LM Rail Sale

[bb21]

Don't think anyone's mentioned this one. They're at it again.

http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/half-price-rail-sale/

Half Price Rail Sale

We’ve slashed off-peak tickets by 50% in our online Rail Sale!

Travel between Saturday 9 April and Monday 2 May 2011 and you can save 50% on thousands of Off-Peak Day Return and Off-Peak Return tickets when you buy your tickets online.

To get yourself a bargain, just follow these three simple steps

use London Midland services
travel off-peak (Off-Peak Day Return and Off-Peak Return)
buy your tickets on our website
The 50% discounted fare will automatically appear at the top of the page as well as in our cheapest fare finder tool (bottom left hand box), so you don't have to spend a long time searching for them!

If you are searching for trains between Birmingham and London, though, it's always worth clicking on 'show other routes' to ensure you are shown all the London Midland travel options.

 

[SS4]

I did see that on LM's site but I did see it on the booking engine, hence I didn't post it.

A lot of the earlier dates have all available seats reserved though so expect it to be rammed

 

[island]

They did. I remember posting in reply that the tickets wouldn't be much use because they'd be on industrial action. And then you'd have to pay a £10 fee to get your ticket refunded, like I did

 

[First class]

The offer will be available on Off Peak Return and Off Peak Day Returns.

Tickets can be collected used ToD or delivered by post for no additional fee.

You can't buy from TVMs, telesales, on board or at a booking office.

The discount will apply to dedicated LM Only tickets, but where these don't exist, the Any Permitted ticket will show the 50% discount and you can use any train operator.

Normal ticket restrictions apply.

Tickets are called:

LM RAIL SALE CDR and LM RAIL SALE SVR.

The following journeys won't show automatically:

Shrewsbury/Telford/Grt Malvern to Milton Keynes
Shrewsbury/Telford/Grt Malvern to Leighton Buzzard
Shrewsbury/Telford/Grt Malvern to Watford Jn
Shrewsbury/Telford/Grt Malvern to Worcester

and to find these you need to look for "show other routes" or choose the discounted Any Permitted.

Normal refunds apply

 

[mumrar]

Not much use selling tickets for trains your company can't run for upsetting staff all the time.

 

[yorkie]

They did. I remember posting in reply that the tickets wouldn't be much use because they'd be on industrial action. And then you'd have to pay a £10 fee to get your ticket refunded, like I did

If trains are cancelled or delayed for any reason and you choose not to travel you are entitled to a full refund (with no admin fee)

 

[First class]

If trains are cancelled or delayed for any reason and you choose not to travel you are entitled to a full refund (with no admin fee)

Not if you are aware of the disruption at the time of booking.

 

[eos]

------

 

[John @ home]

If trains are cancelled or delayed for any reason and you choose not to travel you are entitled to a full refund (with no admin fee)

Not if you are aware of the disruption at the time of booking.

I don't agree that awareness of possible disruption at the time of booking limits the passenger's rights in this way.

If the train you planned to catch is delayed or is cancelled and as a result you decide not to travel, return your unused ticket to the ticket office for an immediate, full refund. No administration fee will be charged.

http://www.londonmidland.com/download/436.8/passengerchart191007pdf/

 

[Mojo]

Not if you are aware of the disruption at the time of booking.

This is incorrect in this case.

From the LM website

Although we're not obliged to offer Delay Repay where we are running special timetables, we don’t think that would be fair on this occasion, so if your journey is delayed by 30 minutes or more, you’ll be compensated as normal.

In addition to this, London Midland only publicise their planned cancellations three days in advance (eg. Monday's cancellations had only appeared recently) I can't imagine this is much of a problem.

 

[island]

If trains are cancelled or delayed for any reason and you choose not to travel you are entitled to a full refund (with no admin fee)

You have to hand in your ticket straight away though, and I didn't.

 

[John @ home]

You have to hand in your ticket straight away though, and I didn't.

Where is it specified that you must hand in your ticket straight away?

 

[island]

It's in the NRCOC, number 26.

 

[mickey]

Did that that agree with LM cancelled trains out of COV last friday- it certainly did not. I overhead absolute mayhem as Virgin platform staff were saying to LM customers, 'You will just have to wait for the next one - in an hours time. ..... They are not our trains'.

I've always been told that a wait of up to an hour is 'acceptable' if you have a TOC-specific ticket; any longer and another company should take you. When I used to do RDG-LIV regularly on a VT Advance (in the days when Virgin ran XC) there was one train that was always missed the official connection, and I was always told I had to wait for the next Virgin connection, even if there were two LM ones first. If that was late too, meaning I'd be there more than an hour, they let me use LM.

In this case they were right to refuse travel - LM's comment (posted above) applies to Sunday 'strike' days. Friday's wasn't known about in advance, so no pre-planned alternative arrangements were made.

 

[RJ]

I've always been told that a wait of up to an hour is 'acceptable' if you have a TOC-specific ticket; any longer and another company should take you. When I used to do RDG-LIV regularly on a VT Advance (in the days when Virgin ran XC) there was one train that was always missed the official connection, and I was always told I had to wait for the next Virgin connection, even if there were two LM ones first. If that was late too, meaning I'd be there more than an hour, they let me use LM.

In this case they were right to refuse travel - LM's comment (posted above) applies to Sunday 'strike' days. Friday's wasn't known about in advance, so no pre-planned alternative arrangements were made.

If there is no formal acceptance in place, why should Virgin take you with a LM only ticket? It's like trying to use a First only ticket on a National Express Coach.

