Peak restrictions during lockdown

[vinnym70]

I would normally hold an annual season ticket for my commute Braintree to London Zones 2-6.

As it looks like any return to work is going to be partial at best, I'm currently trying to work out the most beneficial way for me to commute. Current thinking is that I may well be working in the office one week and the next week at home so an annual season doesn't make sense to me - at least in the short term.

Based on National Rail's website only, if I were to travel out from Braintree at 09:05 an off-peak return to Stratford is £23.60 and I would PAYG the remainder of the journey on the tube. Critically, there seems to be no restrictions on returning home in the peak right now though.

Does anyone know whether peak return restrictions are currently lifted? In normal times, I'm pretty sure an off-peak return would have restricted by return journey to before 1600 or after 1900 so the prices I'm seeing now may not be an accurate reflection once we start to return to normal.

VM

 

[Starmill]

An Off Peak Day Return from Braintree to Stratford does not have afternoon time restrictions. The restriction is simply on trains arriving in London before 1000.

Rumour has it that the notion of easing normal time restrictions had been specifically rejected at an internal industry forum. If I were you, I would not plan on any easing of restrictions.

 

[vinnym70]

Thank you Starmill - that's good news. Although it might introduce another variable.

The current timetable has trains leaving Braintree at xx.05 for the most part of the day as they run as a shuttle to Witham only.

Normally departures would be xx.00 which may preclude the *normal* 09:00 departure being valid as an off-peak ticket and realistically it's the latest train I could justify using otherwise I'd be turning up to the office in time for lunch

 

[Paul Kelly]

The restriction for this fare (Braintree to Stratford Off-Peak Day Return) is based on your train's arrival time at Liverpool Street; it must be at 10:00 or later. In the normal timetable, the train that leaves Braintree at 09:00 arrives at Liverpool Street at 10:03, so you will be fine. Most trains have a bit of padding in the timetable between Stratford and Liverpool Street and I think this works in your favour here.

 

[vinnym70]

Thank you Indigo2 - appreciate the information

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

What about carnet tickets for your commute?

 

[Journeyman]

The current thinking is to discourage as much travel as possible, so I wouldn't expect anything in the way of restriction easing. They don't want to encourage leisure travel. As far as I can tell, all advance purchase cheap tickets have been withdrawn.

 

[MikeWh]

As far as I can tell, all advance purchase cheap tickets have been withdrawn.

Not true.

I was just offered a £30 advance single to travel from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly this afternoon.

 

[Starmill]

The current thinking is to discourage as much travel as possible, so I wouldn't expect anything in the way of restriction easing. They don't want to encourage leisure travel. As far as I can tell, all advance purchase cheap tickets have been withdrawn.

There are loads of Advance tickets on sale. Some of them are at similar prices to what you would expect on quiet services under normal circumstances.

 

[vinnym70]

What about carnet tickets for your commute?

Based on some of the comments I've seen on here surrounding Carnets, they really sound like a problem waiting to happen - wrong pen or bad handwriting or smudged ink and you're a fare dodger.

Right now a weekly ticket looks like the most sensible option.

 

[BluePenguin]

Not true.

I was just offered a £30 advance single to travel from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly this afternoon.

Quite the opposite it seems. I struggle to get anything under £60 on the day usually

 

[infobleep]

An Off Peak Day Return from Braintree to Stratford does not have afternoon time restrictions. The restriction is simply on trains arriving in London before 1000.

Rumour has it that the notion of easing normal time restrictions had been specifically rejected at an internal industry forum. If I were you, I would not plan on any easing of restrictions.

If it was rejected, would that have been thr Department for Transport, given they are now taking the revenue risk?