Fares that are supposed to be cheaper... but aren't.

[Starmill]

I have recently come across two painfully bizarre examples of fares that were clearly intended to be cheaper than something, but are actually more expensive.

Firstly, Manchester Stations to Flint, consider fares routed 'VIRGIN TRNSONLY'. An Anytime Day Single is £16, but an Off-Peak Return is... £15.50. Both allow travel by any VT train. Weird.

Also consider Edinbrugh to Aberdeen. There's an Anytime Return routed Any Permitted for £61.30. There is also an Anytime Day Return, routed 'XC ONLY' for £64.80. I wonder who that fare is aimed at!

Any rationale's for these that I've missed? Any more?

 

[bb21]

Break of journey restriction on the Flint fare?

 

[syorksdeano]

Do Virgin stop at Flint?

 

[Welshman]

Yes - with most of the Euston/Birmingham - Bangor/Holyheads.

 

[dzug2]

Possibly they were cheaper at one time but have increased by differing amounts

 

[kieron]

Possibly they were cheaper at one time but have increased by differing amounts

The fares are less than a year old according to this promotion. I suppose it is still plenty of time to mess things up.

The break of journey restriction is important, because the Flint-Wilmslow return undercuts the cheapest Flint-Crewe fare. The single doesn't.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The fares are less than a year old according to this promotion. I suppose it is still plenty of time to mess things up.

The break of journey restriction is important, because the Flint-Wilmslow return undercuts the cheapest Flint-Crewe fare. The single doesn't.

From Flint to Crewe there are two sets of fares, Via Chester (set by ATW) and Any Permitted (set by LM, though they do not operate any services).
Generally the LM fares are higher than ATW.
What I struggle with is what route is there other than "Via Chester"!

Then there's ATW's Chester-Crewe SDR at £11.60 (no CDR).
But they also offer a Chester-Shrewsbury Any Permitted CDR at £10.50 (valid via Crewe and with break of journey).

 

[greatkingrat]

Flint - Crewe is also valid via Liverpool

 

[Tracky]

Virgin only fares have been a right pain in the backside between Manchester and Chester/North Wales.

 

[Starmill]

In what sense 'a pain'?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Flint - Crewe is also valid via Liverpool

So that's where LM comes in then.
I can't imagine anyone in Flintshire wanting to take that route (I assume you mean via Shotton/Bidston and not Chester/Hooton?).

 

[kieron]

So that's where LM comes in then.
I can't imagine anyone in Flintshire wanting to take that route (I assume you mean via Shotton/Bidston and not Chester/Hooton?).

I can't see it being very popular for Flint-Crewe, particularly given the poor connections in Shotton, but there are 71 other pairs of station with the same fares between them. Someone going from Heswall to Winsford may not find the routes through Chester particularly convenient.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Having looked at the routeing guide I've got it now.
Stations Shotton to Colwyn Bay can use Shotton as a routeing point, and that allows Shotton-Crewe via Chester, Chester/Liverpool or Bidston-Liverpool.
You learn something every day.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when I put my Flint-Crewe ticket into the gate at Lime St Low Level!