Farnworth or Bolton to Windermere cost - surprising result!

[Howardh]

For travel on Thursday with railcard and no advances - ie. these are Off Peak Day Returns -
Bolton > Windermere = £19.50 which is fine, I can use my bus/rail pass for Farnworth to Bolton and get the 1138 Trans Pennine Express from Bolton.

Checks what saving I make using bus pass for first leg?

Surprisingly - Farnworth to Bolton then Windermere 1125 (1131) then 1138 as above TPE with a change at Bolton is £18.90 Off Peak Day return exactly the same trains? For those not on a railcard the saving is about a pound, quite a result!

Couple of questions apart from the obvious "why??" ; would a split ticketing site flag this up (hey, going from Bolton to Windermere, buy your ticket from Farnworth and get on at Bolton it's cheaper)?
Where else in the country does something like this happen?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd imagine this will be fixed shortly now you've identified it on here

 

[Haywain]

would a split ticketing site flag this up (hey, going from Bolton to Windermere, buy your ticket from Farnworth and get on at Bolton it's cheaper)

No.

my "normal" station is Lostock so how many times have I missed out on a cheaper ticket by not including LOT - BON (or any Manchester station) because I've used my rail/bus pass for the first leg?

Who knows? It will be somewhere between none at all and as many times as you have travelled.

 

[Howardh]

I'd imagine this will be fixed shortly now you've identified it on here

It really should be, something like between the cost from Bolton and the cost from Salford Crescent. If not, locals need to be made aware of this and use it!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

It really should be, something like between the cost from Bolton and the cost from Salford Crescent. If not, locals need to be made aware of this and use it!!

It'll be fixed no doubt by increasing to the same as Bolton

 

[JonathanH]

It'll be fixed no doubt by increasing to the same as Bolton

It is actually an odd one where there is a specific override for fares in the fare data from Bolton to Windermere, relative to the cluster that Bolton would otherwise be in.
https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=BON&dest=WDM&period=20250102

Farnworth and Bolton are otherwise in the same cluster.

 

[Howardh]

It is actually an odd one where there is a specific override for fares in the fare data from Bolton to Windermere, relative to the cluster that Bolton would otherwise be in.
https://www.brfares.com/!expert?orig=BON&dest=WDM&period=20250102

Farnworth and Bolton are otherwise in the same cluster.

Indeed odd.
Think something like Bolton or Farnworth to Barrow or Blackpool would be the same price (??) so this anomaly is hard to explain.

 

[Watershed]

Indeed odd.
Think something like Bolton or Farnworth to Barrow or Blackpool would be the same price (??) so this anomaly is hard to explain.

Basically, it looks like Northern want to charge more for Bolton to Windermere as it's no doubt a popular leisure journey, but didn't go to the effort of increasing the prices for the whole 'flow' (i.e. "Bolton area stations" to "Windermere area stations").

Bolton to Barrow and Blackpool are presumably less popular leisure journeys so they haven't seen fit to do the same there.

But yes, it does go to show that 'overdistance' tickets can often be worthwhile looking into.

 

[redreni]

But yes, it does go to show that 'overdistance' tickets can often be worthwhile looking into.

Quietly, ideally.

 

[Trackman]

For travel on Thursday with railcard and no advances - ie. these are Off Peak Day Returns -
Bolton > Windermere = £19.50 which is fine, I can use my bus/rail pass for Farnworth to Bolton and get the 1138 Trans Pennine Express from Bolton.

Checks what saving I make using bus pass for first leg?

Surprisingly - Farnworth to Bolton then Windermere 1125 (1131) then 1138 as above TPE with a change at Bolton is £18.90 Off Peak Day return exactly the same trains? For those not on a railcard the saving is about a pound, quite a result!

Couple of questions apart from the obvious "why??" ; would a split ticketing site flag this up (hey, going from Bolton to Windermere, buy your ticket from Farnworth and get on at Bolton it's cheaper)?
Where else in the country does something like this happen?

I'm seeing conflicting information, unless it's been fixed as Bletchleylite says.

