Chiltern Trains

[castra]

New first timer here. Apologies in advance for any first time lack of forum etiquette.

In short, as the thread title suggests, a question regarding the above Company.

Do the above company not issue cheap day returns from the London area to High Wycombe? Looking at their own online booking site plus other generic booking sites, all that appears on offer is an 'anytime day return'.

I planned to travel from Bexhill to High Wycombe this coming Friday to vist my Daughter. My 'plan' was to purchase a Super Off Peak Travelcard using my Network Card, then pre purchase a day return off peak ticket from West Ruislip, which is the last station in Zone 6, to High Wycombe. A journey of around 15 minutes with around four stations inbetween. The cheapest fare I could find was a whooping £9.80 return from West Ruislip or £13 from Marylbone. Without a Network Card, an off peak journey from Marylbone to High Wycombe would be around £20 for a half hour journey!

Even in this age of excessive fares, this seems way OTT? Am I correct in saying that Chiltern don't offer off peak fares or have I missed something? I would end up saving about £1.00 compared to the direct fare which hardly seems worth the hassle, plus buying the super off peak travelcard, I am restricted on the times I can depart London on my return, although that is not so much of an issue.

Have I missed any cheaper options for this route or do I just have to swallow it? Thanks you in advance for any advice.

 

[yorkie]

Welcome to the forum.

New first timer here. Apologies in advance for any first time lack of forum etiquette.

In short, as the thread title suggests, a question regarding the above Company.

Do the above company not issue cheap day returns from the London area to High Wycombe? Looking at their own online booking site plus other generic booking sites, all that appears on offer is an 'anytime day return'

£16.50 is the (undiscounted) price for off peak and contra peak travel between London and High Wycombe. This is issued as a 'CDR' (Off Peak Day Return) if the origin is High Wycombe, as the cost of travelling at peak time in that direction is higher, but in the direction London to High Wycombe, this is issued as an 'SDR' (Anytime Day Return) as the morning services heading North are contra-peak, so there is no premium to use them.

I planned to travel from Bexhill to High Wycombe this coming Friday to vist my Daughter. My 'plan' was to purchase a Super Off Peak Travelcard using my Network Card, then pre purchase a day return off peak ticket from West Ruislip, which is the last station in Zone 6, to High Wycombe. A journey of around 15 minutes with around four stations inbetween. The cheapest fare I could find was a whooping £9.80 return from West Ruislip or £13 from Marylbone. Without a Network Card, an off peak journey from Marylbone to High Wycombe would be around £20 for a half hour journey!

Marylebone to High Wycombe is £16.50, not £20.

There is a minimum fare on weekdays of £13 applicable to any ticket when using a Network Railcard. So you do not get the full 1/3 discount on any ticket where the discounted fare is less than £13. If the full fare is £13 or less, then you get no discount whatsoever.

Also the prices are based on market forces, not journey time, in fact a faster journey time actually creates more of a premium product and means higher fares can be charged. For example, Ashford to London half an hour journey time on the high speed route costs more than the slower route that takes longer. York to Doncaster is only 20 minutes and one stop, but this also attracts a premium.

Even in this age of excessive fares, this seems way OTT?

Sadly train fares are expensive, but it's the Government (current and previous!) that has decided this policy.

Am I correct in saying that Chiltern don't offer off peak fares or have I missed something?

They offer Anytime fares heading out of London at the same price as Off Peak fares heading into London on many flows, including this one.

I would end up saving about £1.00 compared to the direct fare which hardly seems worth the hassle, plus buying the super off peak travelcard, I am restricted on the times I can depart London on my return, although that is not so much of an issue.

Have I missed any cheaper options for this route or do I just have to swallow it? Thanks you in advance for any advice.

If you can travel on a train tha arrives into London at or after 1000, I'd get the Bexhill to High Wycombe Off Peak Day Return with Network Railcard discount.... unless you want to travel around London with a Travelcard?

 

[soil]

Cross London trains tend to work out quite expensive unfortunately.

You could try Hastings - High Wycombe. It's valid via (from) Bexhill & Eastbourne, and a few pence cheaper.

 

[CockneySparrow]

New first timer here. Apologies in advance for any first time lack of forum etiquette.

In short, as the thread title suggests, a question regarding the above Company.

Do the above company not issue cheap day returns from the London area to High Wycombe? Looking at their own online booking site plus other generic booking sites, all that appears on offer is an 'anytime day return'.

I planned to travel from Bexhill to High Wycombe this coming Friday to vist my Daughter. My 'plan' was to purchase a Super Off Peak Travelcard using my Network Card, then pre purchase a day return off peak ticket from West Ruislip, which is the last station in Zone 6, to High Wycombe. A journey of around 15 minutes with around four stations inbetween. The cheapest fare I could find was a whooping £9.80 return from West Ruislip or £13 from Marylbone. Without a Network Card, an off peak journey from Marylbone to High Wycombe would be around £20 for a half hour journey!

