Sheffield to Leicester, going 29th March, return 30th

[bradders1983]

Trying to do the above journey through the East Midlands Trains website, leaving at around 10am on the 29th and coming back just after lunchtime on the 30th, but doesnt seem to be any cheap fares and the cheapest ticket is the normal £26.20 Off Peak return.

Have all the cheap advance fares gone, not been released yet or do they not offer them for this journey? Happy to be tied to specific trains and I have no railcards.

 

[bb21]

There is no known split on this route unless doing a day return.

Advances also won't save you much, even with the cheapest ones on offer.

 

[bradders1983]

Boo! Looks like £26.20 it is then

 

[bb21]

Unfortunately, yes. I have done this route for years and never managed to find any split opportunity.

 

[Squaddie]

If your only concern is cost, an open return with National Express costs about £17, although the journey time is around 2 hours each way.

 

[soil]

You can do this

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servi...morrow/1330/dep/230114/1530/dep?via=Sheffield

 

[bradders1983]

You can do this

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servi...morrow/1330/dep/230114/1530/dep?via=Sheffield

Is that a correct link? Just looks like Leicester to Lincoln to me.

 

[soil]

Is that a correct link? Just looks like Leicester to Lincoln to me.

It's Leicester to Lincoln via Sheffield, i.e. Leicester - Sheffield - Lincoln.

 

[bradders1983]

It's Leicester to Lincoln via Sheffield, i.e. Leicester - Sheffield - Lincoln.

Nah I wont be doing that

EDIt - Oh, i misread! Hmm...

 

[soil]

Nah I wont be doing that

The point is that you don't have to. You can just do Leicester - Sheffield on the Leicester - Lincoln ticket.

 

[bradders1983]

That is just plain bizarre!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Of course my journey would be the other way round but just put in the journey and dates and still comes out at £18.80. I assume a conductor isnt going to question my route choice and pull me up on it?

 

[button_boxer]

But apparently valid on maps SY+SH, if I'm reading the routeing guide correctly.

 

[bradders1983]

But apparently valid on maps SY+SH, if I'm reading the routeing guide correctly.

Well I assume it must be valid otherwise the price would come out different on NRE.com?

£18.80 is the "Route:ANY PERMITTED" price

 

[bb21]

But apparently valid on maps SY+SH, if I'm reading the routeing guide correctly.

Looks like a new map permission has been introduced since the last revision. Bizarre indeed.

 

[bradders1983]

So if I am called up on it en route I just tell the guard to refer to the Routeing Guide maps SY+SH?

 

[bb21]

Bring a printout of the NRE page with you with the itinerary, and that should suffice. There is no need to refer to the Routeing Guide.

 

[soil]

Looks like a new map permission has been introduced since the last revision. Bizarre indeed.

This was introduced in September.

Prior to that you could only do Leicester - Nottingham (via Derby if you like) - Lincoln. September added in Leicester - Peterborough - Newark/Sleaford - Lincoln and also via Sheffield

 

[bradders1983]

Im booking this on Friday. Am I still definitely OK to book a Lincoln-Leicester Open return and start the journey from Sheffield?

 

[bb21]

Too late now but I would recommend booking Metheringham - South Wigston the next time you do it. Showing a Lincoln - Leicester ticket is just asking for trouble.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Too late now but I would recommend booking Metheringham - South Wigston the next time you do it. Showing a Lincoln - Leicester ticket is just asking for trouble.

Why? As you said yourself, if an online journey planner offers the fare routed via Sheffield it's a permitted route.

 

[bradders1983]

Too late now but I would recommend booking Metheringham - South Wigston the next time you do it. Showing a Lincoln - Leicester ticket is just asking for trouble.

Guy checked the ticket on the way down no problem. On the way up it wasnt checked as the train was too busy.

 

[bb21]

Why? As you said yourself, if an online journey planner offers the fare routed via Sheffield it's a permitted route.

In theory, yes, it should be sufficient.

Meanwhile in the real world, the less attention you attract to your ticket, the less chance you have getting into an unnecessary argument.

 

[syorksdeano]

I know it's nothing to do with the fare, but the Megabus website amazes me.

You can get train tickets from Sheffield to London on the site, but not Leicester.

The train calls at Leicester so you would assume that you could purchase tickets to there.

Wonder why it's not possible

 

[bb21]

Like Advance fares, megabus fares are for specific origin/destination combinations. This is used to target areas where the company feels has potential for further market potential so they can use low prices to entice people to give it a try.

Sheffield - Leicester is obviously one where the company feels no need to develop further.

Just one of the reasons.