Hull to Glasgow via Settle-Carlisle line fares

[pscotty]

For some years I’ve been occasionally travelling from Beverley or Hull to Glasgow Central via Settle/Carlisle, by specifying “via Appleby” in the journey planners. These tickets have been readily available. Recent journeys (with railcard):-

Glasgow – Bev 1/3/18 dep 1420 £14.20 (booked 26/1/18)
Bev – Glasgow 27/2/18 dep 0900 £14.20 (booked 26/1/18)
Bev – Glasgow 18/9/17 dep 0700 £12.85 (booked 1/8/17)
Bev- Glasgow 29/3/16 dep 0900 £12.20 (booked 23/1/16)

Since the May timetable fiasco, I’ve not been able to find these fares on booking sites. Slightly higher “VTWC & connecting services” fares still appear BRFares,com (£16.50, £17.15, £17.80 + others), but the only fares appearing on the booking sites are £77.20 and £82.50 (Anytime & Off-Peak, using National Rail Journey Planner, Red Spotted Hanky & VTWC. For example, no fares other than Anytime & Off-Peak appear for the weeks 13/8 – 17/8 or 3/9 – 7/9.

Does anyone know if these fares are still available, and how to get them! Thanks

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Indeed, it would appear that a number of through fares have been removed for this journey. The cheapest Advance is now £20.00 without a Railcard, and that relies on perfect availability (which is obviously far from guaranteed, especially at times you might like to travel).

I suspect that splitting tickets - using tools such as www.trainsplit.com - might enable you to find significant savings over through tickets for this kind of journey. This is particularly the case where route and/or TOC restricted tickets (whether walk-up or Advance) are available for intermediate portions of the journey at a competitive rate, and where you are willing to accept a longer journey time.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed, it would appear that a number of through fares have been removed for this journey. The cheapest Advance is now £20.00 without a Railcard, and that relies on perfect availability (which is obviously far from guaranteed, especially at times you might like to travel).

I'm sure that the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line would be disappointed to discover this, given that they've been promoting the route for through journeys.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I'm sure that the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line would be disappointed to discover this, given that they've been promoting the route for through journeys.

I am sure they would - however Northern only Advances are still available for longer journeys along the line itself, at enticingly low prices.

 

[yorksrob]

I am sure they would - however Northern only Advances are still available for longer journeys along the line itself, at enticingly low prices.

True, but there's something wonderful about finding a reasonably priced walk on fare.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I have a feeling the problem is Northern blocking availability of the lowest tier advances on more of their services than before, combined with the timetable change making it more likely that you're routed onto one of those services on which they heavily restrict availability of other TOCs' advances. However I can make some advances appear by putting a via point of East Garforth, e.g. next Monday 13th, departing Beverley at 08:36, there is a £33 advance available - see attached screenshot from Trainline.

 

[pscotty]

Thanks for the replies.

Indigo2 - that's a good find - slightly cheaper in September. Is it significant that that advance uses Northern to get from Hull to Leeds (changing at Selby - d Hull 0910 arr Leeds 1028), rather than the obvious Transpennine service (d Hull 0940 arr Leeds 1038)?

 

[route101]

True, but there's something wonderful about finding a reasonably priced walk on fare.

Indeed , on Thursday im going Nottingham to Glasgow via Leeds , northern advance to Leeds then buying return via settle .

 

[Paul Kelly]

Is it significant that that advance uses Northern to get from Hull to Leeds (changing at Selby - d Hull 0910 arr Leeds 1028), rather than the obvious Transpennine service (d Hull 0940 arr Leeds 1038)?

Yes, I think so. The key thing seems to be that the first two trains (i.e. as far as Selby) are non-reservable, so Northern won't be enforcing advance quotas on them. The first reservable train you use departs Selby at 0952, and (at a rough guess) probably Northern deem this departure time as off-peak and allow cheaper advance tiers on it. Likewise for the mid-morning departure from Leeds to Carlisle. But I should emphasise that this is only speculation!

 

[DaiGog]

I think the issue is TPE - it would appear that VWC Advance ticket types are not valid on TPE services.

 

[Starmill]

True, but there's something wonderful about finding a reasonably priced walk on fare.

The OP isn't actually looking at walk-on fares.

For those so inclined, there is a Beverley to Carlisle Anytime Return for £73.10 routed Appleby, which is not too bad with the OP's railcard at just over £24 each way.

There is a wide range of cheap tickets between Carlisle and Scotland.