GTR are up to their old tricks again. GX tickets

[WAB]

This has the DfT's fingerprints all over it. Ditching the Gatwick premium would reduce the fare take.

 

[JonathanH]

This has the DfT's fingerprints all over it. Ditching the Gatwick premium would reduce the fare take.

Yes, but so does continuing to offer all the fares which undercut the any permitted fares.

 

[paul1609]

The Any Permitted fares are clearly overpriced, especially for London to Gatwick but this is also true of London to Brighton. Any Permitted fares from Brighton to North London destinations can be cheaper than just to London! Also there is no reason why the Not Underground fares cannot continue to exist and these are no more expensive than Thameslink Only.

I dont think thats necessarily true, they are expensive compared to Thameslink Only fares certainly but Thameslink fares are generally way below whats charged elsewhere in the ex Southern Region. They are expensive in that they have no cheaper contra flow price out of London but if you compare the fares in to London on similar just outside the M25 stations that have a fast service in to London (Woking and Tonbridge) the Gatwick Any Permitted Fares are actually slightly cheaper in many cases on a per mile basis, they are significantly cheaper than HS1 fares from Ebbsfleet.

 

[yorkie]

At £18.30 for a single, Gatwick to Victoria can easily be undercut by other fares nearby.

 

[paul1609]

but is on par with the anytime day single in to London Bridge from places like Tonbridge or Kemsing. I agree by Yorkshire standards the tickets are expensive but in the South of London area they are on a par with a whole basket of fares and yes I do understand that there are fares that undercut them.

 

[yorkie]

but is on par with the anytime day single in to London Bridge from places like Tonbridge or Kemsing. I agree by Yorkshire standards the tickets are expensive but in the South of London area they are on a par with a whole basket of fares and yes I do understand that there are fares that undercut them.

None of those fares are relevant; what's relevant is fares which are valid along that line of route.

Today a single from Brighton to Victoria costs exactly the same price as a single from Gatwick to Victoria (it was actually cheaper from Brighton but I see GTR have reduced the Gatwick to London fare, since pre pandemic levels); it's also possible to undercut the Gatwick to Victoria fare by purchasing a ticket from Gatwick to a station in North London.

 

[david1212]

Back in August, specifically Monday 15th, at Brighton for the GX service to Victoria at around 13:40 both the screens and announcements stated Southern Only and Thameslink Only tickets are not valid for this service. My ticket was through London to the Midlands using Chiltern but refused by the gate so had to be checked then the gate opened by the inspector.

On Friday 12th August my intended ~13:00 Victoria-Brighton was cancelled. When later I looked the 13:30 was cancelled too. I used an Eastbourne train to Gatwick Airport then Thameslink onward. Hence I can not report the screens or announcements.

... The Any Permitted fares are clearly overpriced, especially for London to Gatwick but this is also true of London to Brighton. Any Permitted fares from Brighton to North London destinations can be cheaper than just to London! Also there is no reason why the Not Underground fares cannot continue to exist and these are no more expensive than Thameslink Only.

I must remember this and look if it also applies in the reverse.
Years ago my cheapest off-peak day return to Brighton was a Travelcard to London then East Croydon ( zone 6 ) - Brighton return but the East Croydon - Brighton fare was increased significantly more than the baseline annual increase.
The return fares Brighton - London and London - Brighton at least were different too but of course putting purchasing aside ( I am going back 20+ years ) the return ticket can not be used before the outbound.