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There is a new ticket type appearing for a select number of flows on BRFares called a "Day-Flex Single", at 10 different price tiers (ticket types FE0-FE9).
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Interesting! Noted that reservations do seem to be required. Fare setter appears to be TPE. Wonder how exactly this new product will differ in price / availability / associated conditions, compared with existing route "AP TPE Only" Advance Singles, for journeys between Liverpool Stns and Manchester Stns, or vice-versa?
Prices of the new Day-flex product (undiscounted) look to vary between £5.50 and £15.70. Who said rail ticketing was simple?!
Indeed. Off Peak Day Singles (undiscounted, valid any operator) between Liverpool Stns and Manchester Stns are currently priced at £18.80, just 40p than the Anytime Day Single equivalent (= £19.20). What are the chances of the Off Peak Day Single being eliminated for this particular flow? And maybe then return tickets?
I wonder if that is just a flag that is set on the ticket type allowing it to be sold against a quota and stops it being sold when that quota runs out.
I wonder if that is just a flag that is set on the ticket type allowing it to be sold against a quota and stops it being sold when that quota runs out.
Reservations are essentially the way that quota control is done in the rail industry. Just because you have a reservation doesn't necessarily mean a ticket is tied to a particular service, see SWR SemiFlex tickets for example.
Reservations are essentially the way that quota control is done in the rail industry. Just because you have a reservation doesn't necessarily mean a ticket is tied to a particular service, see SWR SemiFlex tickets for example.
That would be the model that Heathrow and Stansted Express use with their Advance tickets which are variable in price but valid on any train on the chosen day.
That would be the model that Heathrow and Stansted Express use with their Advance tickets which are variable in price but valid on any train on the chosen day.
That sounds like the way DB Fernverkehr manage Flexpreis fares, especially if fares being set by TransPennine Express in the example case means Northern-only fully flexible off-peak (day) fares will stay.
(I'm not saying that I approve of this method; I don't see how it makes things simpler for passengers, especially without guarantees that any permitted off-peak returns won't be removed.)
At least this might end the "sorry mate, no off-peak" issue from poorly trained staff who don't know about restriction codes and think 0600-0930 and 1600-1900 is "peak".
That said, the same staff will probably just switch to "sorry mate, booked train only" or something for whatever "Advance flex" product ends up getting introduced...
Well, the reservation system doesn't really support this (Heathrow Express uses a bodge that cannot be used on trains with actual advances available too), so [if it is this of course] the implementation will be fun to see
As @OscarH says will be interesting to see how it pans out with the present reservation system but a system of flexing the price per day makes sense. Race day in York? It’s more expensive. Rainy Tuesday with nothing happening? Cheaper. As long as the current anytime remains, a roughly even distribution of such tickets is likely to be fare neutral for any random time, with any increase in revenue coming from either increased patronage on quiet days or higher fare box revenue on busier days. In any case if it is a case of a daily quota it makes more sense than tying passengers to a particular train when most of the trains have similar demand/prices
But of course this is heading into speculative discussion territory so let’s see what the product actually involves and how it’s implemented. I’m hoping it’s like what I’ve described and not LNER’s stupid system.
TPE have recently partnered with two external companies to provide discounted rail transport for their customers. One is a travel agent for package holidays and another sells experience days.
I wonder wether this is the accompanying ticket that will be sold as part of the package.
However, the fact this flag is set will mean that the E-Ticket will tell the customer there are "Mandatory Reservations", because the RDG spec requires that retailers state that!
Unless every TIS supplier does work to add bespoke data and logic to handle these tickets, and ensure they're treated as flexible....
Indeed. Off Peak Day Singles (undiscounted, valid any operator) between Liverpool Stns and Manchester Stns are currently priced at £18.80, just 40p than the Anytime Day Single equivalent (= £19.20). What are the chances of the Off Peak Day Single being eliminated for this particular flow? And maybe then return tickets?
We've already seen from the LNER trial that the DfT intends to abolish Off Peak fares, so it seems obvious to me that for "regional" operators, these Day Flex tickets are likely the intended replacement.
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However, the fact this flag is set will mean that the E-Ticket will tell the customer there are "Mandatory Reservations", because the RDG spec requires that retailers state that!
Unless every TIS supplier does work to add bespoke data and logic to handle these tickets, and ensure they're treated as flexible....
My understanding is that RDG believe that data providers / retailers should be adding bespoke data / logic to handle non-standard fares; a good example of this is Avanti's Standard Premium fares, which require additional work to be able to support them.
So, how long before TPE publicise (or sell) their new Day-Flex offering? If I rightly recall, the entirely separate 'Northern Explorer' day ticket was showing in the fares data (& available to purchase at TVMs) a little while before there was any associated publicity.
My understanding is that RDG believe that data providers / retailers should be adding bespoke data / logic to handle non-standard fares; a good example of this is Avanti's Standard Premium fares, which require additional work to be able to support them.
Indeed - as usual for a new concept there's no official data for it so everyone has to do their own thing. There's a lot of that already.
The data says that reservation is required because the fare can vary, like an Advance. The trial routes are launching soon, so we shouldn't have long to wait for the public announcements. I think it's fair to say that they will be quite controversial!
So, how long before TPE publicise (or sell) their new Day-Flex offering? If I rightly recall, the entirely separate 'Northern Explorer' day ticket was showing in the fares data (& available to purchase at TVMs) a little while before there was any associated publicity.
I think these things were meant to happen ages ago, but have been delayed. I don't think anyone knows a definitive launch date yet.
I believe the plan will be to ensure that people like @yorksrob are denied affordable travel on days when there are major events e.g. York Races, football matches, Great North Run, etc, even when not travelling to such events.
Currently at weekends or other off peak periods there is no mechanism to push prices up to Anytime levels, and the DfT are very keen to rectify this, as part of their plans for modal shift away from railways towards cars.
It's unclear how they intend to restrict availability; there are a lot of unanswered questions.
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Indeed - as usual for a new concept there's no official data for it so everyone has to do their own thing. There's a lot of that already.
The data says that reservation is required because the fare can vary, like an Advance. The trial routes are launching soon, so we shouldn't have long to wait for the public announcements. I think it's fair to say that they will be quite controversial!
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