVR at £14.00.

So you could go FC between Preston and Warrington and then std from there to Chester for a lot less than the through £57 FOR!

 

[premier01]

Preston to Warrington is the minimum to get an "Open" (ie, return valid for up to 1 month) return, but then Warrington to Chester is Day tickets only so you'd need 2 singles for that, or buy from Wigan (and be doubly valid) for an SVR.

Preston - Warrington
SOR is £13.80
FOR is £24.50

Chester-Warrington is £7.80 each way but is cheaper from Wigan for an SVR at £14.00.

So you could go FC between Preston and Warrington and then std from there to Chester for a lot less than the through £57 FOR!

Thanks-would the Preston to Wigan be much cheaper then get Off-Peak Return to Chester-would the ticket be accepted at the lounge in Crewe-recent posts would suggest yes but not sure about that.

 

[yorkie]

Actually Wigan would be cheaper, if you are happy to do a very small amount of First class. 2 x FDS @ £8.50 = £17.00 this is a saving of £7.50 but you get half the time in first class, I doubt you'd even get a coffee! (and if you did, you'd have to carry it back to standard).

No way could you use a ticket from Preston to Warrington in the lounge at Crewe though!

 

[premier01]

Actually Wigan would be cheaper, if you are happy to do a very small amount of First class. 2 x FDS @ £8.50 = £17.00 this is a saving of £7.50 but you get half the time in first class, I doubt you'd even get a coffee! (and if you did, you'd have to carry it back to standard).

No way could you use a ticket from Preston to Warrington in the lounge at Crewe though!

I know the journey well and it is only about 12 mins and often only takes 9 mins so would be of no benefit other than getting into the lounge-really didn't think it would but asked question as recent post suggested access is allowed with any Virgin Trains ticket-that's taking it too far though!

I guess a Warrington to Crewe ticket would allow access however or at least it should do-at the very least a Crewe to Chester ticket would allow access.

I guess I will just go with a Standard Off Peak ticket and wait until a business trip takes me through Crewe so I can use the lounge there.

It was really just to see if there were any inexpensive options to try the lounge on Thursday.

 

[yorkie]

Crewe-Chester would be £10.40 FDS each way and then it'll cost you loads to get to Crewe.

Preston-Crewe, being priced by rip-off Branson and chums, is shocking £88 FOR!

 

[premier01]

Crewe-Chester would be £10.40 FDS each way and then it'll cost you loads to get to Crewe.

Preston-Crewe, being priced by rip-off Branson and chums, is shocking £88 FOR!

That really is expensive!

I can't think that many tickets would be sold at that price-guess it's because First Class on this route is aimed at customers travelling on long distance routes e.g. Preston to London and there is no incentive to market First Class between Preston and Crewe-that said I'm sure that said it is no excuse to charge that price.

 

[tony_mac]

New Lane to Chester (valid via Wigan) is £4.35 each way for an off-peak day single.

 

[premier01]

New Lane to Chester (valid via Wigan) is £4.35 each way for an off-peak day single.

Where is that station-what other tickets would I need to complete the journey from Preston-would Preston to Wigan work with this-what are the ticket options for Preston to Wigan-other than the First Class referred to in this post.

 

[tony_mac]

It's between Wigan and Southport; just need to get to Wigan.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/maps/
Preston to Wigan is about £6 single standard, you can search for all the options
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk

 

[premier01]

It's between Wigan and Southport; just need to get to Wigan.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/maps/
Preston to Wigan is about £6 single standard, you can search for all the options
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk

Thanks-anything less than £9 would make that the best option for tickets.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's between Wigan and Southport; just need to get to Wigan.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/maps/
Preston to Wigan is about £6 single standard, you can search for all the options
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk

I've checked tickets and there doesn't seem to be any Standard Open Return ticket so as I am returning the next day it would have to be 2 Singles so it would be £12.40 plus the £8.70-total £21.10 which would-I think be more that the Standard Off Peak Return direct to Chester-there were no Advance tickets available other than a First Advance for £54-can't be right that!

