Getting Around The SWR Strike - Ticket Validity EXD to London (All)

[m_m]

Hi,

I rarely go to London on the train, but as is typical (lol) SWR are striking on the day I want to travel.

I wanted to go from Axminster to London (don't care which station), travelling on Saturday 11th and coming back on Sunday 12th August. Due to medical issues that my other half has, rail replacement busses are not good and are best avoided.

So, my plan is to drive to Exeter and get the GWR direct from there on the Saturday. I will buy an off peak return from EXD to London. I know it costs more on the 'fast line' but that is ok.

My question is, can I use the slow line back on the Sunday on the return portion of the same ticket and we get off at Axminster?

I can just dump my car in Exeter and collect another time.

Thanks, A

 

[sonic2009]

Have you considered travelling from Yeovil Pen Mill to Castle Cary to London?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

If you don't want to do what sonic has suggested, then, assuming you don't want to use Advances (where different routes each way are trivially easy), you can instead get an Exeter to London ticket valid only via Honiton (the SWR priced route), and then excess the relevant portion to the via Taunton route (the GWR priced route). This change of route excess costs half the difference between the two fares which you are excessing between - so for example if you're excessing from the public-rate Off-Peak Return via Honiton to the Off-Peak Return via Taunton one way that would cost you half of the difference - i.e £13.45.

Be aware, however, that you may need a different 'peak level' of ticket depending on the route - as for example GWR has much greater restrictions in the evening peak than SWR normally has. However since you are travelling on the weekend this does not matter, as, in common with most other peak time restrictions, the ones relevant to these tickets do not apply at the weekend.

This excess can be done at the ticket office at any time after getting your tickets (or, if you get your tickets at the ticket office, you can excess it there and then), or also on the train. There is no difference in how much it costs you regardless of where you do it - a rare level of flexibility indeed.

 

[m_m]

Thanks both! I will have a look at the Yeovil via Castle Cary route, hadn't thought of that one.

For the excess fare - that seems like a good idea! Will that work when using a two together railcard?

 

[A Challenge]

It will, and the excess will also be discounted.

 

[causton]

Indeed. Just bear in mind that in my experience (on both sides of the glass!) some clerks will not be happy issuing a ticket and an immediate excess (I had great trouble doing it a few years back, not with GWR but just in case!), so if they refuse don't give up, it might be worth buying the cheaper ticket and then you can excess it at a later time/another station etc before travel.

 

[Hadders]

Exeter St Davids were excellent at doing a change of route excess for me last summer.

 

[island]

I have never had any difficulty getting awkward excesses from GWR and have successfully used them on several occasions.

 

[Hadders]

Also worth noting that a St James Park Exeter to London Terminals Super Off Peak Return is £87.80 and routed 'Any Permitted' so you could go either way without having to faff around with an excess. You would be able to start/finish short at Exeter St Davids.

It is slightly cheaper to purchase the 'via Honiton' Off Peak Return costing £76.20 and obtain a change of route excess for the outward portion to the Super Off Peak Return route 'via Taunton' which costs £5.80. Total £82.00