SWR Tap2Go fares

[zsl11913]

Hello!

I am having a funny moment with SWR - made two journeys on 3rd January with SWR Touch card. Waterloo-Guildford then Guildford-Earlsfield. I was charged with two evening out singles of 18 plus quid (with 26-30 Railcard) instead of 'the best fare' Waterloo-Guildford evening out return. I called SWR and the operator said in the call that this was a mistake and promised a refund, but after almost a week, I got this email instead. Seems they decided I SHOULD be charged two singles.

Not sure if I am going mad but surely the point of tap2go is to offer best fare rather than a (potential) rip off?

 

[Kite159]

The system probably isn't smart enough to work out a day return between A & C (via B) is cheaper than a single from A to C and a single from C to B.

 

[Vexed]

The system probably isn't smart enough to work out a day return between A & C (via B) is cheaper than a single from A to C and a single from C to B.

Which I find slightly surprising and disappointing, as the GTR keyGo system is able to handle this and I think they have the same back office ran by iBlocks.

While it isn't directly commenting on this situation, the Tap2Go terms and conditions do say that their fare calcualtion includes break of journey.

6.7 Break of journey is available whilst using Tap2Go, the best daily fare will be calculated.

tap2go terms and conditions | South Western Railway

Tap2Go terms and conditions

www.southwesternrailway.com

I would suggest asking them again, mention they say they will calculate fares for break of journey and that you were personally told this on the phone.

 

[Watershed]

I think they may suggest that break of journey implies recommencing your journey; they may deem it different to 'finishing short'.

 

[Haywain]

I quite often make journeys of the same nature using KeyGo and they are always correctly priced as return fares.

 

[Joe Paxton]

This is interesting - and addresses a query about this exact scenario I had in the back of my mind re SWR tap2go and GTR/TSGN keyGo.

Just wondering if the journeys Vexed and Haywain made (with successfully smart keyGo charging) are somehow more popular or obvious... or if it's simply a case that the keyGo system has been more thoroughly programmed for journey and ticketing logic than the SWR tap2go system...?

 

[fandroid]

Whereas I wouldn't expect the PAYG system to check some of the clever ruses we adopt (such as split ticketing) I would expect a fairly simple check to see if a return fare involving the longer journey gave better value. After all, trains on the shortest journey between Guildford and Waterloo all pass through Earlsfield.

 

[redreni]

I think they may suggest that break of journey implies recommencing your journey; they may deem it different to 'finishing short'.

There are a lot of ticket restrictions that say "break of journey" is not permitted, but don't say anything about starting or finishing short. The advice has normally been that starting or finishing short is not allowed on those tickets (e.g. the outward portion of many Super Off-peak Returns).

It would seem like cakeism for the railway to say "break of journey" includes starting or finishing short when that is convenient for them, but not when it's convenient for the passenger.

 

[tumbledown]

NRCOT:

16.4 If you start, break or resume your journey at an intermediate station where you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. The price for this will be the difference between the amount paid for the Ticket you hold and the lowest price Ticket available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to start, break or resume your journey at the station concerned.

This would seem to say that if you have an off-peak return (one with no break of journey permitted) and finish short, you can be excessed up to an off-peak single. But an off-peak single would be cheaper.

 

[Haywain]

NRCOT:

This would seem to say that if you have an off-peak return (one with no break of journey permitted) and finish short, you can be excessed up to an off-peak single. But an off-peak single would be cheaper.

But it's in no way relevant to Tap2Go.

 

[redreni]

But it's in no way relevant to Tap2Go.

No.

What is relevant is the use of the term "break of journey" in the Tap2Go T&Cs, which one would expect would have the same meaning as in the NRCoT and in ticket restriction code text. If it does, then Tap2Go should take account of cases where starting or finishing short would be cheaper.

I'm not altogether surprised it doesn't, though. In fact, I'm a bit surprised GTR's system does.

Finishing short might be an obvious thing to do on a flow like London to Guildford if you later want to go from Guildford to Earlsfield, where the day return is only very slightly more expensive than a single, so buying a return will be much cheaper than two singles even if you're only going to make partial use of the return portion.

But what about an off-peak day return journey from Didcot Parkway to Swindon? If, in due course, the GWR PAYG scheme extends to that area, ought it to know that it is cheaper to buy a CDR from Oxford, Culham or Radley to Swindon than from Didcot Parkway to Swindon? There's nothing in the T&Cs to suggest it will take account of starting or ending short if you only do it on one leg of a journey, but it will not (as in the Didcot Parkway to Swindon case) when it would be cheaper to do it on both legs. Realistically, if you find a fare that's cheaper than the TOC may intend, that's not really compatible with PAYG, which is predicated on the customer trusting the TOC to charge them the fare they think is appropriate.