My All Line Rover plan for this year

[rail-britain]

I've now started my planning for this year, although I only plan to do the 7 day this time (14 days was too long) -

Saturday 00:06 Falkirk Grahamston - London Euston
Saturday 10:00 Liverpool Street - Great Yarmouth, and return
Sunday XC Edinburgh - (Kings Cross) (although I only got as far as Peterborough last year due to late running trains)
Sunday Glasgow - London Euston sleeper
Kings Cross - Inverness (for sleeper connection)
(Kings Cross) Edinburgh - Aberdeen (for sleeper connection)
FGW sleeper
WSR service, both north and south this time (only north last time)
ATW service, both north and south (my last day changed last year in order to complete the north)
GC Kings Cross - York -> York - Leeds - Preston (for Aberdeen)
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Is the ALR valid on South Eastern HS1 services between London St Pancras and Ashford International (domestic)?
It wasn't last year, ALR was refused; full fare only

 

[mrcheek]

I had no trouble using an ALR on the southeastern hi speed service.
Although it wouldnt work the gates, and the woman operating them had no idea what it was, so she let me on anyway. No ticket check on board.

I seem to recall that the Southeastern website confirms they are accepted, and should always have been. If youre going, then continue to Dover Priory. It doesnt take much longer, and its a nice journey along the south east coast. Also, allow plenty of time to change at St Pancras, as it takes ages to walk to that part of the station.

 

[rail-britain]

The ALR was not valid on any of the preview services on 29 June 2009

South Eastern Trains initially refused my access to the Press briefing, even though they had sent me it a few weeks earlier (14 June 2009)
They changed their tune after spending nearly three days verifying my ATOC membership
However, when I went to pickup the tickets they demanded £25 to cover "admin costs", I pointed out a return ticket was cheaper!

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Didn't it have time restrictions put on it this year or were those plans cancelled?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Those plans have been cancelled.

And in Rail 645, ATOC told Barry Doe that it was just rumours! The full quote ( on page 55 ) is:

"I have checked with the team at ATOC and have been assured the rumours are totally unfounded."

 

[455driver]

Got cancelled VERY quickly.

 

[mrcheek]

the so-called time restriction plans were a very successful attempt at trolling!

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Oh good. That makes them worthwhile again then.
Expensive, but when you consider the mileages you can clock up on one, then they become exceptionally good value for money.

Now where's my credit card.

 

[rail-britain]

I've got £250 of Rail Travel Vouchers from last year
These get me two days of travel or one sleeper plus one day

A 7 day ALR makes economic sense and can be cheaper than two First Class return tickets

I've not seen any time restrictions that apply to travelling on HS1 and the "peak time restrictions" do not appear anywhere

 

[Pumbaa]

the so-called time restriction plans were a very successful attempt at trolling!

No - an ATOC notice found its way into offices in Euston. They were planned, but as 455driver correctly says, the sudden and sharp backlash from press, railway journalists and profressionals, not to mention travellers, meant that ATOC were forced to ditch the plans to save face

 

[rail-britain]

I sent an email to ATOC when I received my copy

I was advised to disregard it
Furthermore it went into detail that the time restriction was almost impossible to enforce as many people currently use this ticket overnight or in order to travel before the main "commuter rush" in the morning
The main sole supporter of this restricition appeared to be Virgin Trains, other TOCs were at the other end of the extreme and saw no need for the restriction

However, towards the end it does advise that this may be applied from December 2010 or at the next national fares review
The fare would then be reduced by an average of 8% (no travel on trains timetabled to depart between 03:00 and 09:30)
However, given most timetables start at 06:00 and end at about 22:00, three hours out of sixteen is not 8%

 

[Greenback]

I thought the proposed time restrictions applied only to services to/from London? I can;t really see any reason why trains that are permitted on regional rovers (eg West Highland line) should be affected?

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

I sent an email to ATOC when I received my copy

I was advised to disregard it
Furthermore it went into detail that the time restriction was almost impossible to enforce as many people currently use this ticket overnight or in order to travel before the main "commuter rush" in the morning
The main sole supporter of this restricition appeared to be Virgin Trains, other TOCs were at the other end of the extreme and saw no need for the restriction

However, towards the end it does advise that this may be applied from December 2010 or at the next national fares review
The fare would then be reduced by an average of 8% (no travel on trains timetabled to depart between 03:00 and 09:30)
However, given most timetables start at 06:00 and end at about 22:00, three hours out of sixteen is not 8%

So what if you need to catch the first train of the day from Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance/Bristol/Cardiff or even Swansea to get a connection in London.

The first trains down in the West Country are 0505 from Penzance, 0530 from Plymouth, 0546 from Exeter and the earliest you arrive from any of them is 0838, you're slightly better off from Wales, although I'd say your completely barking if you want to catch the 0353 from Swansea!

Also to say that services finish at 2200 is a joke, so what about the last one to West Country?

