Stoke-on-Trent to Wolverhampton Routing

[All Line Rover]

Hello.

I've been reading this forum for a long time (with great interest!) but have a routing question which I would appreciate someone's help (I imagine Yorkie) in answering.

National Rail Enquiries and any website using Thetrainline's booking engine shows Stoke-on-Trent to Wolverhampton tickets as being valid via Crewe. I only want to travel between Crewe and Wolverhampton, First Class (I'd travel with VT to get the free breakfast). A 1st Class Anytime Day Return ticket from Stoke to Wolverhampton costs £29.90, saving a considerable amount compared to buying the Crewe to Wolverhampton return fare at £57.80.

Since it is an Anytime ticket, I know that there are no restrictions regarding a break of journey. My problem is that websites using ATOS' booking engine do not show a Stoke to Wolverhampton ticket as being valid via Crewe.

I want to book my tickets through www.redspottedhanky.com because I am able to use my Tesco Clubcard vouchers (of which I have many!). The site is run by ATOS though. (By the way, before anyone mentions booking fees, there aren't any!)

Anyway, I find the Routing Guide very complicated to use, and don't want to get caught out, so could someone please confirm if a Stoke to Wolverhampton Anytime ticket is valid via Crewe. Even if it isn't, I could still probably use the ticket if I booked through a website which uses Thetrainline, because a reservation slip would be printed as well, but as I said earlier, I want to book through www.redspottedhanky.com, which uses ATOS.

I actually want to travel all the way to Birmingham, but it's cheaper the split the ticket at Wolverhampton and then buy a VT only 1st class return ticket from Wolverhampton to Birmingham.

Many thanks.

 

[SS4]

Don't quote me on it but I would say it's fine.

Stoke on Trent and Wolverhampton are routeing points and the route between them is map CC which is valid via Crewe. Stoke - Crewe- Stafford - Wolvo


edit: Specifying travel via Crewe on NRE does work on NRE and there is no sign of the multiply tickets icon

 

[LexyBoy]

As you mentioned, get a reservation just to be safe. It looks fine to me.

 

[All Line Rover]

Problem is, though, that I want to book through redspottedhankey, which uses ATOS. ATOS says it's not valid, so I can't get a reservation token. I just don't want to be caught out by a nasty VT train manager (they are rare but a few do exist)!

 

[LexyBoy]

...Book somewhere else then?

 

[All Line Rover]

I want to use my Tesco Clubcard vouchers (free train travel!), but they can only be used on the redspottedhankey website. It's a stupid name, I know.

 

[LexyBoy]

Duh, sorry - didn't take that in from your first post. Still, you could save them for a journey which is does deem valid. Or arm yourself with a valid itinerary from NRE and a copy of the routeing guide

edit: just checked for myself with the RG and I can't see why it wouldn't be valid (though I may have made a mistake.). Working:
- SOT is a routeing point
- WVH is a routeing point.
- Only two routeing points, so that’s simple, onto step 6.
- Only one map we can use, CC, so all simple so far.
- Tracing routes from WVH to SOT on map CC, it is possible to trace a route via Crewe with no doubling back.
- Checking the easements, there are no negative easements affecting the journey.
- Therefore it's valid.

 

[yorkie]

It's a bit tight for breakfast! Do they offer that on relatively short journeys such as this? I guess it depends on how busy the train is? Also quite an expensive one, given that if you went Standard class you would be entitled to PRIV?

 

[All Line Rover]

It's a bit tight for breakfast! Do they offer that on relatively short journeys such as this? I guess it depends on how busy the train is? Also quite an expensive one, given that if you went Standard class you would be entitled to PRIV?

I have always been confused by the "fares check" rule. What exactly is this, and when is it necessary to use it?

In answer to your question, Yorkie:
a. I don't work for the railways. ...Yet! (So I'm not entitled to PRIV)
b. I qualify for child fares!!! This I really like, as I take up the same amount of space as an adult, eat the same (probably more) than an adult, and get my tickets half price! And I will save £325 on the 7 Day First Class ALR I'll be getting soon (a significant amount)! (This also clearly explains why I don't work for the railways. ...yet!)
c. I would stay on the train to Birmingham, bringing the total journey time to about 55 minutes. Also, VT's timetable says that breakfast is served to customers joining at Crewe (but not Wolverhampton) on the 07:01, 08:01 and 09:01, so evidently it's served sometime between the two stops. 30 minutes does seem a bit tight, I know, but I've queried it with Virgin and they confirmed that I would be served breakfast.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Amazingly, a Standard Class Anytime return ticket from Crewe to Wolverhampton (no PRIV discount) is £30.40, so it's actually 50p cheaper to travel First Class if you simply buy the ticket from Stoke!

 

[yorkie]

a) Sorry I mistook you for someone who works on the barrier at a station in the Liverpool area!
d) OK, lol. Your style of writing including paragraphs is far too good for the average 15 year old (indeed most people at Uni these days are incapable of decent English!) so I would never have guessed. Also if the adult prices are twice that (I've not looked) then I guess that makes sense as they didn't seem extortionate, merely expensive, and I know that First Class travel on Virgin is utterly extortionate.
c) Good points, and you've done your homework!

 

[All Line Rover]

a) Sorry I mistook you for someone who works on the barrier at a station in the Liverpool area!
d) OK, lol. Your style of writing including paragraphs is far too good for the average 15 year old (indeed most people at Uni these days are incapable of decent English!) so I would never have guessed. Also if the adult prices are twice that (I've not looked) then I guess that makes sense as they didn't seem extortionate, merely expensive, and I know that First Class travel on Virgin is utterly extortionate.
c) Good points, and you've done your homework!

Your point "d" (I didn't know it came between a and c!) is very true - I've been horrified by the standard of English of many teenagers/young adults nowadays. I'm not even 15 yet, so still have a fair bit more time to make use of cheap child fares! I'll admit that I look absolutely nowhere near my age, and often have to argue with finicky ticket inspectors, but I've decided to fork out the grand sum of £10 for a Zip (child Oyster) card - which I will soon be collecting - to use as proof of age.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

a) Sorry I mistook you for someone who works on the barrier at a station in the Liverpool area!
d) OK, lol. Your style of writing including paragraphs is far too good for the average 15 year old (indeed most people at Uni these days are incapable of decent English!) so I would never have guessed. Also if the adult prices are twice that (I've not looked) then I guess that makes sense as they didn't seem extortionate, merely expensive, and I know that First Class travel on Virgin is utterly extortionate.
c) Good points, and you've done your homework!

By the way, the fares I quoted ARE the adult prices! So for me it's less than £15 return Crewe to Wolverhampton, First Class, with VT, including access to the First Class lounges at Crewe and Wolverhampton AND getting a breakfast served.