Didcot to Cheltenham via Bristol Temple Meads

[181]

If I understand the Routeing Guide correctly, an 'any permitted' ticket from Didcot to Cheltenham should be valid not only via Bristol Parkway, but also via Temple Meads -- map LG shows a route via a Bristol routeing group that includes Temple Meads and Parkway. I haven't checked for dis-easements, but NRE shows a £25.60 fare (which according to BRFares.com is the Any Permitted Super Offpeak single) for the journey I wish to make (leaving Didcot at 07.12 on a Saturday).

Are on-train staff likely to be aware of this? (as I don't plan to break the journey, I'm less concerned about barrier staff). If there's any risk that they won't be, what exactly is it best to print out to show them?

As I intend to come back via Stroud, I could presumably save a few pounds by buying a route Stroud return ticket and excessing it, rather than an Any Permitted return. Is this something the ticket office at Didcot are likely to be able to do with a minimum of fuss or delay? And is the answer to that affected by whether I buy the ticket and the excess together or turn up with a ticket that I've already bought?

 

[horizonflame]

There is a £14.40 Advance ticket on the 07:12 service via Bristol Temple Meads and you could combine with a Super Off Peak Single via Stroud for £17.10. Total £31.50.

There are Advance tickets for the via Stroud return journey but the small saving is probably not worth the loss of flexibility.

 

[LexyBoy]

Didcot-Cheltenham Via Stroud SSR is £30, the excess to Any Permitted is £7 in each direction - this is the same whether you buy it with the ticket or later. Didcot ticket office isn't brilliant - you'll probably be OK but if not bear in mind the excess is the same on-board.

If this is a day trip you can save by splitting at Swindon, £23.25 with a Swindon-Cheltenham CDR Via Stroud with an excess on the outward.

 

[181]

Thankyou for the suggestions. I may go for the split + excess option, provided I can be confident a) that someone at the station or on the train will be willing and able to sell me the excess, and b) that no-one is going to try and tell me that I can't go via Temple Meads (or if they do, that I can convince them that it is permitted). Any idea how likely these are?

If I need to get the excess once on the train, is there any advantage in seeking out the guard rather than waiting for him?

 

[181]

Thankyou for the suggestions. I may go for the split + excess option, provided I can be confident a) that someone at the station or on the train will be willing and able to sell me the excess, and b) that no-one is going to try and tell me that I can't go via Temple Meads (or if they do, that I can convince them that it is permitted). Any idea how likely these are?

If I need to get the excess once on the train, is there any advantage in seeking out the guard rather than waiting for him?

 

[181]

Thankyou for the suggestions. I may go for the split + excess option, provided I can be confident a) that someone at the station or on the train will be willing and able to sell me the excess, and b) that no-one is going to try and tell me that I can't go via Temple Meads (or if they do, that I can convince them that it is permitted). Any idea how likely these are?

If I need to get the excess once on the train, is there any advantage in seeking out the guard rather than waiting for him?
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Apologies for the multiple posts -- the screen kept freezing when I tried to post, so I thought it had failed and tried again.
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In case anyone is interested, I asked the ticket office at Didcot for a day return to Swindon and another from Swindon to Cheltenham; they asked which route I wanted for the latter, and when I said I wanted to go out via Bristol and back via Stroud, they sold me an Any Permitted ticket. They didn't mention the possibility of a route Stroud ticket and a change of route excess (should they have, or is it like split ticketing where they only have to sell it if the customer specifically asks for it?); I didn't argue the point because I didn't (particularly early in the morning with a train to catch) feel inclined to have a lengthy discussion over £3.85 (the split had already saved me more than 4 times that amount compared with an Any Permitted return from Didcot to Cheltenham).

As for whether staff are aware that an Any Permitted ticket is valid via Temple Meads as well as Parkway, the issue didn't arise as the only ticket checks were before Swindon on the first train (I just showed the Didcot-Swindon ticket on which I was travelling at the time) and after Parkway on the second.

 

[bb21]

I think they should be offering the cheaper return + excess instead of the more expensive route. Reason coming from the Routeing Guide, however in there it only mentions a higher fare for the return leg, rather than the outward leg, although I think the intention is clear:

DUAL ROUTE AVAILABILITY

Where two or more permitted routes are available for a specific journey, customers may wish to travel out by one route and return by another. If a higher fare applies for the return leg of the journey the customer should be issued with a ticket for the more direct route and an excess fare issued to cover the difference in fare for the return routeing. This option should be made available to customers who wish to pre-book a dual routed ticket prior to travel.

The alternative journey MUST relate to the same routeing points for the origin and destination stations.

This option may not apply to customers holding advance purchase tickets, or tickets which are available by specified trains or endorsed for travel only by the services of a particular train operator.