Stafford to Preston/Blackpool

[Masbroughlad]

Why is it difficult to get advance fares from Stafford to Preston and Blackpool?

Cheaper via Manchester, but what about direct to Preston?

 

[yorkie]

Why is it difficult to get advance fares from Stafford to Preston and Blackpool?

Cheaper via Manchester, but what about direct to Preston?

I would guess that Avanti think their trains are already busy enough and don't want to attract more customers to their trains.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Might be something unusual going on. I'm only seeing £44.30 Off Peak Singles being offered (this for a midweek one way journey from Stafford to Blackpool North, on a couple of random future dates, and this no matter the time of travel, morning or later).

 

[yorkie]

Might be something unusual going on. I'm only seeing £44.30 Off Peak Singles being offered (this for a midweek one way journey from Stafford to Blackpool North, on a couple of random future dates, and this no matter the time of travel, morning or later).

We offer some itineraries at around £33 (e.g. depart 09:47, but this does involve stepping back at Preston), with £41-£43 more common for the route via Warrington Bank Quay.

However, we offer some slower options from as little as £18 via Liverpool (e.g. 11:11 departure for this Friday).

 

[voyagerdude220]

You're right that Avanti must specifically be preventing Advance fares from being offered between Stafford and Preston, because if you look for the same trains from Wolverhampton to Preston, most, if not all of the time you'll be offered an Advance single.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Even worse, if you were to book with Northern, they are seemingly only offering Anytime Day Singles for the journey at £48.00 from Stafford to Blackpool North as "cheapest", and this for travel next Sunday, when you'd expect the Off Peak Day Singles to be valid (!)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even worse, if you were to book with Northern, they are seemingly only offering Anytime Day Singles for the journey at £48.00 from Stafford to Blackpool North as "cheapest", and this for travel next Sunday, when you'd expect the Off Peak Day Singles to be valid (!)

That will be Avanti's fault by screwing up the counted place quotas, not Northern's. It happens around Brum too.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That will be Avanti's fault by screwing up the counted place quotas, not Northern's. It happens around Brum too.

Thanks for the explanation, but in the absence of advances, why is only the Anytime Day Single being offered (by Northern), and not the Off Peak Day Single as well, which also ought to be valid.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks for the explanation, but in the apparent absence of advances, why is only the Anytime Day Single offered, and not the Off Peak Day Single, which also ought to be valid.

Because of Avanti's use of the fake compulsory reservations flag, no ticket can be sold selecting that service unless there is a "reservation" (counted place, probably) quota for that ticket type. They have omitted to define one that includes the Off Peak but have one there that includes the Anytime.

As mentioned it happens around Birmingham, certain splits wouldn't sell on the 1652 MKC-Birmingham service even though they are valid. I don't think Avanti are clever enough for this not to be an error, but it's one that could get them in a load of bother. For these services it is of course fairly easy to get the components by buying them selecting WMT services instead then just use them on the Avanti - now this train is an 11 car Pendolino there's no capacity issue so there's no point reserving a seat.

If the Off Peak is valid just buy it selecting different services or from the booking office without an itinerary. But Avanti really should sort this out (or get rid of the stupid fake compulsory reservation flag).

 

[bengolding]

You're right that Avanti must specifically be preventing Advance fares from being offered between Stafford and Preston, because if you look for the same trains from Wolverhampton to Preston, most, if not all of the time you'll be offered an Advance single.

Avanti removed Advance Tickets last year on direct services between Crewe and Preston/Lancaster/Blackpool North, with Oxenholme Lake District being the closest station where Advances can be purchased. Unsure of the rationale behind this as they offer short distance Advances elsewhere. Frustrating but more cost-effective to double back to Wolverhampton and purchase Advance from there.

Also noticed that on the 12:51 direct Avanti services, Advances are not available to Nuneaton either.