What booking engine are you using?

 

[Howardh]

I'm seeing conflicting information, unless it's been fixed as Bletchleylite says.

What booking engine are you using?

At the time I was using several, Trainline and Northern for two.

If they have fixed it maybe it was an unknown glitch until pointed out? If so, Northern or even Transpennine Express (who do the bulk of the route) can send me a "Thank You" e-mail and an attached voucher!

However, just checked on Northern's engine and it's still showing (for Thursday this week) £18.90 from Farnworth (with railcard) and I intend to book that tomorrow, if the forecast is as good as promised.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm assuming those are Railcard discounted.

Full price:

Farnworth-Windermere CDR: 28.40
Bolton-Windermere CDR: 29.30

So yes, Farnworth is cheaper despite being further.

That's from brfares.com. Trainline seems to show the same.

 

[Howardh]

Just done a screenshot; still £18.90 (with railcard)

 

[HurdyGurdy]

Just done a screenshot; still £18.90 (with railcard)

Your screenshot omits the origin and destination, but the departure times suggest it's Farnworth to Windermere. There's no dispute that the railcard discounted off-peak day return fare from Farnworth to Windermere is £18.90.



What conflicting information is @Trackman referring to?

 

[Howardh]

Your screenshot omits the origin and destination, but the departure times suggest it's Farnworth to Windermere. There's no dispute that the railcard discounted off-peak day return fare from Farnworth to Windermere is £18.90.

Yes it is, sorry to leave that out!

 

[Trackman]

Just been doing some digging about. Seems departing from Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley, and further north(ish) Hallithwood, Westhoughton, Lostock and Horwich Parkway are the same price.
I suppose it depends on whereabouts in Bolton you live, you could go any of those stations.

What conflicting information is trackman referring to?

I entered the wrong details, so scrub that.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just been doing some digging about. Seems departing from Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley, and further north(ish) Hallithwood, Westhoughton, Lostock and Horwich Parkway are the same price.
I suppose it depends on whereabouts in Bolton you live, you could go any of those stations.

Or just buy the ticket from south of Bolton and start there. Break of journey is permitted.

 

[Haywain]

Seems departing from Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley, and further north(ish) Hallithwood, Westhoughton, Lostock and Horwich Parkway are the same price.
I suppose it depends on whereabouts in Bolton you live, you could go any of those stations.

You can see all of the stations in the relevant cluster, and therefore having the same fare, by looking at BRFares in expert mode.

 

[Howardh]

Or just buy the ticket from south of Bolton and start there. Break of journey is permitted.

Yes, the gate should accept the ticket. I use my bus/rail pass anyway at the gate as it's a lot less fiddley than using my phone, of course the phone would have the correct ticket is asked for on the train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, the gate should accept the ticket. I use my bus/rail pass anyway at the gate as it's a lot less fiddley than using my phone, of course the phone would have the correct ticket is asked for on the train.

Even if it doesn't the staff should let you in unless they're being particularly ignorant that day.

(Bletchley tickets to/from the north do work the gates at MKC, though that isn't done to save money, the fare is the same)

 

[Trackman]

You can see all of the stations in the relevant cluster, and therefore having the same fare, by looking at BRFares in expert mode.

Never got the hang of that, what's the best way of doing it? In this case, the OP's example. Thanks.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Never got the hang of that, what's the best way of doing it? In this case, the OP's example. Thanks.

Something like this...

Bolton to Windermere...

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks, at face value with no fees. Every British rail fare shown, railcard discounts included.

www.brfares.com

Farnworth to Windermere...

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks, at face value with no fees. Every British rail fare shown, railcard discounts included.

www.brfares.com

 

[Trackman]

Something like this...

Bolton to Windermere...

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks, at face value with no fees. Every British rail fare shown, railcard discounts included.

www.brfares.com

Farnworth to Windermere...

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks, at face value with no fees. Every British rail fare shown, railcard discounts included.

www.brfares.com

Many thanks, ah, I see now - in expert mode it gives you the cluster.