Fewer changes or faster journey time?

[highspeed990]

To you guys, would you rather change train and arrive sooner, or have fewer or no changes?

To me, less changing is more important and I'm likely to make a trip that looks awkward, just to change less.

But some trips seem ridiculous just to avoid changing. For example, doing a full circle on the circle line from Bayswater to Latimer Road instead of changing at Edgware Road. Or going from St Albans to East Croydon by Thameslink and taking GTR Southern to Watford Junction to avoid changing at St Pancras.

This might seem ridiculous to some people, and I probably wouldn't do it, but I'm more likely to take the no change option even if the journey time is longer.

Thoughts?

 

[Kite159]

Depends on the time penalty & any difference in fares

 

[HH]

There is a standard value in PDFH IIRC. I'd guess the decision is partly based on the total journey time - let's say I have a 30 minute journey with 1 change and a 40 minute with no changes. I probably go for the change. But if it's 3 hrs vs 3 hrs 10, then I probably don't.

 

[yorkie]

To you guys, would you rather change train and arrive sooner, or have fewer or no changes?

I don't think it's possible to answer that with anything other than "it depends"!

 

[Joe Paxton]

There are some journeys into London Victoria from e.g. Swanley where journey planners offer a same-platform change off a Victoria bound train at Bromley South in order to arrive 1 minute earlier at Victoria, the reason being that the first train takes the slower route via the Catford Loop and a stop at Denmark Hill, and the latter stays on the main line (via Beckenham Jn etc). Unsurprisingly I think most passengers stay put! I guess the truly savvy and switched-on might check for disruption on both routes and pick their route appropriately.

 

[causton]

This is a problem with some journey planners. Especially when used in a station - the passenger probably wants the soonest train if it has fewer changes, even if it is a 'longer journey', as they are getting on their way sooner.

For example, say you come to Watford Junction at 11:50 and want to go to Liverpool Lime Street on London Midland only.

The journey planner will suggest first:

Leg 1
TRAIN London Midland Watford Junction 1211 Milton Keynes Central 1248

Leg 2
TRAIN London Midland Milton Keynes Central 1319 Stafford 1438

Leg 3
TRAIN London Midland Stafford 1510 Liverpool Lime Street 1610

However, two changes and an awkward half an hour wait at Stafford might put someone off. So, knowing this, I send them (and FastJP offers this as an option, but the software I use at work does not!) this way:

Leg 1
TRAIN London Midland Watford Junction 1203 Birmingham New Street 1402

Leg 2
TRAIN London Midland Birmingham New Street 1436 Liverpool Lime Street 1610

Depending on the situation, systems should be smart enough to give a "I can leave this station right now if it makes my journey easier" option, rather than the default "add two more changes to save one minute" option!

Itineraries courtesy of http://www.fastjp.com/

 

[Bletchleyite]

MKC provides another good example - if travelling to Warrington and beyond, you have the option of the xx13 via Brum, or you can take the following xx40 and change at Crewe onto the same train, gaining 27 minutes. The VT site tends to offer both options, and from observation about half the passengers choose each. I vary depending mainly on what I've got with me.

 

[yorkie]

...However, two changes and an awkward half an hour wait at Stafford might put someone off. So, knowing this, I send them (and FastJP offers this as an option, but the software I use at work does not!) this way...

That is a very good example.

Here is a direct link showing that: http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?ori...M&odate=20171025&otime=1200&maxres=10&maxch=4