Splitting on Chester to Blackpool?

[housetrained]

today i was checking out train fares from chester to blackpool the best fare trainline quoted i think was £32.80 for an off peak chester to blackpool day return . i mentioned this to a friend who lives in liverpool and he told me he was quoted £16.90 for an any time liverpool to blackpool return, as its only £6.70 for a chester to liverpool any time day return does this mean its cheaper to buy 2 seperate tickets ? is this whats called splitting ? and if so whats the cheapest chester to blackpool any time day return
any advice please

 

[Qwerty133]

do not use the trainline they always end up dearer than TOC websites due to booking fees and on this occasion than buying tickets at the station before boarding on the day

 

[ainsworth74]

Hi and welcome to forum!

Your post isn't totally clear but you seem to be asking whether a Chester to Liverpool Anytime Day Return (£6.70) and a Liverpool to Blackpool Anytime Day Return (£16.90) is valid for travelling from Chester to Blackpool (total £23.60)? In this case the answer is yes, as long as you call at the station where you change from one ticket to the next (Liverpool Lime Street) and as you identify this is called splitting. The only return fare available Chester to Blackpool is the Off-Peak Return (which is actually valid at any time) costing £32.80. So this split saves you about ten pounds but does reduce your flexibility as you have to travel via Liverpool Lime Street.

Also as a further note don't buy your tickets from the Trainline, it's just about always more expensive than buying from the website of a train company.

I've also changed the title to make it a bit clearer what the thread is about.

 

[SS4]

today i was checking out train fares from chester to blackpool the best fare trainline quoted i think was £32.80 for an off peak chester to blackpool day return . i mentioned this to a friend who lives in liverpool and he told me he was quoted £16.90 for an any time liverpool to blackpool return, as its only £6.70 for a chester to liverpool any time day return does this mean its cheaper to buy 2 seperate tickets ? is this whats called splitting ? and if so whats the cheapest chester to blackpool any time day return
any advice please

Yes, that's splitting (and it's perfectly legal). Be aware that your train must call at the split point in most cases (including your example). The cheapest is a minefield and you pretty much have to estimate depending on circumstances.

As Qwerty123 said don't use the trainline as they're always more expensive because of booking fees.

 

[Swirlz]

Buy a

Chester to Hooton "SDR" for £3.90
Hooton to Blackpool North "SOR" for £17.40

Total £21.30

You have to go through Liverpool though (I think

I suppose the return of Blackpool-Hooton might allow you to go via Manchester/Chester though.

Also, a Delamere to Blackpool North "SVR" at £18.20 might also be allowed via Chester & Liverpool.

 

[mullin]

One I've used before... not sure if it is the cheapest though - £20.70 return (saves £12.10)

Chester to Frodsham and then Frodsham to Blackpool North


Chester - Frodsham £5.20 return (stay on this train till Warrington Bank Quay)
Frodsham to Blackpool North £15.50 return (Change at Warrington Bank Quay and Preston) £20.70

 

[kieron]

Don't expect train pricing to make sense. If you're going via Liverpool anyway (it is half an hour quicker via Warrington), an anytime return from Frodsham to Blackpool costs £15.40 and allows you to start short at Chester.

 

[Swirlz]

Don't expect train pricing to make sense. If you're going via Liverpool anyway (it is half an hour quicker via Warrington), an anytime return from Frodsham to Blackpool costs £15.40 and allows you to start short at Chester.

I wouldn't think it is valid via Liverpool though.

 

[bb21]

I suppose the return of Blackpool-Hooton might allow you to go via Manchester/Chester though.

Not valid via Manchester or Chester.

Also, a Delamere to Blackpool North "SVR" at £18.20 might also be allowed via Chester & Liverpool.

Not valid via Chester or Liverpool, and the SVR does not permit break of journey (starting short included) in the outbound.

Don't expect train pricing to make sense. If you're going via Liverpool anyway (it is half an hour quicker via Warrington), an anytime return from Frodsham to Blackpool costs £15.40 and allows you to start short at Chester.

Only valid via Warrington and Wigan, not Liverpool, nor Chester, which fails fares check.

 

[kieron]

I wouldn't think it is valid via Liverpool though.

National Rail Enquiries thinks that it is, possibly because of the way it understands easements. So do Northern Rail.

A Chester-Frodsham return would add another £6.50 to the total to make a total of £22 for a route via Warrington, incidentally.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....as long as you call at the station where you change from one ticket to the next (Liverpool Lime Street)........ So this split saves you about ten pounds but does reduce your flexibility as you have to travel via Liverpool Lime Street....