Even in this age of excessive fares, this seems way OTT? Am I correct in saying that Chiltern don't offer off peak fares or have I missed something? I would end up saving about £1.00 compared to the direct fare which hardly seems worth the hassle, plus buying the super off peak travelcard, I am restricted on the times I can depart London on my return, although that is not so much of an issue.

Have I missed any cheaper options for this route or do I just have to swallow it? Thanks you in advance for any advice.

The fares do seem to be OTT on this line however Chiltern Railways has spent alot of money on the route that was within a whisker of being ripped up totally, this includes new stations, making the route double track and extending the line in various areas, and that is all on a route BR singled in the 80s and even contemplated making Marylebone station into a big bus station as the route was unprofitable

As with all investments and refurbishments its not the owner that pays for it, its the customer

 

[castra]

Many thanks for all the assistance. I've opted for the direct ticket with a Network Card from Bexhill to High Wycombe, which totals a not too horrendous £24.05. One of the online booking route options is Bexhill -Ashford-St Pancras -Tube - Marlybone -High Wycombe. I've never used the high speed link to date & seeing as its showing as a permitted route on the timetabled options online, I will take that.

Rather surprised its showing as a permitted route, but I'm certainly not complaining.

 

[causton]

Rather surprised its showing as a permitted route, but I'm certainly not complaining.

HS1 is no different from any other line in that tickets must specifically say on them (via the Route field) if the ticket is to be disallowed. i.e. if the ticket does not say NOT HS1 and the routing guide routes you through HS1, then it is perfectly valid!

 

[castra]

HS1 is no different from any other line in that tickets must specifically say on them (via the Route field) if the ticket is to be disallowed. i.e. if the ticket does not say NOT HS1 and the routing guide routes you through HS1, then it is perfectly valid!

Thanks for that. I'd actually printed off the page from the booking site, with the times & fares alongside, just in case of a 'problem' on HS1. I can rest easy now.

 

[causton]

I'd still take that page with you though - SE are rather unpredictable in my experience, from questioning for no reason to leaving all the barriers open and waving you through! :P

 

[barrykas]

The fares do seem to be OTT on this line

A quick look shows that fares are on a par with other TOCs for similar distance journeys, and don't forget that Chiltern don't apply Northbound restrictions from Marylebone to stations South of Kings Sutton, and from there onwards the restriction is between 1600 and 1842 (1600 and 1900 for Paddington).

Looking at Single fares:

London - Beaconsfield (23 miles) is £10.60
London - Apsley (23 miles) is £11.60
London - Ingatestone (23.5 miles) is £11.80
London - Welwyn North (22 miles) is £10.00
London - Harpenden (25 miles) is £12.70
London - Maidenhead (24.25 miles) is £11.00
London - Woking (24.25 miles) is £10.00
London - Salfords (23.75 miles) is £10.40
St Pancras - Ebbsfleet (22.75 miles) is £14.80
London - Gravesend (24 to 25.5 miles, depending on route) is £11.00

Cheers,

Barry

 

[castra]

I'd still take that page with you though - SE are rather unpredictable in my experience, from questioning for no reason to leaving all the barriers open and waving you through! :P

I did indeed take the page with me.

Curiously, the only place where my ticket wouldn't open the automatic barriers was....St Pancras ! The Gateline staff member gave my ticket a long hard stare, then manually opened up the gates.

Obviously a member of staff who wanted a quiet life rather than getting into an extended debate? Luckily, my 'proof' wasn't required.

 

[paul1609]

I did indeed take the page with me.

Curiously, the only place where my ticket wouldn't open the automatic barriers was....St Pancras ! The Gateline staff member gave my ticket a long hard stare, then manually opened up the gates.

Obviously a member of staff who wanted a quiet life rather than getting into an extended debate? Luckily, my 'proof' wasn't required.

Thats not unusual, my local stations are Rye or Appledore. Any Off Peak ticket that is not routed "plus hs" is routinely rejected by the St Pancras barriers "seek assistance", the staff always look at them closely but have never queried them. Strangely this is never the case with the return journey.

 

[district]

In my experience any ticket with Cross-London validity is rejected by the gates at St. Pancras.

 

[GodAtum]

What train stock do Chiltern use on there services to High Wycombe? In the morning peak is the Marylebone - High Wycombe route quite busy?

 

[oversteer]

What train stock do Chiltern use on there services to High Wycombe? In the morning peak is the Marylebone - High Wycombe route quite busy?

In the peak you will most likely be on a class 165. Some diagrams use a 168, marked with a M in the timetable. There are two 172 diagrams, one at 0612 and the other at 0845.
They are not that busy going out of London, you will certainly get a seat.