Different off peak return fare prices for same route?

[enginedin]

Travelling from Haymarket to Manchester (outbound weekend, return on a weekday within the same week), two different different off-peak returns are offered:

£77.60 Off-Peak Return (Avanti &northern)
£104.70 Off-Peak Return (Via Carlisle)

Given that for the "Avanti & northern" route you'd have to travel via Carlisle, what's the rationale / reason for the difference in price? TheTrainLine lists both fares as being "TB"

 

[Watershed]

TPE set the "via Carlisle" fare and operate the direct services, so most people will want to use them. Therefore Avanti & Northern have come together to offer a cheaper fare if you stick to their services. It's a fairly common situation on routes with multiple operators.

 

[jfollows]

The £77.60 fare can’t be used on TPE

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The £77.60 fare can’t be used on TPE

Which effectively halves the number of direct services you can use between Haymarket and Carlisle. Presumably the £77.60 fare can't be used with Scotrail either, travelling via Glasgow QS/Cen?

 

[jfollows]

Which effectively halves the number of direct services you can use between Haymarket and Carlisle. Presumably the £77.60 fare can't be used with Scotrail either, travelling via Glasgow QS/Cen?

Agreed, map EG would allow that route for an “any permitted” ticket (EG + MG for Edinburgh-Manchester.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Agreed, map EG would allow that route for an “any permitted” ticket (EG + MG for Edinburgh-Manchester.

Including any flexible/semi-flexible route "via Carlisle" tickets?

 

[jfollows]

Including any flexible/semi-flexible route "via Carlisle" tickets?

Yes, with a “via Carlisle” ticket you can do a “split route” check and look up Edinburgh-Carlisle and Carlisle-Manchester separately, and Edinburgh-Carlisle is valid via Glasgow with map EG. It also happens that Edinburgh-Manchester is valid EG+MG so you get it both ways, in the latter case with the constraint that you have to go via Carlisle, but that’s not a major issue.