Wareham - Cambridge

[Titfield]

I wish to travel Wareham - Cambridge.
Out Monday 20 Feb to arrive in Cambridge mid afternoon. (This can be fixed)
Ret Friday 24 Feb to depart Cambridge mid afternoon but I would like flexibility.
I hold a Senior Railcard.
I can find 2 X advance fares (one out one back) to give a round trip fare of C£44 bu this does not give flex on the return.
The alternative is an off peak return of C£72 which gives flex both ways.
Any suggestions to get my flex on the return cheaper than £72 return?
Thanks In Advance

 

[Sealink]

I was going to suggest the via Barnham trick which I use to go from Dorchester to East Croydon... but it doesn't help when going north of ECR.

 

[miklcct]

I was going to suggest the via Barnham trick which is use to go from Dorchester to East Croydon... but it doesn't help when going north of ECR.

How about using the trick to go to East Croydon, Oyster to cross London, and another ticket to go to Cambridge?

 

[mangyiscute]

From what i can see, the best bet is to buy a Wareham to Southampton super off peak return, a Southampton to Woking super off peak return and a woking to Cambridge off peak return, which is a total of £59.60 - the main issues being you have to call at Woking (if not, you split just at Southampton for about £67) and the super off peak return means that you must leave after 12pm so the earliest arrival into Cambridge is half 4

 

[Watershed]

The kind of ticket you're really looking for - a ticket which is tied to a specific train on the outward journey but is flexible on the return - does exist (SWR SemiFlex), but it's only available as far as London. Buying another ticket from London to Cambridge costs quite a lot extra, such that you're barely saving anything anymore (an SWR SemiFlex fare to Underground Zone 1 is £36.60 with Senior Railcard, and it's then £27.95 for an Off-Peak Return to Cambridge, so a total of £64.55). Sticking to Greater Anglia between London and Cambridge would offer a small saving (they have a cheaper £21.10 Off-Peak Return), so £57.70 in total.

Unfortunately, having flexibility on the return leg does come at some cost, as flexible single tickets on this journey are priced only slightly less than a return.

If you don't want to go for the above option, I think the next best thing would be to buy Advances in both directions for the trains that you think you're most likely to want to catch, and then if necessary change the return ticket (which is possible up until the moment the first booked train is due to depart). Provided you use a retailer that doesn't charge admin fees for changes (such as Railsmartr or CrossCountry) you would only have to pay the difference in fare - and it's possible there might still be Advance tickets available on the day of travel.