Anytime and off peak almost the same price

[copernicium112]

Does anyone have any idea as to why the anytime and off peak fares from Alexandra Palace to Welwyn Garden City are almost the same price? £15.20 vs £14.30 for returns. And secondarily why are they so much more expensive than equivalent distances to stations on the Hertford Loop (ie Hertford North)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Railway ticket prices aren't always mileage based.

Sometimes a higher price can be charged as the journey is quicker, and that's deemed to be an important factor.

And in any event, is there much in it?

(1) Alexandra Palace to Welwyn Garden City is a 15-and-a-quarter mile journey.

Costs £15.20 (Anytime Day Return) or £14.30 (Off Peak Day Return).

Journey time ~ 18 minutes.

(2) Alexandra Palace to Hertford North is a 14-and-a-half mile journey.

Costs £13.40 (Anytime Day Return) or £12.90 (Off Peak Day Return).

Journey time ~ 28 minutes.

 

[Kite159]

At least there is 90p difference between the fares, I know a few routes around this area where the off-peak fare was 10p less than the anytime fare before SWR introduced the "evening out" fares.

 

[Watershed]

There isn't always a large Off-Peak discount - or to put it another way, the Anytime fare for this journey isn't priced at the large premium that is often applied for other journeys.

The Super Off-Peak Day Return is a fair amount cheaper at £10.20. It's only available on weekends & Bank Holidays, but doesn't have time restrictions (unlike some other operators' Super Off-Peak fares).

The difference is also less as you are looking in the "contra-peak" direction away from London, where there is less demand at peak times. Accordingly the Anytime fare is cheaper than it is for the same journey towards London.

 

[smsm1]

Or come to Scotland with the no peak fares trial and the peak and off peak are the same price with no restrictions. Much simpler and I hope the trial is made permanent.

 

[317 forever]

A few years ago, the difference between peak and off-peak singles from Stockport to Heaton Chapel was just 10p. So, when I split my ticket home and wanted to avoid the kerfuffle of buying a separate ticket on the day, or getting into trouble with the conductor, I bought the all-day single.

 

[JonathanH]

Or come to Scotland with the no peak fares trial and the peak and off peak are the same price with no restrictions. Much simpler and I hope the trial is made permanent.

Still not perfect as it just makes people think that the off-peak fares are expensive.

 

[smsm1]

Still not perfect as it just makes people think that the off-peak fares are expensive.

It's a simplification for the trial rather than removing all the off peak tickets to possibly add them back after the trial. Everyone is aware of the trial. Makes life much simpler!

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Perhaps less so now, but for a period, there was a policy / strategy of gradually increasing off peak fares by a higher amount than the Anytime - with the intention that the Off Peak (Day) would eventually be withdrawn once it had reached close to parity with the Anytime, and without the adverse cliff edge publicity impact. It wasn't so much about generating revenue, but an attempt to simplify fares, but it never quite worked out that way, although a fair number of CDRs were removed.

 

[mikeg]

Indeed be careful what you wish for. TPE a few years ago increased off peak day fares so much they were eventually abolished on a number of flows. For example, Thirsk to Leeds used to have, off peak day, off peak and anytime. The off peak day was increased much faster than other fares before being withdrawn about 8 years ago. Now the cheapest is the off peak return, which I don't believe they are within their rights to abolish.