Ramblers using different stations on Return tickets

[Bob77777777]

I'm not sure what the jargon term for this option of travel is but everyone is familiar with the 'Any London station' designation on a return ticket to London. So on a trip to London you can go home from a different London terminal to the one you arrived at.

But this option is far more applicable than we might realize. I had a return ticket from London to Kingswood, but took a train on a different line. I got out at Coulsdon South, and the barrier recognized it as a valid ticket. I then hiked to Kingswood and rode back to London from there.

Most ramblers and cyclists prefer not to have to do a return route, and would welcome going home from a different station to the one they started their day out at.

This opens up the possibility of having tickets priced similar to airlines, i.e. not having to buy two single tickets each priced close to the cost of a return.

What I'd like to know is how we work out the rules on the range of validity of tickets. If a return to Kingswood lets me end the outward journey at Cousldson South, how about a return to Oxted letting me end the outward journey at Redhill (enabling me to hike between the two)? What about a return to Maidstone East letting me out at Otford? Or a return to Dorking letting me out at Reigate?

The data must be in the fare database system somewhere. The authorities could inform us about it and invite cyclists and ramblers to make the most of it. Or maybe someone would like to make an ap?

At the end of the day all this would be irrelevant if they could bring out singles at half the price of returns, airline style. And like most trains in Europe.

 

[DelW]

In airline usage I believe the term is 'open jaw'.

One possibility is to buy your return ticket to a point beyond both your chosen stations, e.g. for your Oxted and Redhill trip I would expect a return to Edenbridge to be valid via either station, and be cheaper than two shorter-distance singles. Similarly for Dorking and Redhill, a return to Betchworth should be valid via either.

No doubt others will be along soon with more authoritative advice.

 

[RJ]

There are "Also Available At" season tickets and easements (not always documented) that allow for this kind of flexibility.

Sound kind some sort of zonal system might be required to implement this. It can be done if both sides of the open jaw are on the Underground. At the moment you just have to buy two singles, or do some research on the cheapest way to cover the leg that's uncovered by a return ticket if so minded.

 

[Bob77777777]

In airline usage I believe the term is 'open jaw'.

One possibility is to buy your return ticket to a point beyond both your chosen stations, e.g. for your Oxted and Redhill trip I would expect a return to Edenbridge to be valid via either station, and be cheaper than two shorter-distance singles. Similarly for Dorking and Redhill, a return to Betchworth should be valid via either.

No doubt others will be along soon with more authoritative advice.

Excellent - an open jaw is what I was looking for.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The best solution to this is single leg pricing rather than complicated easements. Then you are not disadvantaged for purchasing a single to A, walking to B then purchasing a single back.

 

[Bob77777777]

The best solution to this is single leg pricing rather than complicated easements. Then you are not disadvantaged for purchasing a single to A, walking to B then purchasing a single back.

Well exactly. But when are they going to bring out single leg pricing at long last? It's as ridiculously outmoded as charging for WiFi or closing pubs at 11pm.

What's the point of it anyway?! They must actually lose money on people refusing to undertake journeys because if they're going to get a lift in a car one way they're financially penalized when buying a single. People would rather not go at all.

 

[pdeaves]

Is (or was) there not a system exactly for this where the price you pay is the mean between the two possible journeys? That is, A-B followed by C-A is charged as half of an A-B return plus an A-C return.

As an aside, I predict that if single leg pricing comes in, it won't be long before people argue that a return should be discounted as a 'bulk purchase' (like a big bar of chocolate costs less than two half size ones [1])

[1] yes, I know that some shops don't understand maths properly!

 

[MikeWh]

Well exactly. But when are they going to bring out single leg pricing at long last?

Anecdotally your Coulsdon South/Kingswood trip is covered by single leg pricing if you use Oyster.

 

[Bob77777777]

Anecdotally your Coulsdon South/Kingswood trip is covered by single leg pricing if you use Oyster.

Thanks. Where is all the data on this sort of thing accessed from? I mean for example if I go up to the window in a station, and say I want to get a return from London Victoria to Oxted, but will take a train to Redhill and walk from there to Oxted for the return train - is the nice person behind the window going to have access to info about whether or not my trip to Redhill will be valid?

(Very fine walking route by the way, Greensand Way marked footpath with stunning views and several nice pubs.)

What I'd really love, and I can't be the only one, would be to access this info online. Must be an easy thing to create if the data exists somewhere already.

 

[Bob77777777]

As an aside, I predict that if single leg pricing comes in, it won't be long before people argue that a return should be discounted as a 'bulk purchase'

Yes, it should be discounted. But at the moment we have singles costing about 90% of a return. Bring them down to 55% of a return and the returns would still be reasonably discounted. And I bet the companies would make more money with the increased usage, and the incentive to travel that freedom and price reduction brings.

 

[lyndhurst25]

A local arrangement for ramblers exists in the Yorkshire Dales, with tickets being interavailable between the following pairs of stations on the S&C and Bentham lines: Settle/Giggleswick, Horton in Ribblesdale/Clapham, Ribblehead/Bentham. It's not well publicised however. If there is a difference in fares then you have to buy to the more expensive destination.

 

[James H]

There is (or was) special provision made for walkers using the Thames Path to be able to use return tickets interchangeably on the Henley, Marlow and Windsor branches.

 

[Bob77777777]

A local arrangement for ramblers exists in the Yorkshire Dales, with tickets being interavailable between the following pairs of stations on the S&C and Bentham lines: Settle/Giggleswick, Horton in Ribblesdale/Clapham, Ribblehead/Bentham. It's not well publicised however. If there is a difference in fares then you have to buy to the more expensive destination.

Sounds perfect.