Trainsplit not suggesting Sunday Out return

[MrJeeves]

Not sure if I'm missing something here, but if I check Trainsplit for a journey from Burgess Hill to Basingstoke for this Sunday, it suggests a split ticket at Clapham Junction for £24.15, as opposed to the unsplit Sunday Out return cost of £19.10. Any ideas why this might be?

Burgess Hill > Basingstoke - Search Results | TrainSplit

TrainSplit compares routes & fares to get the best value through split ticketing with no booking fee & saving up to 90%

trainsplit.com

 

[akm]

I note that that brfares page you link has this:

Outward Journey​
Summary:​	Valid at any time​
Time Restrictions​
From​	Until​	Restriction(s) below apply on these days only:​
Mon 6 Mar 2023​	further notice​	Every Day​
Not valid to depart​	any location​	at any time​	on any TOC​

Perhaps it is the case that SWR have decided that they don't want these fares to exist any more, as of the March 2023 price change.

 

[Haywain]

I note that that brfares page you link has this:



Perhaps it is the case that SWR have decided that they don't want these fares to exist any more, as of the March 2023 price change.

It needs to be read in conjunction with this, stating that the restriction does not apply on Sundays:

This restriction code applies ONLY on the following dates/days:​
From​	Until​	Applies on these days:​
Mon 6 Mar 2023​	Sun 31 Dec 2023​	Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa​

 

[akm]

Oh, I see.

 

[30907]

It shows (for next Sunday) if you uncheck "use split ticketing".

 

[Watershed]

I note that that brfares page you link has this:



Perhaps it is the case that SWR have decided that they don't want these fares to exist any more, as of the March 2023 price change.

You have to read what BR Fares says quite carefully. Above 'outward journey', you'll see that it shows the days on which restriction code SU applies:

This restriction code applies ONLY on the following dates/days:​
From​	Until​	Applies on these days:​
Mon 6 Mar 2023​	Sun 31 Dec 2023​	Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa​

Hence on Sundays, there are no time restrictions and the ticket should be able to be sold normally.

SWR have barred the sale of the ticket on any other day than Sundays anyway:

VALIDITY
One journey in each direction to be made within:​
Outward Validity:​	ONE DAY (1 day)​
Return Validity:​	ONE DAY (1 day)​
From​	Until​	Not available on:​
Mon 6 Mar 2023​	Sun 31 Dec 2023​	Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa​

So I suppose the only reason for also having the 'redundant' time restrictions is to prevent any itinerary being issued that starts on a Sunday but involves a connection in the small hours of Monday morning.

 

[MrJeeves]

I ended up buying the ticket on the day (annoyingly forgetting that the fares went up this Sunday!)

 

[JB_B]

It would be interesting to know why the Sunday Day Out ticket (£19.10 with Railcard, now £20.10) wasn't offered for the OP's original journey (ie Burgess Hill to Basingstoke and return via Clapham Junction on 5 March 2023.)

 

[Adam Williams]

Works okay for me for a date in the future:

Results | TrainSplit

TrainSplit compares routes & fares to get cheap train tickets for your next journey through split ticketing with no booking fee & saving up to 90%

trainsplit.com

 

[JB_B]

Works okay for me for a date in the future:

Results | TrainSplit

TrainSplit compares routes & fares to get cheap train tickets for your next journey through split ticketing with no booking fee & saving up to 90%

trainsplit.com

Yes, it's working now for future Sundays. When I looked on Friday for travel on 5 March, starting from the OP's original link, that was yielding a £24.45 split via Clapham Junction as originally described. Removing splits (or selecting Cheapest ) would show the (then) £19.10 fare - but only for a very slow route avoiding Clapham Junction.

 

[Haywain]

Something to do with the price increase, perhaps? It's curious that the restrictions quoted above use a date range starting from today, rather than from yesterday, although that could be because BRFares doesn't show the past information.

 

[MrJeeves]

Something to do with the price increase, perhaps? It's curious that the restrictions quoted above use a date range starting from today, rather than from yesterday, although that could be because BRFares doesn't show the past information.

It's strange as it was offered for some fares via Dorking and Guildford, but not others which NRE also listed as "multiple tickets required", with one via Clapham Junction route also stating £85!

This was also the case on the day itself, as if NRE refused to acknowledge the validity of it on certain trains but was ok with it on others.

 

[Kite159]

Could the Staines detour yesterday had been enough to confuse the ticket selling sites, as a Burgess Hill to Basingstoke ticket wouldn't normally be valid via Staines?

 

[MrJeeves]

Could the Staines detour yesterday had been enough to confuse the ticket selling sites, as a Burgess Hill to Basingstoke ticket wouldn't normally be valid via Staines?

That could potentially be the reason, though I don't believe the rail replacement services showed tickets correctly either. I don't remember now, sadly.

 

[JB_B]

Could the Staines detour yesterday had been enough to confuse the ticket selling sites, as a Burgess Hill to Basingstoke ticket wouldn't normally be valid via Staines?

Yes, I think that's it. (I hadn't spotted the diversion.) Route: not Via London tickets wouldn't be valid that way (the permitted routes are only mapped via Wimbledon, the shortest route goes via Guildford, it's not direct - obviously - and there's no easement to fix it.)

Given that, the £24.15 split offered was almost certainly the best that could be done.

 

[yorkie]

Could the Staines detour yesterday had been enough to confuse the ticket selling sites, as a Burgess Hill to Basingstoke ticket wouldn't normally be valid via Staines?

Unless an easement is in place during diversions, this will indeed prevent the sale of such tickets.

Replacement buses can also be a problem, but much less so if the bus is at the start or end of the journey.