Fort William to Glasgow Super Off Peak day return

[47421]

This fare £26 has restriction not before 1100 and 1500-2000 Mon/Fri, not valid at weekends.

So it can’t ever be used to complete Fort William to Glasgow and return in valid times.

Can it be purchased?

Online it doesn’t ever seem to be offered. If specifying a single, you are offered an Off peak day return at £32.80 for the 1140 departure. Is that correct?

 

[JonathanH]

Can it be purchased?

No, these super off-peak day tickets are online only on the Scotrail app, and clearly the time restrictions don't tie up with available trains.

Looks like the standard super off peak day restrictions have been applied when generating a fare without checking the timetable first.

If specify single you are offered off peak day return £32.80 for 1140 departure. Is that correct?

Single fare is £34.50, so the day return is cheaper.

Single fare to Charing Cross (Glasgow) is £32.50.

 

[47421]

Ok thanks. Single is £34.50 https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=FTW&dest=GLQ&grpd=0433&tkt=SDS

 

[JonathanH]

Technically, I think you can purchase the £26 fare by buying it on the Scotrail website and specifying an open return.


Has to be issued as an m-ticket (on Scotrail app) or on a smartcard though.

 

[XAM2175]

Looks like the standard super off peak day restrictions have been applied when generating a fare without checking the timetable first.

Yes, this does appear to be the case, and it's probably worth contacting ScotRail in the hope that an easement is added.

As an aside, I note in the unpublished restrictions section that the "Not valid Monday to Friday for boarding in ... Glasgow ... from 15:00 until 20:00" restriction is specifically only applied at Central and Queen Street - so it's possible you would be able to board at the likes of Anderston or Charing Cross or Partick on the return journey before changing to your intended FTW train at Dalmuir or Dumbarton Central.

 

[route101]

Is this fare valid at the weekend at all times?

 

[Kite159]

Is this fare valid at the weekend at all times?

The Scottish Super Off-peaks returns sadly are not valid on weekends

 

[danm14]

Yes, this does appear to be the case, and it's probably worth contacting ScotRail in the hope that an easement is added.

Is an easement likely to be added, or is the ticket likely to be withdrawn entirely, thus also preventing its use as a cheap single ticket?

The only train from Glasgow to Fort William after 1pm is the 18:23 service - and as it is the only afternoon/evening service, I suspect there might be little desire to make it valid on it.

 

[N1]

Can the ticket be excessed to an off-peak day return?

On the Scotrail website it says super-off peak day return tickets can only be used on Scotrail services, but this is not advertised anywhere in the actual ticket restrictions that I can find, and it is available for routes covered by other operators.

Yes, this does appear to be the case, and it's probably worth contacting ScotRail in the hope that an easement is added.

As an aside, I note in the unpublished restrictions section that the "Not valid Monday to Friday for boarding in ... Glasgow ... from 15:00 until 20:00" restriction is specifically only applied at Central and Queen Street - so it's possible you would be able to board at the likes of Anderston or Charing Cross or Partick on the return journey before changing to your intended FTW train at Dalmuir or Dumbarton Central.

Again the Scotrail website just generically says not valid between 15:00 and 20:00.

Technically, I think you can purchase the £26 fare by buying it on the Scotrail website and specifying an open return.

Why are you not allowed to buy it for the 19:50 but can for the 17:37?

 

[Cantab26]

Why are you not allowed to buy it for the 19:50 but can for the 17:37?

The 1950 is the sleeper and arrives after midnight. This kind of m-ticket sometimes has issues handling that - a problem avoided with proper e-tickets.

It may also be an issue with procuring sleeper reservations.

 

[N1]

The 1950 is the sleeper and arrives after midnight. This kind of m-ticket sometimes has issues handling that - a problem avoided with proper e-tickets.

It may also be an issue with procuring sleeper reservations.

Of course. I checked Glasgow Central to Edinburgh and it wouldn't allow XC/LNER services to be booked as Super Off Peak Day Return either

 

[XAM2175]

Again the Scotrail website just generically says not valid between 15:00 and 20:00.

That's in the summary of restrictions, which I grant you is misleading. The full text of the restrictions is as follows, for both outward and return legs:

Not valid at weekends.

Not valid Monday to Friday on trains timed to depart before 11:00.

Not valid Monday to Friday for boarding in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen from 15:00 until 20:00.

This can be verified at both the BR Fares page for the fare and the National Rail page for the relevant restriction code (H4).

On the Scotrail website it says super-off peak day return tickets can only be used on Scotrail services, but this is not advertised anywhere in the actual ticket restrictions that I can find, and it is available for routes covered by other operators.

The 1950 is the sleeper and arrives after midnight. This kind of m-ticket sometimes has issues handling that - a problem avoided with proper e-tickets.

Of course. I checked Glasgow Central to Edinburgh and it wouldn't allow XC/LNER services to be booked as Super Off Peak Day Return either

As you've noted, not in the binding restrictions, so officially unenforceable. The sleeper's arrival time shouldn't be a problem in terms of ticket validity, because the restrictions bar departing any station between 0001 and 1059, not arriving. It could be to do with fulfillment options, but I don't know very much about how that side of things runs. I imagine in the past though there may have been a desire to keep smartcards away from other operators who might not have been able to inspect them.

 

[island]

Looks like the standard super off peak day restrictions have been applied when generating a fare without checking the timetable first.

This is the reason.

It's no different to journeys on even less-served lines where there are tickets that can be purchased but not used due to the schedule, for example a return from Shippea Hill to Thetford on any day except Saturday.