Ipswich to Penzance

[Tim R-T-C]

Hi all.

I am planning to travel from Ipswich to Penzance via the GWR sleeper.

I can get an advance ticket for the single trip but the online TOC sites put me onto the last possible Anglia train then a short connection across London.

For this routing would I be fixed with an advance to a particular Anglia service, or would this leg just count as the connecting train, allowing me to use any reasonable time train into London

Thanks

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Hi all.

I am planning to travel from Ipswich to Penzance via the GWR sleeper.

I can get an advance ticket for the single trip but the online TOC sites put me onto the last possible Anglia train then a short connection across London.

For this routing would I be fixed with an advance to a particular Anglia service, or would this leg just count as the connecting train, allowing me to use any reasonable time train into London

Thanks

You need to see whether the train is reservable or not. The stopping trains from Ipswich to Liverpool Street are not reservable, so they do not affect that availability of Advance tiers and you are not tied to a specific train (although in theory you shouldn't use a reservable train, and must restrict yourself to other non-reservable trans, in practice it is unlikely to be enforced for a shorter part of a longer journey).

It's easy enough to see whether a train is reservable or not - if you are booking through somewhere like TrainSplit you can look up the train's itinerary, which will include the words "reservations available" if it is reservable. If a service has reservations available you cannot book an Advance itinerary on it without obtaining a reservation - so if it is in your itinerary, you must take that particular train (excepting railway-caused delays to your journey). If you look up the itinerary on FastJP you will see a diamond next to any services that are reservable, and this diamond is the industry standard code for "reservable" - it is also shown on timetables and on websites using the MixingDeck TIS (e.g. old TPE website).

 

[cactustwirly]

You need to see whether the train is reservable or not. The stopping trains from Ipswich to Liverpool Street are not reservable, so they do not affect that availability of Advance tiers and you are not tied to a specific train (although in theory you shouldn't use a reservable train, and must restrict yourself to other non-reservable trans, in practice it is unlikely to be enforced for a shorter part of a longer journey).

It's easy enough to see whether a train is reservable or not - if you are booking through somewhere like TrainSplit you can look up the train's itinerary, which will include the words "reservations available" if it is reservable. If a service has reservations available you cannot book an Advance itinerary on it without obtaining a reservation - so if it is in your itinerary, you must take that particular train (excepting railway-caused delays to your journey). If you look up the itinerary on FastJP you will see a diamond next to any services that are reservable, and this diamond is the industry standard code for "reservable" - it is also shown on timetables and on websites using the MixingDeck TIS (e.g. old TPE website).

Basically if you have a seat reservation for it, then you have to travel on that service.
If you don't then you can take a different service.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Basically if you have a seat reservation for it, then you have to travel on that service.
If you don't then you can take a different service.

Well, the above is the way you can find out whether or not you will get a reservation, before you pay!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Thanks. Looks like from Ipswich I would have to get a booked service.

Are there any booking sites that let you specify longer connection times for London? Would rather get in nice and early and enjoy the GWR lounge!

 

[Romilly]

Are there any booking sites that let you specify longer connection times for London? Would rather get in nice and early and enjoy the GWR lounge!

Most do, although some are more up-front about it than others. new.trainsplit.com does, and National Rail Enquiries does (although sometimes the extra time gets lost when you click through to a retail site).

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thanks. Looks like from Ipswich I would have to get a booked service.

Are there any booking sites that let you specify longer connection times for London? Would rather get in nice and early and enjoy the GWR lounge!

It is perfectly possible to play with the trains you are booked on using a website like www.trainsplit.com in the advanced settings. Here you can add a general additional change time of up to 99 minutes, and/or an additional change time at specific change stations that you enter. By doing that, as well as specifying "must stop at" somewhere like Hatfield Peveral and "maximum changes" at 3, you can ensure you are not fixed on one specific train as you can ensure that your itinerary uses the non-reservable stopper.

 

[Silverdale]

NRE Journey Planner includes an advanced option to increase connection times - "Allow extra time to change trains"

That allows you to get an itinerary on an earlier departure from Ipswich.

But the NRE site hands you off to a retailer to actually complete the purchase. Being handed-off to the default retailer - GA, puts you in their journey planner where the sleeper service doesn't even appear. However using the little basket icon on the NRE site allows you to choose to be handed-off to GWR, and when you are dumped there, the itinerary with the extra connection time shows up for purchase.

So probably that will work for you.

A casual look at the GWR site doesn't reveal a means of specifying extra connection time if you go straight there rather than be directed there from NRE, so it must all work with some internet magic in the hand-off process.

 

[Haywain]

Thanks. Looks like from Ipswich I would have to get a booked service.

Are there any booking sites that let you specify longer connection times for London? Would rather get in nice and early and enjoy the GWR lounge!

You may well be able to avoid reservable trains by using Trainsplit and, in the advanced options, specifying a change at somewhere like Shenfield. Once the trains are non-reservable you can travel at a time that suits you (within reason).

 

[MichaelAMW]

Or visit your friendly local booking office - they can fiddle around with the train times with plenty of flexibility.

 

[gazthomas]

Or visit your friendly local booking office - they can fiddle around with the train times with plenty of flexibility.

Just avoid South Eastern

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Hmmm, looks like you can't add a sleeper berth to an advance ticket, except one from Paddington itself and increases the cost quite a lot.

That is rather annoying.

 

[Sleepy]

Depending on how flexible your travel dates are some nights you could get berth inclusive ticket from Paddington for £79 ( some £49 exist but are very limited quota).
UPDATE found 13th November Solo cabin £64