One for you ticketing geniuses.

[GingerRH]

Travelling tomorrow morning from Sunningdale to Potters bar. Using a 16-25 railcard, and needing a return ticket, returning after evening peak times.

So, going to take the 0910 service from SNG with an off-peak return ticket with the railcard, meaning as its before 10am, the £12 minimum fare is necessary. So, an off-peak return is £12 (£18.10 without railcard)

BUT, if i was to take the same train from Ascot, which is one station further away from Waterloo than Sunningdale, the same ticket will cost me £16. (£24.20 without railcard)

My question - why the hell is it is such a difference in price between Sunningdale and Ascot, £4 with railcard, £6.10 without (An anytime single from Ascot to Sunningdale is £2.70) so, why isn't the difference in price, £2.70 rather than £6.10.


Is it something to do with travel zones rather than stations?

 

[FenMan]

Travelling tomorrow morning from Sunningdale to Potters bar. Using a 16-25 railcard, and needing a return ticket, returning after evening peak times.

So, going to take the 0910 service from SNG with an off-peak return ticket with the railcard, meaning as its before 10am, the £12 minimum fare is necessary. So, an off-peak return is £12 (£18.10 without railcard)

BUT, if i was to take the same train from Ascot, which is one station further away from Waterloo than Sunningdale, the same ticket will cost me £16. (£24.20 without railcard)

My question - why the hell is it is such a difference in price between Sunningdale and Ascot, £4 with railcard, £6.10 without (An anytime single from Ascot to Sunningdale is £2.70) so, why isn't the difference in price, £2.70 rather than £6.10.


Is it something to do with travel zones rather than stations?

Because the TOC can. By the way, the Sunningdale ticket is valid for travel via Reading to London, so in the know passengers starting from Ascot could buy the Sunningdale ticket and start short, making a useful saving.

 

[Romilly]

The simplest way to explain is to suggest that you go to BRfares.com and first look up Sunningdale to Potters Bar, selecting "Expert Mode" before clicking on "Query fares". Then do the same for Ascot to Potters Bar. You will see that the fares are in this case set from any station in one group to any station in another group. It just happens that Sunningdale and Ascot are just inside the boundaries of their particular groups.

 

[GingerRH]

The simplest way to explain is to suggest that you go to BRfares.com and first look up Sunningdale to Potters Bar, selecting "Expert Mode" before clicking on "Query fares". Then do the same for Ascot to Potters Bar. You will see that the fares are in this case set from any station in one group to any station in another group. It just happens that Sunningdale and Ascot are just inside the boundaries of their particular groups.

Because the TOC can. By the way, the Sunningdale ticket is valid for travel via Reading to London, so in the know passengers starting from Ascot could buy the Sunningdale ticket and start short, making a useful saving.

Thanks guys.

FenMan how can you tell it's valid via Reading, yes the route is any permitted, but where does it show the routes?

 

[Starmill]

That question will take a long time to answer!

Take a look here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=70716

If you've any further questions, don't hesitate to create a new thread

 

[bb21]

Because the TOC can. By the way, the Sunningdale ticket is valid for travel via Reading to London, so in the know passengers starting from Ascot could buy the Sunningdale ticket and start short, making a useful saving.

Am I missing something? Why is that permitted via Reading?

 

[FenMan]

Am I missing something? Why is that permitted via Reading?

I was surprised too. However, NRE is happy with this route:-
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servi...morrow/0830/dep/tomorrow/1030/dep?via=Reading

 

[GingerRH]

I was surprised too. However, NRE is happy with this route:-
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servi...morrow/0830/dep/tomorrow/1030/dep?via=Reading

I was surprised too although a little confused. Was thinking I could Come back via PAD/RDG to see the new GWR livery (sad I know.. But hey ho), SW twitter team seem to thin it's not valid via RDG/PAD, whereas ticket office system says it is..

Thanks everyone

 

[Paul Kelly]

Ascot is an associated routeing point for Sunningdale. Whether it is appropriate or not depends on the fares check, made using NFM64 fares, which were:

Sunningdale to Potters Bar:
CDS £7.70
SDS £11.10
Ascot to Potters Bar:
CDS £8.80
SDS £11.00

As the fare (SDS = Standard Day Single as it was then) from Ascot to Potters Bar is less than or equal to that from Sunningdale, Ascot passes the fares check and can be used as an origin routeing point. Travel from Ascot to Alexandra Palace (the destination routeing point for Potters Bar) is then permitted on map combination WX+RG+KE.

I don't agree with the interpretation of the ATOC/iBlocks routeing point calculator at http://data.atoc.org/rp_calc which says that Ascot isn't an appropriate origin routeing point without considering easements - I think it is seeing that the CDS fare is more expensive and thus failing at that point. I don't think this is the correct interpretation and I don't think it is how the NRE/Silverrail journey planner is applying the fares check either.

In any case, even if Ascot did fail the fares check, easement 300387 appears to allow it:

Customers travelling from Egham, Virginia Water, Longcross and Sunningdale via Wokingham may travel via Ascot. This easement applies in both directions.