Can't buy ticket for advertised journey

[Couru]

Hi guys! Sorry if this is a resoundingly dumb question, but I can't for the life of me find how to buy a ticket for this journey:

Clicking "buy tickets" makes it seem as if there is no train leaving Fleet at 17:10. Anyone know a way around? Only changing once would be a godsend from the usual three.

 

[andythebrave]

Use the Forum's ticketing site; it will happily sell you a ticket and even save a few pennies with a split at Winchfield.

 

[Couru]

Use the Forum's ticketing site; it will happily sell you a ticket and even save a few pennies with a split at Winchfield.

Thank you; got it! Only question; where it says about Restriction UL, wouldn't that fail on the Outbound route:

It goes via Salisbury, but not Warminster.

 

[MrJeeves]

where it says about Restriction UL, wouldn't that fail on the Outbound route:

Applicable Days​

Monday to Saturday
Mondays - Saturdays only, including public holidays.

Outward Travel​

Not valid on trains timed to depart after 04:29 and before 12:01

Return Travel​

Not valid on trains timed to depart after 04:29 and before 12:01

Ticket Restriction UL | National Rail

Ticket restriction details UL. Each train ticket restriction code states when and/or on what train(s) the ticket is not valid and the days and/or dates that these restrictions apply.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

I don't see how this would have any impact on your proposed journey. You're leaving well after 12:00, at 17:10.

 

[Couru]

Ticket Restriction UL | National Rail

Ticket restriction details UL. Each train ticket restriction code states when and/or on what train(s) the ticket is not valid and the days and/or dates that these restrictions apply.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

I don't see how this would have any impact on your proposed journey. You're leaving well after 12:00, at 17:10.

Apologies, I meant the "only valid for travel via Salisbury and Warminster". Either way, bought the ticket so fingers crossed.

 

[MrJeeves]

If you buy your ticket alongside an itinerary, it's inherently valid as TrainSplit is an accredited retailer.

I would assume there could be something incorrect in the electronic fares data, but can't provide an exact reason why you're being offered that ticket.

I'd note all the tickets between Fleet and Frome, bar the two most expensive, are "WARMSTER-SALSBRY".

There might be an easement to allow this if there's engineering works or something else causing trains to not run via Warminster.

 

[30907]

If you buy your ticket alongside an itinerary, it's inherently valid as TrainSplit is an accredited retailer.

I would assume there could be something incorrect in the electronic fares data, but can't provide an exact reason why you're being offered that ticket.

I'd note all the tickets between Fleet and Frome, bar the two most expensive, are "WARMSTER-SALSBRY".

Warminster is between Salisbury and Westbury, where you change for Frome, so there is no problem.

 

[Shrewbly]

Warminster is between Salisbury and Westbury, where you change for Frome, so there is no problem.

Not on the outward journey which is via Castle Cary with no change.

Maybe this easement is somehow being interpreted as allowing the Castle Cary routing for the occasional service via Yeovil:

700519 Journeys routed Yeovil Westbury may go via Castle Cary without calling at Westbury.
This applies in both directions.

 

[30907]

Not on the outward journey which is via Castle Cary with no change.

Maybe this easement is somehow being interpreted as allowing the Castle Cary routing for the occasional service via Yeovil:

700519 Journeys routed Yeovil Westbury may go via Castle Cary without calling at Westbury.
This applies in both directions.

My apologies, I should have looked more closely.

I think it will be allowed as a direct train Salisbury-Frome?

 

[Watershed]

It's not a permitted route on a through ticket, essentially because the fare from Fleet to Frome is less than that from Fleet to Castle Cary. So allowing you to travel via Yeovil and Castle Cary would constitute a loophole (you could otherwise use this ticket to undercut the fare to Yeovil/Castle Cary), hence it's not permitted.

Splitting makes this a permitted route and saves you money, so it's a no-brainer. But like most other TOC websites, the SWR website doesn't offer splits, so you'll have to either add the splits to the basket as separate searches, or use a site which offers split ticketing.

 

[MrJeeves]

I think it will be allowed as a direct train Salisbury-Frome?

That would be allowed, but my impression is that it should only be allowed if the route permits travel on this direct service too.

Split fare rule or whatever it's called allows calculating permitted routes from origin to via point and via point to destination (or a combination with multiple via points as it suits the passenger), and essentially look at valid routes by splitting the journey up into different segments.

I'm not too sure about this bit, or whether you do have to look at every via point or just the ones you want to "abuse".

This would let you look at Fleet to Salisbury, then Salisbury to Frome (as Salisbury to Warminster then Warminster to Frome wouldn't present a benefit here).

Since Salisbury to Frome is a direct service here, we can ignore the routeing guide for this entire portion.

I suppose the question that remains is can the fact it's a through train override the fare route? I would say no, otherwise that opens a huge can of worms!

 

[Haywain]

Splitting makes this a permitted route and saves you money, so it's a no-brainer. But like most other TOC websites, the SWR website doesn't offer splits, so you'll have to either add the splits to the basket as separate searches, or use a site which offers split ticketing.

On this occasion it seems that using a splitting site has still resulted in the through ticket being offered for the apparently invalid route.

 

[Barnsley]

I have just put the Fleet - Frome itinerary in Star Journey planner, and it shows the route WarminsterSalisbury as valid, if that helps!

 

[MrJeeves]

Just to confirm, we've looked into this and can confirm it is not a bug with TrainSplit's journey planner. (And also not a bug with NRE or STAR, for that matter )