Just curious - Berwick upon Tweed to Galashiels

[jthjth]

At Berwick upon Tweed there is a bus that runs from the station to Galashiels bus station. It is advertised on the station displays amongst the trains, and claims to be a Cross Country service. It also appears on Realtime Trains. It is in fact a Borders bus. So I’m curious as to why it is shown on the PIS displays. Galashiels bus station appears on the station list if you try to buy a ticket (code XAA). The times are shown on the National Rail journey planner, but neither Cross Country nor Trainsplit can find a fare.

So the questions I have are:
Why does it appear on the train timetable?
Why can’t you buy a rail ticket?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Through fares look to be available. For example, an Off Peak Single from Dunbar just to Berwick upon Tweed is £17.60. From Dunbar to Galashiels (via Berwick) the equivalent Off Peak Single (through) ticket is £25.30. The bus add-on looks to be ~ £7.70. Similarly if you buy an Anytime Day Single. Other fares available.

 

[Haywain]

It is advertised on the station displays amongst the trains, and claims to be a Cross Country service.

Because, for the piurposes of through ticketing, it is sponsored by CrossCountry.

So I’m curious as to why it is shown on the PIS displays.

Because it is a bus link with through ticketing.

Why can’t you buy a rail ticket?

You can, but not from Berwick as it is not intended to provide alternative fares to those set by the bus operator.. Through fares are offered from a wide range of places.

 

[yorkie]

At Berwick upon Tweed there is a bus that runs from the station to Galashiels bus station. It is advertised on the station displays amongst the trains, and claims to be a Cross Country service. It also appears on Realtime Trains. It is in fact a Borders bus. So I’m curious as to why it is shown on the PIS displays. Galashiels bus station appears on the station list if you try to buy a ticket (code XAA). The times are shown on the National Rail journey planner, but neither Cross Country nor Trainsplit can find a fare.

So the questions I have are:
Why does it appear on the train timetable?
Why can’t you buy a rail ticket?

It's an add-on fare so can't be bought on its own without a rail leg.

I tried York to Galashiels and we are finding fares, as are XC (albeit XC charge a premium as they don't offer splits).

 

[DelW]

I don't know how common such services are, but it's not unique. At Taunton, buses to Minehead are shown on station displays as "A GWR service", with (timetabled) departure times. In fact it's just First Bus route 28 starting from the town centre, though through ticketing is available.

Rail-Air coach services are often shown on displays at connection stations too.

 

[thenorthern]

If anyone is wondering the bus is run by Border Buses and the non railway single fare from Berwick to Galashiels is £11.45 which is relatively expensive for a semi-local bus fare.

 

[yorkie]

If anyone is wondering the bus is run by Border Buses and the non railway single fare from Berwick to Galashiels is £11.45 which is relatively expensive for a semi-local bus fare.

Yes the buses around there are horrendously expensive. I imagine very few people pay the actual fare and nearly everyone is on passes.

Presumably everyone in those sorts of areas chooses to get a car, as bus fares that high would be very much a distress purchase. I guess it's aimed at tourists.

 

[thenorthern]

Yes the buses around there are horrendously expensive. I imagine very few people pay the actual fare and nearly everyone is on passes.

Presumably everyone in those sorts of areas chooses to get a car, as bus fares that high would be very much a distress purchase. I guess it's aimed at tourists.

Also as it's a cross border bus the £3 bus fare cap in England does not apply. Given the X18 bus from Berwick to Newcastle is £2.50 it shows how expensive the bus is.

 

[A S Leib]

If anyone is wondering the bus is run by Border Buses and the non railway single fare from Berwick to Galashiels is £11.45 which is relatively expensive for a semi-local bus fare.

As is often the case with railway fares, if less frequently if leaving Berwick with LNER, the (day) return fare is significantly better value, at £12 for the 24 hour unlimited travel ticket.

 

[Daniel_P]

It's an add-on fare so can't be bought on its own without a rail leg.

I tried York to Galashiels and we are finding fares, as are XC (albeit XC charge a premium as they don't offer splits).

I think it is slightly disingenuous to imply XC is "charging a premium".

By 'we', I assume you mean the forum's ticketing site, which using Raileasy's tech so the exact same fare will be visible on other websites using the underpinnings, such as https://trainsplit.com/ and https://www.realtimetickets.co.uk/?

 

[NorthOxonian]

As is often the case with railway fares, if less frequently if leaving Berwick with LNER, the (day) return fare is significantly better value, at £12 for the 24 hour unlimited travel ticket.

There is also the additional quirk that a cheaper single is available in the Borders Buses mobile app - priced at £6.80 (this is valid for any of their journeys... so even something like Edinburgh to Carlisle which would have an even more eyewatering single). The on bus single is artificially expensive, probably in part to catch tourists as mentioned above, but also because in Scotland, when a passholder uses their concessionary pass, the amount paid is based on specifically the on bus single fare.

Mind, it is slightly odd that this app only single seemingly undercuts the add on price anyway. It really is a fairly opaque mess.

 

[reb0118]

After the Borders Line (partially) reopened a decade ago I submitted a three page essay on reorganising the various bus add ons to non rail served Borders towns. It fell on deaf ears. They are still a bit of a shambles.

As the weather improves I expect to see a few foreign tourists proudly holding their through tickets to Melrose on my Tweedbank services (check the cost - and the fact that return fares don't exist).

In fact, it's possible to get a ticket from Galashiels to Galashiels Bus Station for about £30 or thereabouts.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In fact, it's possible to get a ticket from Galashiels to Galashiels Bus Station for about £30 or thereabouts.

Routed via Edinburgh, and Berwick upon Tweed, presumably?

 

[reb0118]

Yes. The ticket destination is Galashiels via Berwick, and the routeing via point on the ticket is via Edinburgh.

 

[Barnsley]

Yes. The ticket destination is Galashiels via Berwick, and the routeing via point on the ticket is via Edinburgh.

How ridiculous is this!!
Image is from Fujitsu journey planner showing a return fare from Galashiels station to Galashiels bus station via Edinburgh and Berwick

 

[TUC]

Because, for the piurposes of through ticketing, it is sponsored by CrossCountry.

Because it is a bus link with through ticketing.

You can, but not from Berwick as it is not intended to provide alternative fares to those set by the bus operator.. Through fares are offered from a wide range of places.

What that doesn't explain is why through fares onto bus services exist for particular routes, and how they were identified? It does seem very random. I did wonder if they were linked to agreements put in place part of Beeching closures but, for example, there are through fares from Leeds to Leeds Bradford airport which would not be related to this.

 

[The exile]

I don't know how common such services are, but it's not unique. At Taunton, buses to Minehead are shown on station displays as "A GWR service", with (timetabled) departure times. In fact it's just First Bus route 28 starting from the town centre, though through ticketing is available.

Rail-Air coach services are often shown on displays at connection stations too.

The North Cornwall buses used to be on the screens at Exeter. Presumably since Okehampton opened they no longer are.

 

[D1537]

The LNER York to Whitby buses are somewhat odd, as well. You appear to be able to get a through fare from anywhere that has a direct LNER service to York. This means you can get a fare from Northallerton (which is a TPE station), but not, for example, Leeds.