Not true, The Op would have to go via Liverpool Stns, so I don't see why Chester-Moorfields-Ormskirk-Preston-Blackpool would be ruled out, or even Chester-Moorfields-Kirkby-Wigan-Blackpool (even if they are longer timewise).

 

[eastend43]

Hi

I am no expert on this, but why not an all areas Merseytravel Saveaway, valid after 9.30 taking the OP from Chester to Ormskirk (return) for £4.70 then an off peak return from Ormskirk to Blackpool for £13.10 (total £17.80)?

Would need to check train times between Ormskirk and Preston as the service is pretty irregular.

The Saveaway would be valid for unlimited travel by train or bus in the Merseyside area, with the 'rail extensions' to / from Chester and Ormskirk. If the OP plans it well enough, could even get the ferry across the Mersey.

As they need to change at Ormskirk there is no problem about splitting there.

Or am I missing something?

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I want to do that trip soon, in reverse.
I was planning to use a Merseyrail Savaway to Chester, and use the Blackpool to Liverpool Lime Street service.
There is an hourly service LIV to BPN. (via Wigan NW)

 

[housetrained]

thanks for the info i don't really mind what route i take from chester to blackpool i just want to save money the savaway via ormskirk option looks the best if i go off peak if i choose to travel peak i am still undecided

 

[martinsh]

Hi

I am no expert on this, but why not an all areas Merseytravel Saveaway, valid after 9.30 taking the OP from Chester to Ormskirk (return) for £4.70 then an off peak return from Ormskirk to Blackpool for £13.10 (total £17.80)?

Would need to check train times between Ormskirk and Preston as the service is pretty irregular.

The Saveaway would be valid for unlimited travel by train or bus in the Merseyside area, with the 'rail extensions' to / from Chester and Ormskirk. If the OP plans it well enough, could even get the ferry across the Mersey.

Can anyone confrim that it is possible to buy a Saveaway (all areas) ticket at Chester ?

 

[kieron]

Can anyone confrim that it is possible to buy a Saveaway (all areas) ticket at Chester ?

The Merseytravel site says Chester station only sell Railpass tickets. The closest place they sell them is Ellesmere Port.

It may be that they don't like the fact that a saveaway costs less than a single from Chester to Liverpool, so make it hard for outsiders to access. Or it may simply be out of date information.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

MTravel Saveaways should in the Rover section of their Ticket Issuing System and are issued on normal stock.

 

[martinsh]

Follow up question. Would an Area D Saveaway, be valid at / obtainable from Hooton ?

 

[bb21]

Do you mean Area B per chance? Hooton should be on the boundary of Area B (and G). Area D is near Southport.

 

[martinsh]

Do you mean Area B per chance? Hooton should be on the boundary of Area B (and G). Area D is near Southport.

Thats the one !

 

[vjm1975]

Can anyone confrim that it is possible to buy a Saveaway (all areas) ticket at Chester ?

Yes, Chester do sell Saveaway (as its now a Rover ticket, it can be purchased from any ticket office if asked for), though need to go to ticket office as it isn't available on the TVM's.

The Merseyrail Daysaver can be purchased from the TVM's at Chester, but, though 10p cheaper is valid for Merseyrail only. The Daysaver would always be sold to someone asking for a return or single anywhere on the Merseyrail network where the anytime single and returns are more expensive than the daysaver price

 

[martinsh]

Yes, Chester do sell Saveaway (as its now a Rover ticket, it can be purchased from any ticket office if asked for), though need to go to ticket office as it isn't available on the TVM's.

The Merseyrail Daysaver can be purchased from the TVM's at Chester, but, though 10p cheaper is valid for Merseyrail only. The Daysaver would always be sold to someone asking for a return or single anywhere on the Merseyrail network where the anytime single and returns are more expensive than the daysaver price

Thanks for that, but I've discovered the Hooton + Area B option is actually cheaper, as I won't be going in any other areas.

 

[kieron]

Yes, Chester do sell Saveaway (as its now a Rover ticket, it can be purchased from any ticket office if asked for), though need to go to ticket office as it isn't available on the TVM's.

That's good; I'd always thought of it as being a fairly cheap and flexible ticket which was hard to get hold of. It's a shame the Merseytravel and NRE sites doesn't reflect this (although NRE does show Day Savers as being available from TVMs.

The Merseyrail Daysaver can be purchased from the TVM's at Chester, but, though 10p cheaper is valid for Merseyrail only.

It's all a question of whether you'd use the extra bits. Someone going from Chester to Ormskirk wouldn't use 'buses or other TOCs with the ticket, for instance.