Lumo-only ticket (almost) same price as Any Permitted

[redreni]

You can't really do it for Lumo, as a private company they can do what they want and interfering would be anticompetitive, but it is likely GBR will remove them on their operators. Many already have been removed.

Maybe retailers could introduce some logic so any flexible fare with a TOC restriction will be ranked in the results as if it were, say, £5 more expensive than it is? I'm not saying retailers should show the price incorrectly, just that they should rank fares without a TOC restriction higher in the results unless the TOC restricted ticket is at least £5 cheaper (and valid for the selected journey, of course).

 

[Tester]

Maybe retailers could introduce some logic so any flexible fare with a TOC restriction will be ranked in the results as if it were, say, £5 more expensive than it is? I'm not saying retailers should show the price incorrectly, just that they should rank fares without a TOC restriction higher in the results unless the TOC restricted ticket is at least £5 cheaper (and valid for the selected journey, of course).

I think a banner health warning.....

THIS IS A RESTRICTED TICKET
THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING

.....would do the trick!

 

[Haywain]

I think a banner health warning.....

THIS IS A RESTRICTED TICKET
THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING

.....would do the trick!

I think that would be seen as failing to be impartial.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think that would be seen as failing to be impartial.

You could probably do similar within that remit by just making the Route: field more visible - bigger font and a line of explanation perhaps.

 

[MrJeeves]

I think that would be seen as failing to be impartial.

Not quite the same, but I feel like up-selling passengers to the less restrictive fare for "only £x.xx more!" would be okay.

 

[jfollows]

Not quite the same, but I feel like up-selling passengers to the less restrictive fare for "only £x.xx more!" would be okay.

Agreed - anyone wanting to consider the Avanti-only first day return Wilmslow-Manchester at £21.50 should be invited to consider the "any permitted" alternative for £21.70. Five times the number of trains to return on each hour, one of which sometimes also has first class accommodation.

 

[endecotp]

Maybe retailers could introduce some logic so any flexible fare with a TOC restriction will be ranked in the results as if it were, say, £5 more expensive than it is?

Well no; in my case, an LNER-only ticket wouldn't be a problem. It's only the 4-times-a-day open-access operators where I consider the tickets to be in some sense "not flexible"

 

[Haywain]

Agreed - anyone wanting to consider the Avanti-only first day return Wilmslow-Manchester at £21.50 should be invited to consider the "any permitted" alternative for £21.70. Five times the number of trains to return on each hour, one of which sometimes also has first class accommodation.

That doesn't suggest there's much gain from the higher fare apart from choice of (standard class) trains.

 

[jfollows]

That doesn't suggest there's much gain from the higher fare apart from choice of (standard class) trains.

Not having to wait 59 minutes for the next Avanti train but being able to use any train is a significant advantage. Some people - not you nor me - may prefer to wait but it’s their choice. I used to do it when the Avanti-only fare was more like 50% of the “any permitted” one, but not any more. It comes down to whether or not you know in advance the time of the return train you’ll use or - like me - you just do your thing and turn up at the station for the next train home. To me that’s the advantage of the return ticket.

 

[Haywain]

Some people - not you nor me - may prefer to wait

If I've paid for first class I'll wait for a train that provides it.

 

[jfollows]

If I've paid for first class I'll wait for a train the provides it.

But don’t forget that the TfW service also has first class. If you’re lucky. For 20p extra the flexibility makes sense, especially when you turn up for a return train and discover the WCML and all the Avanti trains have been cancelled. A 323 which takes 10 minutes longer isn’t exactly onerous.

 

[blimmo]

You can't really do it for Lumo, as a private company they can do what they want and interfering would be anticompetitive, but it is likely GBR will remove them on their operators. Many already have been removed.

I mean there is fares regulation, so it surely could be possible. Might require primary legislation I suppose.

 

[DazT]

They really need to put a stop to these ORCATS raids. It's far from just the open access operators, Virgin/Avanti did it on flows like Coventry to Birmingham with a ridiculous 10p differential so anyone buying the cheapest fare without looking in detail would get a much limited ticket

Or exactly the same fares if you hold a PRIV on some flows (Rugby to New Street). When one of our signallers asks me which ticket they need to Brum I tell them it's £3.50, but make sure they pick the right £3.50 one on the Rail Staff Travel website! As it isn't immediately obvious on the RST site, unlike brfares where it is blatantly obvious - Route AVANTI or Route VIA COVENTRY.

They usually come to me as I'm ex retail (a long time ago) as the RST site is horrible if you don't know what you're looking for and does the usual "Tell me your intended Journey" rather than how I like to buy tickets, "Show all the fares and let me pick one and then tell me what it is and isn't valid on but don't tie me to a train". If I'm buying a ticket I usually use brfares first and then try to find that fare on the RST website. (Obviously being very careful if it's the same fare, like below!)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I mean there is fares regulation, so it surely could be possible. Might require primary legislation I suppose.

I think it would if you wanted to regulate OAOs. TOC fare regulation stems from the franchise agreement.