BBC watchdog- train ticketing

[Mike@Raileasy]

I have to say, (for various reasons), the only ticketing irregularity I routinely charge up these days is split tickets which are not valid. Advance tickets I don't care, off-peak don't worry me, missing railcards remember it next time, but if you are on a Didcot split and we don't stop between Reading and Swindon, have your wallet ready!

Would you mind sharing those "various reasons"?

 

[PermitToTravel]

Is it that someone with a split has tried to be clever and failed, whereas the others could be (although usually aren't) genuine mistakes?

 

[Paul Kelly]

From what I can tell (from travelling on CrossCountry advances regularly) they are the same price as the advances that are available beforehand.

Here is an example (Standard Class York to Sheffield using Y-P railcard-discounted fares, for consistency): http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=YRK&dest=SHF&rlc=YNG
The on-the-day "advances" are identifiable because they don't have a booking deadline shown against them.

      Advance            On-the-day
Ticket Type Price    Ticket Type Price
MFS         £8.20    MIS         £8.20
MGS         £7.20    MIA         £6.75
MHS         £6.45    MJS         £6.40
MAS         £6.15    MIB         £5.80
MBS         £4.45    MMS         £4.15
MCS         £3.45
MDS         £2.70
MES         £2.05

Only the most expensive tier is the same price; the others are slightly cheaper. And the three cheapest tiers don't have an "on-the-day" equivalent. This is all very interesting.

 

[Flamingo]

Would you mind sharing those "various reasons"?

Fed up dealing with complaints and managers who need to grow a pair saying that we need to be "more flexible", and don't do anything that causes delays, complaints or incident forms (in that order), coupled with limited back-up 8am to 7pm Mon-Fri and almost none outside of that.

We keep being told to put customer service first and improve their experience, so smiling, clipping whatever piece of paper is thrust towards us, and walking away contributes to that.

Expect for split tickets, where the extent of my flexibility is to offer an off-peak rather than an anytime single if they don't fail the attitude test

 

[Mike@Raileasy]

don't do anything that causes delays, complaints or incident forms (in that order)

Cool job spec

I think some aggressive TOCs will get round to promoting "find split prices (wherever) but book them with us for the cheapest prices".

The average traveller trying to "build" their own splits will give you more "charge ups" to do which ain't good for anyone.

 

[infobleep]

Of course if one ticket held is a season ticket and the other isn't and their train doesn't stop at Didcot, then there is nothing to see here move along.

Never understood why holding a season ticket allows one not to stop at a station when combined with another ticket, where as if both are season tickets or both are not season tickets it isn't allowed.

 

[bb21]

Never understood why holding a season ticket allows one not to stop at a station when combined with another ticket, where as if both are season tickets or both are not season tickets it isn't allowed.

It is partly to compensate for the fact that season tickets cannot be excessed to a further destination whereas single-journey tickets can, iirc.

 

[infobleep]

I thanks for that. Makes sense.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

My recollection is the same as bb21 on that point, but just to add that there may also be the element that if you hold two seasons for one journey it is likely to be because it is cheaper than a through season and thus it would not be fair on other passengers, who pay for the through fare, to allow that relaxation of the rules.

 

[Flamingo]

My recollection is the same as bb21 on that point, but just to add that there may also be the element that if you hold two seasons for one journey it is likely to be because it is cheaper than a through season and thus it would not be fair on other passengers, who pay for the through fare, to allow that relaxation of the rules.

True. If some passengers have paid for the right to catch a fast train, and other passengers have chosen to buy a cheaper ticket with restrictions, I don't see that there is anything wrong with enforcing those restrictions...

 

[infobleep]

My recollection is the same as bb21 on that point, but just to add that there may also be the element that if you hold two seasons for one journey it is likely to be because it is cheaper than a through season and thus it would not be fair on other passengers, who pay for the through fare, to allow that relaxation of the rules.

I assume it would be OK to use 2 season tickets if your train stopped at the split station, much the same way people do with non season tickets.

I wonder if there are any journeys where it is cheaper to hold 2 season tickets and all the trains always stop at the split point. I'm sure there are, given the structure in existence.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I assume it would be OK to use 2 season tickets if your train stopped at the split station, much the same way people do with non season tickets....

Absolutely, or if they are both zonal, provided, of course, that they cover the entire journey.

....I wonder if there are any journeys where it is cheaper to hold 2 season tickets and all the trains always stop at the split point. I'm sure there are, given the structure in existence.

Yes, there are.