 

[mickey]

If there is no formal acceptance in place, why should Virgin take you with a LM only ticket? It's like trying to use a First only ticket on a National Express Coach.

You'll find that was exactly my point. VT used to make me wait for their own service, and I said LM was right to do the same last week. I assume they had an agreement about >1hr delays as it was always relaxed in those cases, though I always checked first to make sure. Current Sundays are a different case as they've published details in advance of alternative acceptance.

 

[John @ home]

If there is no formal acceptance in place, why should Virgin take you with a LM only ticket?

Because the National Rail Conditions of Carriage may require them to do this.

43. If disruption caused by circumstances within the control of a Train Company or a Rail Service Company leaves you stranded before you have reached your destination and the Train Company whose trains you are entitled to use is unable to get you to that destination by other means, any Train Company which is in a position to help will, if it reasonably can, either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you.

It is likely that a failure to recruit enough staff is within the control of a Train Company.

 

[mickey]

Back to topic, can anyone explain why the LM sale price is the same as the normal price for some routes?

e.g. Liverpool-Hereford SVR £28.40, Sale £28.40 (YP fares)

 

[323235]

because it is set by ATW therefore not part of the offer. You would need to split into two LM set fares to take advantage as summarised on the site.

 

[mickey]

because it is set by ATW therefore not part of the offer. You would need to split into two LM set fares to take advantage as summarised on the site.

So why does the site offer to sell me a fare called 'LM Rail Sale Off-Peak Return' for this journey? The summary you refer to suggests the fares simply won't show if there isn't one for the journey chosen.

 

[323235]

probably down to the way it's coded although that's just a guess.

You can still do the Journey for £16 with (SVR's) by splitting at Wolverhampton.

 

[RJ]

Because the National Rail Conditions of Carriage may require them to do this.It is likely that a failure to recruit enough staff is within the control of a Train Company.

In this circumstance - no. There are still other means for one to get home even if it means waiting for the next train. On Sundays it's different, because there is very little running north of Milton Keynes, there are arrangements in place. I imagine that there's ticket acceptance on Virgin if the last Brum service is caped too.

I believe 3 days in advance is the earliest that disruption info can be published.

 

[46100ROYALSCOT]

Would some kind person please clarify for me, I have just been to the LM site and planned a journey from Runcorn to London on April 12 taking advantage of the 50% offer. If i read it correctly then I can use the 07:22 from Runcorn up to London and return on the 18:13 . Is this ticket ( £10.90) valid for travel on the early train services the 07:22 and 08:24 and is there a supplement for returning on the 18:13.I enclose a screen shot from LM web site.

 

[mickey]

Would some kind person please clarify for me, I have just been to the LM site and planned a journey from Runcorn to London on April 12 taking advantage of the 50% offer. If i read it correctly then I can use the 07:22 from Runcorn up to London and return on the 18:13 . Is this ticket ( £10.90) valid for travel on the early train services the 07:22 and 08:24 and is there a supplement for returning on the 18:13.I enclose a screen shot from LM web site.

If you click on the fare box at the top of the page, the services on which it is valid are displayed below. If you then click on an outward and a return service the bar in the middle will display the price to be paid. Any invalid combinations will be greyed out and you won't be able to click on them to 'reserve'. From your screenshot it seems that the options you discuss are available, in which case yes you can make the journey as described.

The current LM sale doesn't have supplements - normal fare conditions apply throughout.

 

[46100ROYALSCOT]

Thanks Mickey i thought as much, i was just not certain about the term "off peak " in relation to this ticket.

 

[cuna84]

Hi all,
I would like to clarify the situation regarding some possible tickets for next Sat (9th April). I will be travelling (with a Young Persons Railcard) from Kings Langley to Oxford via Euston and Paddington. Having entered in the details on the London Midland website, it gives me a fare of £10.40 return (booked online, off-peak day return). Can I check that this fare is valid all the way to Oxford even though obviously travel in London and from Paddington is not on London Midland. I see in the post by First Class (Post no4) that the ticket is valid if no London Midland service is available. Can I get some clarification please?

 

[Paul Kelly]

I don't see why not - Kings Langley to Oxford is priced by London Midland so the other operators on that route have to accept the prices they set. Looks like this and similar fares could be quite useful - Network Railcard discount seems to be allowed as well so a CDR Kings Langley to Reading at the weekend is only £7.45 for example, and includes a cross-London underground journey...

 

[mickey]

Can I check that this fare is valid all the way to Oxford even though obviously travel in London and from Paddington is not on London Midland. I see in the post by First Class (Post no4) that the ticket is valid if no London Midland service is available. Can I get some clarification please?

As stated, the discount applies to all fares set by LM. For example, a SVR Liverpool-Birmingham can be used on any service (e.g. VT+XC), despite being in the sale. It's only a problem if the ticket is marked 'LM ONLY', but as you say this won't apply here as some of the journeys aren't even possible on LM.

I didn't know it included Oxford though - I'm going myself in a few weeks and this could be a very cheap (if long!) way to get there!

 

[All Line Rover]

I don't see why not - Kings Langley to Oxford is priced by London Midland so the other operators on that route have to accept the prices they set. Looks like this and similar fares could be quite useful - Network Railcard discount seems to be allowed as well so a CDR Kings Langley to Reading at the weekend is only £7.45 for example, and includes a cross-London underground journey...

...interesting. I'll have to use Avantix to see what other routes they price.