London -Oxford question

[Kareem]

I have just been looking at some tickets for London Paddington - Oxford.

Usually, I would just pay whatever the price is. (Usually £20). But since I have found this site, I have become more aware of how much I can save! I even now have a 16-25 Railcard, so I can save even more!

I usually travel between London Paddington and Oxford about 3/4 times a week. Generally it is consecutive journeys. This week I will be do this journey between Wednesday - Friday.

Looking for cheaper prices I have pretty much just come across the "Thames Rover", but can not find how much it is.

Is anyone aware of the price for this? It seems to cover quite a massive area, so I would of presumed it would cost quite a bit for this ticket.

Also, does anyone know what kind of restrictions are in place?

Would this ticket allow me to change at Reading onto the CrossCountry service to Oxford?

Many thanks,

Kareem.

 

[tony_mac]

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2069

Thames Rover 3 day £40.00 7 day £70.00
There is also a railcard discount on these prices.


http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2093

Would this ticket allow me to change at Reading onto the CrossCountry service to Oxford?

The map shows the lines on which you can travel with each of these tickets. The ‘Thames Rover’ ticket is valid on all routes shown.

So, yes.

The restrictions are on the website. After 0930 mon-fri, with some train-specific evening restrictions out of Paddington and Reading. (listed in the full leaflet)

 

[John @ home]

Looking for cheaper prices I have pretty much just come across the "Thames Rover", but can not find how much it is.

Is anyone aware of the price for this?

Details and restrictions are:

Thames Rover from May 2009.
Area: Rail services bounded by: Banbury, Bicester Town, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, Greenford, London Paddington, Windsor & Eton Central, Redhill, Basingstoke, Bedwyn and Moreton-in-Marsh. See this map and this leaflet.
Time: Mondays to Fridays – generally not before 0930. Cannot be used on some evening peak services from London Paddington and Reading – see leaflet for details. Any time weekends and Bank Holidays.
Price: Any 3 Days in 7: Adult £40, Child £20, D F N S & Y Railcards: £26.40.
7 Days: Adult £70, Child £35, D F N S & Y Railcards: £46.20.

Railcards: D = Disabled Persons, F = Family & Friends, N = Network, S = Senior, Y = 16-25.

Would this ticket allow me to change at Reading onto the CrossCountry service to Oxford?

Thames Rover is not valid on Heathrow Express, nor on Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow. It is valid by any train company between any two stations shown on the map.

 

[wintonian]

A word of warrning though ticket barriers don't like rovers, not the Freedom of Severn and Solent (FoSS) ones anyway, so show it to you freindly barrier attendent.

 

[Kareem]

Thanks to tony_mac, John @ home and wintonian.

For such a service, £46.20 for 7 days travel is incredibly cheap!

Also, thanks for the warning wintonian, looks like I am off to my London Paddington to buy this ticket tomorrow!

Just been looking though some threads here and noticed the All-Line-Rover. I think I now what Ill be doing for 2 weeks this summer

 

[Ian99]

The FGW leaflet (which is linked to above) confirms that the day ranger prices are discounted for users of railcards. They make no mention of the minimum £13 fare applicable to Network cards on weekdays.

Does anyone know if the discount would apply?

Also, as my local station has no ticket selling facilities (machines or otherwise), can I buy a single from the guard on the train to, say, Guildford (or even Reading) and then excess the ticket to a day rover there?

 

[John @ home]

The FGW leaflet (which is linked to above) confirms that the day ranger prices are discounted for users of railcards. They make no mention of the minimum £13 fare applicable to Network cards on weekdays.

Does anyone know if the discount would apply?

Yes. The leaflet states "Holders of Senior, Network, 16-25, Family & Friends and Disabled Persons Railcards receive a 1/3 discount." The £13 minimum fare is not an issue because all the prices are over £13.

Also, as my local station has no ticket selling facilities (machines or otherwise), can I buy a single from the guard on the train to, say, Guildford (or even Reading) and then excess the ticket to a day rover there?

My understanding is that most train guards who sell tickets now receive commission for doing so. In these circumstances, I would expect them to be delighted to sell you a ticket costing at least £26.40 rather than a railcard discounted single to Guildford or Reading.

 

[tony_mac]

Yes. The leaflet states "Holders of Senior, Network, 16-25, Family & Friends and Disabled Persons Railcards receive a 1/3 discount." The £13 minimum fare is not an issue because all the prices are over £13.

The day rangers would all be below £13 with 1/3 off; as you pointed out the leaflet lists Network railcard, but there is no mention of a minimum fare on it.

 

[Ian99]

Yes, it's the day rangers that are the "problem" - if the 1/3 off does apply to day rangers so that the price is below £13, then they would be a cheaper ticket during the week than a standard day return for some journeys.

I wonder who has the definitive answer?

 

[mickey]

Also, as my local station has no ticket selling facilities (machines or otherwise), can I buy a single from the guard on the train to, say, Guildford (or even Reading) and then excess the ticket to a day rover there?

Guards with the modern ticket machines can issue rovers directly. Do let us know how you get on trying it though!