Trip to Lincoln cheaper with Southern

[bicbasher]

I've booked a trip up to Lincoln using Southern's website/mixing deck instead of East Coast/East Midlands Trains as I've found that EC's prices for specific journeys are on the whole too expensive.

So Kings Cross to Lincoln via Peterborough is £11.50 Advance single (with reservation between KX and P'boro) boarding at 0935 compared to £17 on East Coast.

Why can Southern provide a better price than the TOC I'm using for this journey?

 

[OwlMan]

Without a date for your journey it is difficult to comment.

Peter

 

[bicbasher]

Without a date for your journey it is difficult to comment.

Peter

Apologies, 26th August.

 

[OwlMan]

The most likely explanation is at the time there was only one or two tickets at price left. When you went on the EC site someone had already selected the remaining tickets at that price so you were were offered tickets in the next price band. You then went onto the Southern site, in the meantime the person buying those tickets had changed their minds so the cheaper tickets were available again.

Peter

 

[bicbasher]

Ok, how does that explain how EC were offering Lincoln to Kings Cross via P'boro at 1603 on the same date for £12.80 advance single and Southern for £14.50?

 

[yorkie]

10% off (it's actually about 11% but advertised as 10%) most EC priced Advance tickets, when booking on the EC website.

 

[ert47]

I've booked a trip up to Lincoln using Southern's website/mixing deck instead of East Coast/East Midlands Trains as I've found that EC's prices for specific journeys are on the whole too expensive.

So Kings Cross to Lincoln via Peterborough is £11.50 Advance single (with reservation between KX and P'boro) boarding at 0935 compared to £17 on East Coast.

Why can Southern provide a better price than the TOC I'm using for this journey?

From studying in Lincoln and being based in London during holidays, I cannot stress enough how much you MUST avoid changing at Peterborough for a continuing train to Lincoln!

Changing from a comfy Intercity to a single carriage 153 (or a 156 if you're lucky) is hell especially when you're stuck on said train for over an hour!! (maybe its the amount of times i've done the journey - it drives me crazy! )

My advice is to travel via Newark Northgate, the connecting journey into Lincoln is around half an hour. [/rant]
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well... travel via NWG if you can - if the prices haven't gone up compared to travelling via PBO

 

[bicbasher]

From studying in Lincoln and being based in London during holidays, I cannot stress enough how much you MUST avoid changing at Peterborough for a continuing train to Lincoln!

Changing from a comfy Intercity to a single carriage 153 (or a 156 if you're lucky) is hell especially when you're stuck on said train for over an hour!! (maybe its the amount of times i've done the journey - it drives me crazy! )

My advice is to travel via Newark Northgate, the connecting journey into Lincoln is around half an hour. [/rant]
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well... travel via NWG if you can - if the prices haven't gone up compared to travelling via PBO

I've done the booking now and only going via P'boro as friends are meeting me on the train at Spalding.