Avanti - Advance with Off-Peak return no longer available

[mgood]

I use to be able to buy an Outward Advance Crewe - Euston ticket and then get the return part of an 'Off Peak Return' coming back (which was 50% of a full Off Peak return ticket) but this no longer seems possible - am I correct ?

 

[Welshman]

Unfortunately you are correct.
The previous Virgin Trains arrangement you mention offered a greater flexibility for the return journey.
This is now not possible without booking the more expensive open tickets.

 

[Vespa]

Not been on Avanti since before the first lockdown, there was no seat selection option either I don't know if that's working again, heard about the shake up of ticket options, this could be part of it.

 

[Merseysider]

As far as I know, some walk-up single tickets on Avanti were reduced somewhat in price, which partly offsets the removal of that ticket type.

 

[island]

As far as I know, some walk-up single tickets on Avanti were reduced somewhat in price, which partly offsets the removal of that ticket type.

That's correct.

 

[Watershed]

All Avanti-priced Off-Peak Single (Online) tickets [previously known as Saver Half] were removed from sale. The normal Off-Peak Singles were cut to 70% of the equivalent Off-Peak Return.

Without access to the figures, and with the intervention of lockdown, it's difficult to say whether there are more winners than losers with this change. The figure of 70% comes from one of the commitments the DfT wrote into the Avanti franchise agreement.

GWR recently made all their Off-Peak Singles half the price of a return (well, the period return at least) in the area surrounding Bristol. I suppose it's one of life's mysteries why the DfT saw fit to introduce single leg pricing there, but not on the WCML.

 

[hkstudent]

All Avanti-priced Off-Peak Single (Online) tickets [previously known as Saver Half] were removed from sale. The normal Off-Peak Singles were cut to 70% of the equivalent Off-Peak Return.

Without access to the figures, and with the intervention of lockdown, it's difficult to say whether there are more winners than losers with this change. The figure of 70% comes from one of the commitments the DfT wrote into the Avanti franchise agreement.

GWR recently made all their Off-Peak Singles half the price of a return (well, the period return at least) in the area surrounding Bristol. I suppose it's one of life's mysteries why the DfT saw fit to introduce single leg pricing there, but not on the WCML.

There may be a fare reform in the West of England metropolitan area, as part of the West of England Mayor's pledge.
Just like the fares in other PTE areas.