Cheapest Fare for Regular Weekend Returns

[L15]

Hello!

I will be travelling between Banbury (BAN) to Liverpool Lime Street (LIV) every weekend for the foreseeable future.

My outward journey is usually on a Friday afternoon/evening and I will usually return on a Sunday afternoon/evening or early Monday morning.

I hold a 16-24 railcard.

Would anyone be able to suggest the most cost effective way to do this journey. I currently buy an open return from Banbury to Birmingham New Street and then an open return from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street.

I don't want to commit to advanced fixed tickets especially on the Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street leg because the train from Banbury to Birmingham New Street is always, without fail, delayed (between 5 and 30 minutes but this can easily result in a missed connection).

Thank you in advance!

 

[Qwerty133]

I'll leave the actual fares to others, but if you are delayed by late trains, the railway is obligated to convey you on the next service (of the same TOC), and must get you to your destination. This applies even if you are using more than one ticket for your journey. So if you have an advance ticket from Birmingham New Street (BHM)-LIV and your train from BAN is delayed you will be able to travel on the next service.

 

[kieron]

How much are you paying for your current tickets? There's a Birmingham-Liverpool ticket for £17.80 with railcard which isn't valid on some trains on Friday evening, and one for £24.15 which is valid on any of them. I don't know if this is an issue for you.

 

[yorkie]

I don't want to commit to advanced fixed tickets especially on the Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street leg because the train from Banbury to Birmingham New Street is always, without fail, delayed (between 5 and 30 minutes but this can easily result in a missed connection).

Is that because your arrival time is critical? If so, simply travel half an hour earlier. Or is your departure time also critical? If so, we can't really advise without knowing exactly what your time constraints are.

You are, entitled to delay compensation if you are delayed by half an hour or more.

 

[L15]

Thanks for all your replies. I currently buy 2 open returns, one from Banbury to Birmingham (£12.35) and the second from Birmingham to Liverpool (£17.80). The total is therefore £30.15 which I think is fairly reasonable and provides some flexibility e.g. If trains are delayed, I finish work late etc.

Yorkie - I've claimed compensation a number of times for this route from XC but annoyingly most of the delayed trains fall just short of the 30 minute limit. In my opinion being 25 minutes late is just as inconvenient as being 30 minutes late!

Anyway, back to the original question, if I'll be doing this journey regularly (i.e. Every weekend) is there a cheaper way than the one I've found? I guess what I'm hoping for is some sort of weekend season ticket or fortnightly rover!

 

[yorkie]

I still don't understand why it is you don't want to use Advance tickets, other than as you say the flexibility to travel when you wish - but then anything that's cheaper than what you're paying will lose you flexibility.

As I said before, delays are no reason not to use an Advance, unless your departure and arrival times are both critical and there is no margin for error.

Season tickets and Rovers will give you far greater validity than you require, and therefore not be cost effective for a simple out and back return journey over a weekend.

 

[quarella]

I'll leave the actual fares to others, but if you are delayed by late trains, the railway is obligated to convey you on the next service (of the same TOC), and must get you to your destination.

Not strictly true.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/content/NRCOC.pdf Section H.

Relevant phrases are

if it reasonably can

and

within the Train Company's control

 

[Tetchytyke]

That's more backside covering in the event of severe weather, etc. It doesn't mean they'll leave you in Birmingham New Street if there's a train in 20 minutes.

You can combine advance tickets and, so long as you are on the correct train for the first leg, you will be able to complete your journey. This is the case even where you "split" advance tickets. The only restriction being that it needs to be the same TOC that your ticket is for, but as all Birmingham to Liverpool trains are London Midland this won't be an issue. I'd only be concerned if I was taking the last Birmingham to Liverpool train of an evening.

If you don't want to be tied to specific trains that's one thing, but if you're simply worries about delays during your journey you needn't be. As for 25 minute delays being "annoying", they're annoying regardless of whether you're on an advance fare or a walk-on fare.

 

[button_boxer]

Yorkie - I've claimed compensation a number of times for this route from XC but annoyingly most of the delayed trains fall just short of the 30 minute limit. In my opinion being 25 minutes late is just as inconvenient as being 30 minutes late!

What matters isn't the length of the delay to any individual train but how much later you eventually arrive at your final destination (Liverpool). If your train from Banbury is 25 minutes late causing you to miss a connection and the next train gets you to Liverpool an hour later than you should have then the delay is one hour, not 25 minutes.

 

[kieron]

Anyway, back to the original question, if I'll be doing this journey regularly (i.e. Every weekend) is there a cheaper way than the one I've found?

You can save a bit by using less direct trains, for instance, via Kenilworth and Rugby avoiding Birmingham for £25.55 a week (a £11.05 Banbury-Rugby via Coventry return with railcard, and a £14.50 Rugby-Liverpool London Midland only return).

I think you may already be using the cheapest split available with flexible tickets for the route with one change in Birmingham, though.

 

[quarella]

That's more backside covering in the event of severe weather, etc. It doesn't mean they'll leave you in Birmingham New Street if there's a train in 20 minutes..

As one who has to deal with stranded passengers the definition of which now appears to be being stuck somewhere for twenty minutes I was merely clarifying the "must get you to your destination" that Qwerty133 had posted. Weather can be an issue but so can sporting fixtures, Ramadam, schools, Hotel/holiday park changeover day and location have all given me problems sourcing taxis.