Confused about peak/off peak fares

[Jools]

Hi. I hope someone can help me clarify something. I was told by someone today that peak fares apply depending on which direction you are travelling, i.e on less popular routes off peak fares would apply even though travelling at what would normally be peak times.

Specifically, we were talking about fares from Godalming to Guildford and returning. I was told that if you were travelling away from London during peak hours, it would be cheaper as less busy as most commuters would be going into London for work.

I hope I've made that clear, and someone can enlighten me.

Thanks in advance for your time and trouble.

 

[yorkie]

Here are the off peak restrictions for a Godalming to Guildford ticket:-

GODALMING (GOD) - GUILDFORD (GLD)

CDR - OFF-PEAK DAY R SWT
00000 - ANY PERMITTED

1 Adult @£ 4.10 = £ 4.10
__________

OUTWARD TRAVEL

By any train scheduled to
arrive London Terminals or
Kensington Olympia at or after
1000.

RETURN TRAVEL

By any train

There are many hundreds of off peak restrictions, probably thousands, so if you have any other off peak journeys to make please enquire first as it may be very different to the above ticket!

The first off peak service for that particular ticket appears to be the 09:25 service from Godalming. (That doesn't mean all off peak tickets from Godalming are not valid until that time though, for example an off peak ticket to York would be valid at any time ifrom Godalming but restrictions would apply from London to York at certain times).

 

[dan_atki]

The definition of Off Peak is determined by the journey the ticket is for, which is set by the company that prices that journey.

It isn't necessarily the case that at any particular time the peak fare applies in one direction and the off peak in the other such as you describe. Sometimes (and something South West Trains do a lot) the fares are different depending on which direction you are travelling in.

As you have said, it tends to happen on commuter railways where peak fares towards London are more expensive than the equivalent peak fares out of London. By pricing the fares in this way, the Train Operating Company maximises its revenue because there is more demand towards London.

In the case of Godalming to Guildford, Off Peak Day Return is valid on any train arriving at Waterloo after 1000 and is £4.10 as opposed to £4.20 for the Anytime.

In reverse (Guildford to Godalming), Off Peak Day Return is valid at any time after 0930 and is £2.90 as opposed to £3.00 for the Anytime.

So at 0800, when it is peak in both directions, it is clear travelling away from London is cheaper than travelling towards London. There is a bit of a period before 0930 where it is off peak towards London but peak away from London, before both are off peak after 0930 (unless a train magically does Godalming to Waterloo in less than 30 minutes!).

 

[tony_mac]

In general, there is no consistent usage of 'off-peak' tickets.
It can mean anything from - at any time, depart after 9am, arrive after 9am, arrive between 11:30am and 3:30pm or after 7:30pm etc. etc.

Yes, there are often more severe restrictions heading towards London than away, but sometimes they are the same.

There are also sometimes different fares depending on which way round you go.
Guildford to Godalming is £3 for an Anytime Day Return - while Godalming to Guildford is £4.20.

 

[Jools]

Oh! Thanks all for your replies and for the information. I have learned something new. Frankly, I just did not believe what I was told today. But now I know it's true. I stand corrected.

Thanks again.

 

[yorkie]

Oh! Thanks all for your replies and for the information. I have learned something new. Frankly, I just did not believe what I was told today. But now I know it's true. I stand corrected.

Thanks again.

You're welcome A lot of bizarre things are true.

You've just reached the tip of the iceberg!

For example, out of King's Cross in the 'evening peak', outward portions of Off Peak Day tickets where the fare is set by FCC are valid, but the return portions are not. However outward portions of Off Peak tickets where the fare is set by East Coast are not valid, but the return portions are valid. On the 16:50 Grand Central service, Off Peak return portions routed Any Permitted are valid, but tickets of the same name to the same destination (eg York) routed GC only are not valid.

On the 19:00 East Coast service, you may find 2 customers returning from a trip to London, one with a Super Off Peak ticket and sat next to them someone with an Off Peak Day ticket, both to Peterborough. ATOC say that "Super" means it is more restrictive, yet the person with the Super Off Peak ticket is valid and the person with the Off Peak Day ticket is not valid.

If we do not comply with these ludicrously complicated rules we are expected to pay an 'excess fare' of the full difference between the fare paid and the cheapest available fare that would be valid, even if only requiring an upgrade one way.

But who is going to challenge the TOCs in court? We have the knowledge (IMO) to put up a good case but we don't have the money. So the cycle continues...

 

[bb21]

Well i'm hoping to become a millionaire in about 5 years when I get a posh job after my degree so there's always the possibility