Changeover point on Advance Single

[JBuchananGB]

Just helping my friend plan her trip from Swansea to Southport on Sunday 10 August. The route is Swansea to Chester on TFW, then Chester to Southport on MerseyRail to benefit from the good value Swansea to Southport Advance Single.
The only sensible timing is depart Swansea 0950, change at Chester, depart there 1430 arrive Southport 1619.
To get from Swansea to Chester a change of train is needed.
The FastJP journey planner gives a lot of variations for this trip, and on the two occasions I have checked the fare on the forum's web site I have had two different itineraries. (Either change at Cardiff or Newport)
Essentially, having boarded the 0950 at Swansea it seems possible to get to Chester by changing at Cardiff, or at Newport or at Crewe and then catch a TFW train to Chester. Does it matter which of these options my friend goes for?

 

[Lewisham2221]

Just helping my friend plan her trip from Swansea to Southport on Sunday 10 August. The route is Swansea to Chester on TFW, then Chester to Southport on MerseyRail to benefit from the good value Swansea to Southport Advance Single.
The only sensible timing is depart Swansea 0950, change at Chester, depart there 1430 arrive Southport 1619.
To get from Swansea to Chester a change of train is needed.
The FastJP journey planner gives a lot of variations for this trip, and on the two occasions I have checked the fare on the forum's web site I have had two different itineraries. (Either change at Cardiff or Newport)
Essentially, having boarded the 0950 at Swansea it seems possible to get to Chester by changing at Cardiff, or at Newport or at Crewe and then catch a TFW train to Chester. Does it matter which of these options my friend goes for?

If it's an advance, it will have an itinerary and reservations that must be adhered to, no?

 

[MarlowDonkey]

. Does it matter which of these options my friend goes for?

If it's an Advance, you have to follow whatever specific trains are indicated on the ticket. That would define the route and where to change trains.

 

[JBuchananGB]

I will advise her accordingly. I will help her buy the ticket at the ticket office in Southport tomorrow. I wonder what format the ticket office will provide the itinerary.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The only sensible timing is depart Swansea 0950, change at Chester, depart there 1430 arrive Southport 1619.
To get from Swansea to Chester a change of train is needed.

TfW website suggesting that the 0950 TfW departure is from Swansea and runs direct to Crewe (arr 1328) with a change at Crewe then needed for the 1355 TfW from Crewe to Chester (arr 1418) and a further change at Chester for the 1430 Merseyrail from Chester to Moorfields (arr 1511) and a final change at Moorfields for the 1534 Merseyrail from Moorfields to Southport (arr 1619). Advance Single for that particular itinerary is £60.50.

 

[ainsworth74]

Essentially, having boarded the 0950 at Swansea it seems possible to get to Chester by changing at Cardiff, or at Newport or at Crewe and then catch a TFW train to Chester. Does it matter which of these options my friend goes for?

I'm not sure there's any particular advantage between them (Newport is perhaps easier if someone is less familiar with the network being a smaller and less complex station than Cardiff or Crewe) and possibly a same platform interchange even. But once they've been given an itinerary they must stick to it (absent on the day disruption). The Forum's site does have an option to force changes (along with allowing additional interchange time if desired, often useful for older relatives who might prefer a more padded connection time!) which can be useful when trying to insist on making a change at a certain station.

For instance here's one with an enforced change at Newport.

 

[JBuchananGB]

I will ask my friend which route she prefers, and then I will try to get Southport ticket office to issue the desired route. I realise that online ticket purchase could be easier, but my friend and her adult son (with Two Together Railcard) wish to pay with cash and prefer CCSTs in their hands. Interesting to note that TfW web site favours via Crewe then Chester.

 

[ainsworth74]

I will ask my friend which route she prefers, and then I will try to get Southport ticket office to issue the desired route. I realise that online ticket purchase could be easier, but my friend and her adult son (with Two Together Railcard) wish to pay with cash and prefer CCSTs in their hands. Interesting to note that TfW web site favours via Crewe then Chester.

Fair enough everyone has the preferences and that's what makes life interesting

You can of course print an e-ticket and the Forum site does offer ticket on departure for those that can't quite give up the habit (it's just a bit hidden).

It doesn't however take cash in any form so if they want to pay with case they're definitely stuck with going to a ticket office!

 

[JBuchananGB]

I'm confident she wants to pay in cash. I just looked at the option via Crewe and it seems the point to point Swansea to Southport Advance Single won't work on that variant. So it will be a choice between Cardiff and Newport. I hope it is within the Southport ticket office capability to issue the required ticket. The outbound Southport to Swansea on 2 August is a different route, Southport - Liverpool South Parkway - Crewe - Swansea.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm confident she wants to pay in cash. I just looked at the option via Crewe and it seems the point to point Swansea to Southport Advance Single won't work on that variant. So it will be a choice between Cardiff and Newport.

Doesn't the itinerary that I mentioned in post #5 not suit? Changes at Crewe, Chester and Moorfields. Through train for the initial leg from Swansea all the way to Crewe.

I hope it is within the Southport ticket office capability to issue the required ticket.

Isn't Southport ticket office essentially just a ticket desk in a small Merseyrail MtoGo convenience store, located near the barriers?

 

[JBuchananGB]

That accurately describes the Southport ticket office, but Merseyrail prominently advertise that they can sell the cheapest tickets to anywhere on the railway network. As I know exactly what tickets and itineraries my friend wants, and I have identified the fares in brfares.com I will do my best to help them fulfil their declared promise. The advantage in this case is that there no complicated splits. There is just a straightforward point to point Advance Single with specified TFW trains to "reserve" on.

 

[Hadders]

That accurately describes the Southport ticket office, but Merseyrail prominently advertise that they can sell the cheapest tickets to anywhere on the railway network. As I know exactly what tickets and itineraries my friend wants, and I have identified the fares in brfares.com I will do my best to help them fulfil their declared promise. The advantage in this case is that there no complicated splits. There is just a straightforward point to point Advance Single with specified TFW trains to "reserve" on.

I hope you can get the ticket you need, but I fear you going to struggle.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I hope you can get the ticket you need, but I fear you going to struggle.

What's the chances of being told to go to Lime Street?

 

[gray1404]

Would it not be better if you just purchase the tickets online yourself and collected them from the Merseyrail booking office and your friend gave you the cash.

 

[JBuchananGB]

I went with my friend to Southport station yesterday to help her with the tickets. Couldn't have gone at a worse time. The 12 July Orange parade had finished, but for some reason all MerseyRail trains were cancelled. Vast queues for very scarce RRBs. Booking clerk was very patient while my friend kept changing her requirements and asking for options. Turns out she didn't want to travel at 0950 on 10 August; if she was to travel that day it would have had to have been on the 1422. But she wanted to have an option to travel on Monday 11 August. This flexibility was important to her. Booking clerk could have sold Advance Singles for either day, but with the need for flexibility, and as this was the return part of a trip going out on 2 August, she opted for Off Peak Return. Booking clerk pointed out that she could buy the tickets on 2 August when she sets off, but she wanted to get this done there and then to have one less thing to worry about.

 

[sheff1]

Sounds like excellent service from the booking office.