OK, by rights you could say that's the 1903 from Paddington (which it is for stations beyond Plymouth) other than the 2345 Night Riviera. You still have 1945/2035 (Last via Berks & Hants) from Paddington to Plymouth & 2145 to Exeter via Bristol. So fair enough.

So does that mean that there's no such trains as the 2245 to Swansea & 2330 to Cardiff? Of course not, so what if you are using an ALR and you're going to stop over in one of the aforementioned locations?

That's just part of the West Country, without touching the Cotswold's.

If you enter the London commuter zone there are loads of trains that start around 0400-0500 mark as well as finish well beyond the 0000 barrier.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Can you use the First Class ALR to gain access to First Class lounges?

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

I don't see why not, after all you have a first class ticket; But then again you can expect that they'll probably find a way to exclude you, after losing the restrictions battle. :roll:

 

[Pumbaa]

EMT and EC seem to be funny about this and have refused access - VT not fussed.

 

[rail-britain]

Can you use the First Class ALR to gain access to First Class lounges?

It varies between TOC, so see my review from last year
I managed to use them all for "free", except East Midlands Trains who wanted £5 to use theirs
The only ones I didn't use were :
First Great Western
East Coast (forgot about Kings Cross and Edinburgh was closed on each visit)

The best was Virgin Trains at London Euston, "unlimited" supply of soft drinks, tea, biscuits, and fruit
I used it to recharge my laptop and spare battery on arrival after using the sleeper (typically used up one entire battery on the sleeper)

 

[Any Permitted]

Why do you want to go to Great Yarmouth? You get stuck on an unremarkable Super Sprinter or Turbostar to go along an unremarkable route to an unremarkable (or even horrid) little town. Even the scenery is totally unremarkable. Trust me, I live here.

The Norwich - Liverpool Street journey is nice enough but .. Yarmouth? Pah.

 

[John @ home]

I sent an email to ATOC when I received my copy

I was advised to disregard it

Your copy of what?

 

[rail-britain]

Why do you want to go to Great Yarmouth?

Saturday Only :
Class 90 between London and Norwich
Class 47 between Norwich and Great Yarmouth

 

[Any Permitted]

Saturday Only :
Class 90 between London and Norwich
Class 47 between Norwich and Great Yarmouth

Ah yeah those summer Saturday workings are probably the best thing about living here. Fair enough in that case.

 

[rail-britain]

Bizarre response from FSR today :

We generally try to maintain a 12-week booking horizon for our sleeper and seat
reservations. Network Rail are required to provide us with 12-week horizons
confirming that we can run services in advance but this may alter when engineering
work is scheduled and the timings of the train have to be confirmed before we can
release the trains into the reservation system.

As the All Line Rover Ticket is not subject to availability you can purchase this at
any time prior to your commcening date once reservations have been released

Last year I wasn't able to buy one until about six weeks before travel
Has anyone been able to buy one twelve weeks before travel?

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Try booking direct with them, it can give you a slight advantage at times.

 

[455driver]

Can you use the First Class ALR to gain access to First Class lounges?

A lot of TOCs are funny as you dont hold a ticket from them, if you had a Grand Central first class ticket, would you expect to use the East Coast first class lounge?

 

[rail-britain]

Try booking direct with them, it can give you a slight advantage at times

It makes no difference as I need to purchase the ticket in Glasgow
Last year I bought the ticket in Glasgow Central and spent nearly an hour making all the reservations
I went in in the late evening while they were quiet
However on my first visit (five weeks before travel) the ticket would not process for purchase
I went to Glasgow Queen Street and it was the same
However I had already confirmed reservations could be made right up to eight weeks before travel

 

[badger1badger]

good point can anyone further clarify that we can use the first class lounge ?

 

[Flying Snail]

A lot of TOCs are funny as you dont hold a ticket from them, if you had a Grand Central first class ticket, would you expect to use the East Coast first class lounge?

Except that a % of the fare paid for the ALR will have gone to each TOC so it should be considered a ticket for whichever TOC you are dealing with same as an any permitted first class ticket.

Not sure about open access operators though, I know that they accept the tickets so I would guess they get a small cut as well.

 

[rail-britain]

I sent my request back to FSR, for them to check their original quote above

Their response :
I understand that you need confirmation of how far in advance you can book your All
Line Rover
Regrettably, I am unable to confirm this. However, I would suggest that you contact
National Rail Enquires

I have also checked and it is not currently possible to purchase this ticket from Croy, Cumbernauld or Glasgow Queen Street
We recommend you visit Edinburgh Waverley or Glasgow Central to purchase this ticket
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Now an ever better response from Virgin Trains :

I can also confirm that you can purchase an All Line Rover 7 day ticket up to 22 weeks in advance

That didn't work last year, so I will hold them to that when I go to buy my ALR on 11 July (dated 28 November?!?)