VWC First Advance add-on

[EltonRoad]

Hi, can somebody explain this to me?

I sometimes make a return journey from London Euston to Lytham, on the Preston to Blackpool South line. I usually go First Class.

If I take the 0830 from Euston, the First Advance fare to Preston is £60.50. Seems pretty good value, and includes a full breakfast. On the 0930 this goes up to £104.

A First Advance to Lytham on either train shoots the cost up to £108.

Of course there's no First Class on the Blackpool South line, just the comfort of a Pacer or a 153.

Basically what I'd like to know is why doesn't the £60.50 fare have a Lytham add-on. Or if it does, why doesn't the East Coast booking engine sell it.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Not sure why, but why not buy the £60 ticket, then buy a Preston - Lytham ticket at the station when you need it?

 

[EltonRoad]

Yeah, that's what I do.

It would be better to have a through ticket, though. Saves queueing at Preston and the £4 add-on is slightly cheaper than buying a Preston - Lytham single at £5.40.

 

[clagmonster]

You can buy the Preston-Lytham ticket when you buy your advance Euston-Preston. If you don't do this, if you have time the booking office at Euston should sell it to you, if you don't have time, the guard on the train from Euston-Preston will have the ability to sell it.

 

[John @ home]

It's quite common for train companies to make their cheapest Advance tickets available on their own trains only. It's also quite difficult for passengers to work out whether it's cheapest to split or to buy a through ticket.

For example, I travel Leeds - Croydon about a dozen times a year. East Coast offer Leeds - London Advance tickets at 9 different price levels: let's call them level 1 (cheapest) to level 9 (dearest). Should I buy a Leeds - Croydon ticket or separate Leeds - Kings Cross and St Pancras - Croydon ones?

Well, levels 1, 2 and 3 are not available to Croydon, only to Kings Cross. So if these fares are available, I have to split to take advantage of them. At levels 4, 5 and 6 it's always cheaper if I buy a through ticket to Croydon. At levels 7, 8 and 9, it's cheaper to buy a through ticket on weekdays if I will go through the ticket barriers at St Pancras before 0930 or between 1600 and 1900. At other times it's cheaper to split!

 

[paul1609]

It's quite common for train companies to make their cheapest Advance tickets available on their own trains only. It's also quite difficult for passengers to work out whether it's cheapest to split or to buy a through ticket.

For example, I travel Leeds - Croydon about a dozen times a year. East Coast offer Leeds - London Advance tickets at 9 different price levels: let's call them level 1 (cheapest) to level 9 (dearest). Should I buy a Leeds - Croydon ticket or separate Leeds - Kings Cross and St Pancras - Croydon ones?

Well, levels 1, 2 and 3 are not available to Croydon, only to Kings Cross. So if these fares are available, I have to split to take advantage of them. At levels 4, 5 and 6 it's always cheaper if I buy a through ticket to Croydon. At levels 7, 8 and 9, it's cheaper to buy a through ticket on weekdays if I will go through the ticket barriers at St Pancras before 0930 or between 1600 and 1900. At other times it's cheaper to split!

Is that still true now that Croydon comes under Oyster PAYG? My experience from the South Coast is that unless you are travelling to London in the morning peak its always cheaper to split at London these days.

 

[transportphoto]

, if you don't have time, the guard on the train from Euston-Preston will have the ability to sell it.

Emphasis on the ability weather they do or not - just tempt them with the commission! If I were a TM or Guard I would deff sell passengers tickets for the future! Just that bit extra!

 

[John @ home]

Is that still true now that Croydon comes under Oyster PAYG? My experience from the South Coast is that unless you are travelling to London in the morning peak its always cheaper to split at London these days.

Yes. For example at the 4th level, Leeds - Kings Cross is £25.35 and Leeds - Croydon is £26.25 (with the 11% discount for booking here). That's 90p for St Pancras - Croydon compared with Oyster PAYG fares of £3.90 peak or £2.60 off-peak.

 

[mickey]

It's quite common for train companies to make their cheapest Advance tickets available on their own trains only. It's also quite difficult for passengers to work out whether it's cheapest to split or to buy a through ticket.

True, but VT tends to be one of the better ones at this - e.g. most Mersey local add-ons are at no extra cost c.f. the Liverpool Stns fare. Perhaps the VT and the local operator haven't sat down and agreed a '+connctns' arrangement for this particular route?