Winchester - Eastleigh Easement

[Mark_re]

Hi all,

Could anyone tell me whether an off-peak day return (Y-P) from Winchester to Eastleigh is valid via Southampton Airport Parkway? Nationalrail.co.uk journey planner suggests that it is, but surely as it involves doubling-back, there should be an easement to allow it. I can't find a relevant easement in the routeing guide.

I ask as an off-peak day return to Parkway is a higher fare (£2.95) than an off-peak day return to Eastleigh (£2.50), so this seems odd. Given that Winchester-Eastleigh isn't particularly frequent, it is often quicker to go down to Parkway and then come back up to Eastleigh.

As an aside, Southampton Airport Parkway isn't gated. :roll:

Thanks,

Mark

 

[wintonian]

There is no easement as you describe, and there is a half hourly service between Winchester and Eastleigh, which personaly I wouldn't exactly call infrequent.

 

[swt_passenger]

Not only is the service 2 tph all day, but there are a number of peak extras to fill in the obvious gaps.

But it's definitely fair to say that the journey planner comes up with journeys via Parkway at the same fare.

One of those mysteries like Chandlers Ford to/from Waterloo, which the journey planner nearly always sends via Parkway at the same price as via Eastleigh, indeed SWT's timetable booklets recommend the double back.

OTOH there is a typewritten notice up on the door of the supervisor's office at Parkway stating that 'tickets from Chandlers Ford are not valid here' (which is a bit of an obvious exaggeration but I expect it is aimed at doubling back through Eastleigh).

Maybe someone could ask SWT - I would but I'm in the middle of a detailed complaint on another matter already... :roll:

 

[wintonian]

Not only is the service 2 tph all day, but there are a number of peak extras to fill in the obvious gaps.

But it's definitely fair to say that the journey planner comes up with journeys via Parkway at the same fare.

One of those mysteries like Chandlers Ford to/from Waterloo, which the journey planner nearly always sends via Parkway at the same price as via Eastleigh, indeed SWT's timetable booklets recommend the double back.

OTOH there is a typewritten notice up on the door of the supervisor's office at Parkway stating that 'tickets from Chandlers Ford are not valid here' (which is a bit of an obvious exaggeration but I expect it is aimed at doubling back through Eastleigh).

Maybe someone could ask SWT - I would but I'm in the middle of a detailed complaint on another matter already... :roll:

I could but I've been waiting over 3 weeks for them to rerspond to my last letter! :roll:

 

[Mark_re]

Dear Mr xxxxx

Thank you for your email of 13 May 2011.

I can confirm when travelling from Winchester to Eastleigh you can
not change at Southampton Airport Parkway, this is a fault.

I have forwarded this information to our web support team who will
rectify this mistake as soon as possible.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about this.

Kind Regards
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Customer Service Advisor