Cambridge to Stowmarket via Ely?

[itfcfan]

When I search for an itinerary on National Rail Enquires from Cambridge to Stowmarket I'm shown the need to buy two tickets if I take a service which requires a change in Ely. On Sundays it seems there is a direct service every other hour, with a service changing at Ely in the hours where a direct service is unavailable.

I'm not 100% sure on how to use the maps in the routing guide, but my understanding of map AP is this route via Ely is mapped:


Which option is correct?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

When I search for an itinerary on National Rail Enquires from Cambridge to Stowmarket I'm shown the need to buy two tickets if I take a service which requires a change in Ely. On Sundays it seems there is a direct service every other hour, with a service changing at Ely in the hours where a direct service is unavailable.

I'm not 100% sure on how to use the maps in the routing guide, but my understanding of map AP is this route via Ely is mapped:
View attachment 46287

Which option is correct?

You can't use map AP between Stowmarket and Cambridge - only map EA. Map EA doesn't have a link between Ely and Cambridge so you would have to double back to go via Ely.

Unfortunately it seems you either have to get two tickets to go via Ely or you have to go with the two hourly service. It's poor IMO but that's the nature of the 'simplified' system.

 

[gingerheid]

I've had a long whine at GA over this as if you're traveling from Cambridge North to Ipswich the trains via Ely are often the fastest. Didn't get anywhere

The really bizarre thing is that on the way back NRE does show fares for via Ely! It's only in the way there that, ...

 

[eastdyke]

Or for an undiscounted £18.50 (just a little more than the direct return fare) buy an Anglia Plus Day Ranger.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/pr7a1a85c35ce741018bbf333fb1a59f.aspx
The Ranger is not valid on Cross Country for the Cambridge-Ely leg but I think that using GN or GA will still work out OK.
And you could go on to Ipswich or Norwich and a host of other places for no more cost.

 

[itfcfan]

I just asked about the situation at Cambridge ticket office and I was told via Ely was a "permitted route". I've just been sold a single ticket for the journey - my train is about to leave so we'll see how I get on.

 

[kieron]

You can travel from Cambridge North to Stowmarket via Ely with one ticket, as nationalrail.co.uk* shows it as a valid route.

There's an easement which says:

700714 (Manual) Tickets to/from Cambridge are also valid at Cambridge North and tickets to/from Cambridge North are also valid at Cambridge. This easement covers all tickets, including season tickets, except Advance tickets.

This means that a Cambridge-Stowmarket ticket would be valid for a journey from Cambridge North to Stowmarket via Ely. I don't know of anything to suggest it would be valid between Cambridge and Cambridge North, though.

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