Off Peak Day Return - starting en-route

[6Gman]

An OP Day Return A to C via B is cheaper than B to C. Can I start from B on the A to C ticket?

 

[Merseysider]

In almost all cases, yes.

Off Peak Day Return fares, 99.9% of the time, do not carry break of journey restrictions.

It’s impossible to definitively say without knowing the fare in question, but the answer is almost certainly yes.

 

[robbeech]

It is clear that you want to avoid posting it for obvious reasons, but if you check the fare on BRfares then it'll give you the restriction code for that ticket. You can then read about it. Do note that the restrictions on the outward are often different to the return.

 

[6Gman]

OK then. Kidsgrove - Chester. Cheaper than Crewe - Chester.

 

[robbeech]

There are no Break of Journey, or starting / finishing short restrictions on this ticket.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

An OP Day Return A to C via B is cheaper than B to C. Can I start from B on the A to C ticket?

It's not uncommon, if there's a pricing 'cliff edge' between the fares set by one TOC and another or between various definitions of "off-peak". Whether it's allowed or not will depend on the specific ticket - for an Off-Peak Day Return ticket, on the outbound leg you are permitted to start your journey 'late' unless the validity code of the ticket disallows this, whilst on the return leg you are always allowed (as long as it's an Off-Peak Day Return or Anytime etc.).

You can find out the validity code of your particular ticket by looking for a two-letter alphanumeric code (like 2C, 2V...) either on the ticket (if you've already bought it), or on www.brfares.com by entering the ticket details and selecting the appropriate fare.

You can find the full meaning of the validity code at www.nationalrail.co.uk/[two letter code], e.g. www.nationalrail.co.uk/2V. If this says "break of journey is not permitted" (and if any conditions relating to the break of journey apply) then you can't start 'late' on the outward journey. It can still be cheaper in some cases, if you have to get a walk-up ticket for a "peak time" train, to get an anytime single outwards and an off-peak single or return to or from somewhere beyond your real destination.

 

[martinsh]

OK then. Kidsgrove - Chester. Cheaper than Crewe - Chester.

Ooh !

There is no OP Day Return Crewe - Chester. However, even the Kidsgrove - Chester Anytime Day Return is cheaper than the cheapest Crewe - Chester return !

 

[ys123]

Seeing as the fare setter for Kidsgrove-Chester is East Midlands Trains, I was wondering is the reason why EMT set the ticket price for Kidsgrove-Chester cheaper than the Crewe-Chester ticket price, in order that they will earn some of the revenue from everyone who wants to travel just from Crewe to Chester but buys the ticket from Kidsgrove to Chester as it is cheaper?
I'm assuming the Orcats system wont be taking these "loopholes" into account when working out how to divide the ticket revenue between the relevant TOC's.
Am I correct in thinking this is why TOC's do it and is it legal?

 

[Merseysider]

No, it’s just a result of ATW being greedy and jacking the price of Chester - Crewe up to stupid amounts, and a byproduct of this is that normally priced fares like Chester - Kidsgrove appear cheap.

 

[martinsh]

No, it’s just a result of ATW being greedy and jacking the price of Chester - Crewe up to stupid amounts, and a byproduct of this is that normally priced fares like Chester - Kidsgrove appear cheap.

Exactly ! I'm surprised Virgin don't offer a "Virgin only" Crewe - Chester ticket ...

 

[Laurencew]

Chester - Crewe has always been disproportionately expensive, even dating back to the age of steam when there was, in theory at least, mileage based pricing. Certainly buying Chester - Shrewsbury and starting or finishing short has been a local trick for many tears. Long before the days of ATW!

 

[kieron]

Exactly ! I'm surprised Virgin don't offer a "Virgin only" Crewe - Chester ticket ...

It could be that Virgin get most of the Any Permitted fare anyway. Arriva run a few more trains, but most of those are only timed for 75mph. Virgin do price tickets between Chester and Wilmslow, Stockport and Manchester, where their offering is less competitive.

 

[mrmartin]

Looks like these tickets have been closed out. Any other ideas on Crewe Chester off peak return?

 

[kieron]

How do you mean "closed out"? From what I can see, Kidsgrove-Chester off peak returns cost less than Crewe-Chester ones, with neither ticket having time restrictions. Crewe-Chester multiflex tickets are a bit cheaper per journey, but they're not really the same product.