Day-Flex Single tickets

[MrJeeves]

There is a new ticket type appearing for a select number of flows on BRFares called a "Day-Flex Single", at 10 different price tiers (ticket types FE0-FE9).

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks. Full details of all British rail fares shown, with built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

I haven't seen any publicity about these yet.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting! Noted that reservations do seem to be required. Fare setter appears to be TPE. Wonder how exactly this new product will differ in price / availability / associated conditions, compared with existing route "AP TPE Only" Advance Singles, for journeys between Liverpool Stns and Manchester Stns, or vice-versa?

Prices of the new Day-flex product (undiscounted) look to vary between £5.50 and £15.70. Who said rail ticketing was simple?!

 

[OscarH]

Prepare for the worst.

 

[MrJeeves]

Prepare for the worst.

Oh come on, that's an understatement!

 

[JonathanH]

This is I imagine the trial we have been expecting for a while of the 'LNER fares model' on another operator, as the new approach for regional fares.

See https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/further-fares-reform.294030/#post-7527489

Advance, anytime and 'something in the middle' that isn't called an off-peak fare.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Advance, anytime and 'something in the middle' that isn't called an off-peak fare.

Indeed. Off Peak Day Singles (undiscounted, valid any operator) between Liverpool Stns and Manchester Stns are currently priced at £18.80, just 40p than the Anytime Day Single equivalent (= £19.20). What are the chances of the Off Peak Day Single being eliminated for this particular flow? And maybe then return tickets?

 

[AlterEgo]

How is it flexible if it requires reservations?

 

[Benjwri]

How is it flexible if it requires reservations?

I wonder if that is just a flag that is set on the ticket type allowing it to be sold against a quota and stops it being sold when that quota runs out.

 

[AlterEgo]

I wonder if that is just a flag that is set on the ticket type allowing it to be sold against a quota and stops it being sold when that quota runs out.

I'd hope so. I suppose we will have to see how these fares are advertised.

 

[Watershed]

How is it flexible if it requires reservations?

Reservations are essentially the way that quota control is done in the rail industry. Just because you have a reservation doesn't necessarily mean a ticket is tied to a particular service, see SWR SemiFlex tickets for example.

 

[AlterEgo]

Reservations are essentially the way that quota control is done in the rail industry. Just because you have a reservation doesn't necessarily mean a ticket is tied to a particular service, see SWR SemiFlex tickets for example.

Understood, so this is working off a daily quota and not a per train one?

 

[Watershed]

Understood, so this is working off a daily quota and not a per train one?

That would be the model that Heathrow and Stansted Express use with their Advance tickets which are variable in price but valid on any train on the chosen day.

 

[JonathanH]

That would be the model that Heathrow and Stansted Express use with their Advance tickets which are variable in price but valid on any train on the chosen day.

So train fares vary by day on regional flows in the future? Certainly a novel concept.

 

[Watershed]

So train fares vary by day on regional flows in the future? Certainly a novel concept.

I think 'novel' would be a rather generous way of describing such a concept!

 

[A S Leib]

So train fares vary by day on regional flows in the future? Certainly a novel concept.

That sounds like the way DB Fernverkehr manage Flexpreis fares, especially if fares being set by TransPennine Express in the example case means Northern-only fully flexible off-peak (day) fares will stay.

(I'm not saying that I approve of this method; I don't see how it makes things simpler for passengers, especially without guarantees that any permitted off-peak returns won't be removed.)