Coleshill - Luton

[muug1982]

I have a twice weekly commute from Coleshill Parkway to Luton Airport Parkway.
I need to arrive Luton Airport Parkway before 10am and usually leave at around 4:45 the following day.

I am entitled to half price season ticket between Luton Airport Pk and Leicester.

The Open Return is £122; travelling on the 07:35 XC to Leicester and the 8:33 EMT; returning 16:51 EMT and 18:16 XC from Leicester.

The weekly season ticket for the full journey is £133.60.

The best I've come up with is:
50% season ticket - Luton Airport to Mkt Harborough - £48.00
2x Anytime Return - Coleshill - Mkt Harborough @ £21 each - £42.00
Total weekly cost £90;

I think this isn't bad, but was wondering whether there is anything a little bit more creative, that the experts might come up with...

 

[yorkie]

Hi. Welcome to the forum, sorry it took so long to reply - it got buried under other threads!

You may combine a season and non-season for one journey.

There is no requirement for the train to call.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/NRCOC.pdf

19. Using a combination of tickets
You may use two or more tickets for one journey as long as together they cover the entire
journey and one of the following applies:
(a) they are both Zonal Tickets (unless special conditions prohibit their use);
(b) the train you are in calls at a station where you change from one ticket to another; or
(c) one of the tickets is a Season Ticket (which for this purpose does not include Season Tickets or travel passes issued on behalf of a passenger transport executive or local authority) or a leisure travel pass, and the other ticket(s) is/are not.

A few staff are unaware of Condition 19. While you can ask them to look it up (after all, how can they enforce the National Rail Conditions of Carriage if they don't have a copy?) if you are worried you can print the relevant page from the PDF document linked to above and carry it with you.

 

[LexyBoy]

I couldn't find any better (well, I thought splitting at Leicester came to £88, but then realised the Coleshill-Leicester was a Day ticket).

Rather peculiarly, when searching WTO-LEI on NRE, returning the next day, I have the following options:

1103, 1303 and 1503 departures   - £14.00 Off-Peak Day Return
0903 departure                   - £65.20 Off-Peak Day Return

What's all that about? :roll:

Seems a bit silly that only day return fares are available between Birmingham and Leicester - handy to know that there is to Market Harborough!

 

[muug1982]

I've been looking at some of the other threads on here and think I may have found a cheaper way. I really need an expert to check though.

I think the crux of the issue would be the validity of a Luton Airport Parkway to Corby ticket. My reasoning is below:

There are no shared routing points; Luton Airport belongs belongs to Bedford, West Hampstead and Watford Junction groups. Corby belongs to Oakham and Kettering.

Travel between Oakham and Watford is valid via BP+TV - I think this allows theoretical travel between Corby - Oakham - Nuneaton - Watford Junction (would this be valid on a ticket stated to Luton Airport Parkway)

If I've understood this correctly, this would reduce my season ticket to £42.50 with my discount card + 4 * Coleshill - Nuneaton Singles @ 4.90 each.

Total Cost £62.10

If someone could confirm whether this is possible I'd be grateful. If not, could someone explain where I've gone wrong.

 

[yorkie]

Luton Airport Parkway (LTN) to Corby (COR) Season is £85.00, (which you get half price), but Oakham is more expensive. Kettering is cheaper. Therefore, Kettering is an appropriate Routeing Point (RP). Oakham is not an appropriate RP.

Therefore, you are restricted to the shortest route between LTN & COR, plus any mapped routes between Luton & Kettering.

At the other end, Watford Jn is not an appropriate RP for LTN to COR; the only fares are via London and there are no Season tickets.

 

[muug1982]

Thanks - I thought it was too good to be true.