 

[Olympian]

Preston-Crewe, being priced by rip-off Branson and chums, is shocking £88 FOR!

Agreed, especially when you can save £31 just by buying a £57 Preston-Chester FOR as it's valid via Crewe. Even the Preston-Chester FDS saves £14. Crazy!

 

[premier01]

Agreed, especially when you can save £31 just by buying a £57 Preston-Chester FOR as it's valid via Crewe. Even the Preston-Chester FDS saves £14. Crazy!

I went for the Off Peak Return Ticket and as it was changed at Warrington Bank Quay onto Arriva service to Chester-at 58 mins this was a very good service so as well not too bother with First Class lounges etc at Crewe!-one point to ask about on this and it links to recent Over Distance Excess Tickets posts


On way back we went the same route and got the Virgin Trains Edinburgh service to Preston arriving at about 19.50-if purchased at Chester would it have been an option to excess the ticket to Bamber Bridge and get on the train from Preston using the ticket- I guess it would be a zero value excess ticket- not sure it would be a valid excess for this route.

 

[yorkie]

If it's the same price it would be zero excess, but yes I believe you may have to get the excess before boarding the train at Preston because otherwise you are travelling without a ticket having had an opportunity to buy. Some people say that once you reach the final destination on the ticket you cannot excess it, however this does not appear to be documented anywhere. But my advice would be to get it from Chester station before commencing the return journey. Or, even better, just get the ticket issued from there in the first place. Preston can issue a ticket from Bamber Bridge if you ask for it as you can ask for a ticket from any station to any station.

 

[premier01]

If it's the same price it would be zero excess, but yes I believe you may have to get the excess before boarding the train at Preston because otherwise you are travelling without a ticket having had an opportunity to buy. Some people say that once you reach the final destination on the ticket you cannot excess it, however this does not appear to be documented anywhere. But my advice would be to get it from Chester station before commencing the return journey. Or, even better, just get the ticket issued from there in the first place. Preston can issue a ticket from Bamber Bridge if you ask for it as you can ask for a ticket from any station to any station.

Thanks-was really checking the process following the post discussed in August 2009:-



The issue is that I usually travel to Preston and only sometimes need to travel further to Bamber Bridge-it is only about £2.10 for a SDS but as I have been issued over-distance excess tickets on the train previously and was shouted down by a ticket collector that denied the existence of over-distance excess tickets I have taken a particluar interest in the subject!

The process is in fact clear-if a customer whishes to travel further than the orginal station then buy excess ticket before arriving at the original station however as Bamber Bridge is a local station that is only on one line I would be intersted to know when an over-distance excess would be a valid option:

Original Ticket Blackpool South-Preston

Excess valid-Yes It's on the same line but 2 stations further than Preston

Original Ticket Lancaster-Preston

Excess valid-not sure probably as Bamber Bridge is further South than Preston

Original Ticket Blackburn-Preston

Excess valid-n/a as Bamber Bridge is on the same line and is 2 stations before Preston

Original Ticket London-Preston

Excess valid- not sure as not on the same line and would have to go to Preston first unless you went a very complex route e.g. chnaging at Wigan, Blackburn etc

This is the excess ticket that I would be very interested to know what the options would be as paying up to £410 for a ticket then having to buy a seperate ticket seems to be illogical especially when Ba,ber Bridge is nearer to London than Preston

 

[yorkie]

can you not get it issued from bamber bridge in the first place? preston ticket office can do that

 

[Lampshade]

can you not get it issued from bamber bridge in the first place? preston ticket office can do that

^^^ This.

 

[premier01]

^^^ This.

That's an option-however I have only asked this as a point of interest as to how
the process works more so than requiring to implement this-the only exception would be if a new ticket costs more that the excess in which case I would prefer the excess tickets.

I travel to/from Preston about 95% of the time.