Train ticket pricing

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Mick F
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Train ticket pricing

Post by Mick F »

As part of my quest on riding the bridges over the A38 west of Exeter, I'm looking at taking the train to Totnes, and riding the bridges to Exeter, then taking the train home.

Gunnislake is at the end of the Tamar Valley Line to Plymouth, and from there you can get on the main line Penzance/London.
From Plymouth heading to London it stops at Totnes, Newton Abbot, and Exeter.

So, to this end, I've perused the GWR website, and found an anomaly or two ........ surprise surprise!

I'd need to get the (more expensive) 07:24 from Gunnislake.

Gunnislake to Exeter single ............... and get off at Totnes is £8.20
To pay for a single Gunnislake to Totnes instead, is £17.60

How about paying for returns?
Gunnislake to Exeter return is £28.10

Single to come from Exeter to Gunnislake is only £7.55

Therefore, I book two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and Exeter to Gunnislake - total £15.75 ie a saving of more than twelve quid over the return price.

Single Gunnislake Totnes plus single Exeter Gunnislake ......... which is what I'll actually be doing .............. is a tenner more!

So I'll be getting two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and back again, though getting off at Totnes on the way to Exeter.
Mick F. Cornwall
Ben@Forest
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Ben@Forest »

This type of example is well known - and were the journeys definitely like for like? i.e. two advance singles with specified time vs an open return without specified times.

When l travelled to Wick to start JOGLE l bought three singles over a four leg journey. This brought the price down by over 50% compared to buying one single ticket for all four legs.
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gaz
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by gaz »

Mick F wrote: 16 May 2021, 12:45pmSo I'll be getting two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and back again, though getting off at Totnes on the way to Exeter.
I don't know exactly when you are planning to travel but the weekday 09:15 return for £11.60 looks more tempting to me, subject to the smallprint allowing you to break your journey.
https://www.gwr.com/tickets/#/3563/5755 ... 0/1/1/N/N/
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Tompsk
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Tompsk »

Mick F wrote: 16 May 2021, 12:45pm As part of my quest on riding the bridges over the A38 west of Exeter, I'm looking at taking the train to Totnes, and riding the bridges to Exeter, then taking the train home.

Gunnislake is at the end of the Tamar Valley Line to Plymouth, and from there you can get on the main line Penzance/London.
From Plymouth heading to London it stops at Totnes, Newton Abbot, and Exeter.

So, to this end, I've perused the GWR website, and found an anomaly or two ........ surprise surprise!

I'd need to get the (more expensive) 07:24 from Gunnislake.

Gunnislake to Exeter single ............... and get off at Totnes is £8.20
To pay for a single Gunnislake to Totnes instead, is £17.60

How about paying for returns?
Gunnislake to Exeter return is £28.10

Single to come from Exeter to Gunnislake is only £7.55

Therefore, I book two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and Exeter to Gunnislake - total £15.75 ie a saving of more than twelve quid over the return price.

Single Gunnislake Totnes plus single Exeter Gunnislake ......... which is what I'll actually be doing .............. is a tenner more!

So I'll be getting two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and back again, though getting off at Totnes on the way to Exeter.
Be careful getting off earlier than the destination on the ticket. I could not believe the cheek of the railway company involved:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... early.html

Sad but true :-(
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Mick F
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Mick F »

gaz wrote: 16 May 2021, 2:06pm I don't know exactly when you are planning to travel but the weekday 09:15 return ...........
Info I have given was as it was when I checked lunchtime today.

I would need to get the more expensive 07:24 from Gunnislake.
I picked Monday 24th May though that is a movable feast with respect of when I want to do the ride. I picked that date as a guess, but it would need to be the second train out from Gunny and the first and second ones cost more.
By the time you get to the 9 o'clock trains, the price is much cheaper.

Leave Gunny at 07:24 on Monday 24th May and take the 15:13 back to Plymouth and the connection to Gunny.
Two singles Gunny to Ex and back .........

Getting off at Totnes on the way there is £8.20 all the way to Ex, but only to Totnes is £17.60
Coming back Ex on the 15:13 to Plymouth and to Gunny on the 16:34 is £7.55

However, just checking all this as of NOW, the numbers are different!
Mick F. Cornwall
Ben@Forest
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Ben@Forest »

Mick F wrote: 16 May 2021, 4:04pmHowever, just checking all this as of NOW, the numbers are different!
No surprises there then.
PDQ Mobile
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by PDQ Mobile »

Some countries have railways that simply charge per KM of journey.

Imagine how much complexity is saved!
philvantwo
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by philvantwo »

Cornwall ranger day ticket £13 Mick F?
Any good?
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Mick F
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Mick F »

I have a Devon and Cornwall Railcard.
Save loadsa money for the price of the annual card of £12.00
Saves a third off on all tickets in D+C.

Yesterday, I came back to Gunnislake from Plymouth for £4.20 for the single.
Should have cost £6.40 so saved a couple of quid.
Do it only seven times in the year, and I'm in pocket.
Further afield, save even more off the £12.00

I have a bus pass of course giving free bus travel, but I can't remember even using a bus for years.
Mick F. Cornwall
markjohnobrien
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by markjohnobrien »

Mick F wrote: 16 May 2021, 12:45pm As part of my quest on riding the bridges over the A38 west of Exeter, I'm looking at taking the train to Totnes, and riding the bridges to Exeter, then taking the train home.

Gunnislake is at the end of the Tamar Valley Line to Plymouth, and from there you can get on the main line Penzance/London.
From Plymouth heading to London it stops at Totnes, Newton Abbot, and Exeter.

So, to this end, I've perused the GWR website, and found an anomaly or two ........ surprise surprise!

I'd need to get the (more expensive) 07:24 from Gunnislake.

Gunnislake to Exeter single ............... and get off at Totnes is £8.20
To pay for a single Gunnislake to Totnes instead, is £17.60

How about paying for returns?
Gunnislake to Exeter return is £28.10

Single to come from Exeter to Gunnislake is only £7.55

Therefore, I book two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and Exeter to Gunnislake - total £15.75 ie a saving of more than twelve quid over the return price.

Single Gunnislake Totnes plus single Exeter Gunnislake ......... which is what I'll actually be doing .............. is a tenner more!

So I'll be getting two singles Gunnislake to Exeter and back again, though getting off at Totnes on the way to Exeter.
It’s called splitting tickets and is a very useful way to get cheaper journeys: I’ve been using this successfully since about 2001.

Well done for using it.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
Maillot Rouge
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Maillot Rouge »

UK public transport pricing is far too high.
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Mick F
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Mick F »

It depends on where you live and where you're going to.

Just checked again on my facts, and I can take a train from here to Exeter for eight quid for the 50odd miles.
I can come back for seven quid.
Sounds cheap enough to me for the two hours each way.

I could go by bus using my bus pass (free bus travel) but it would need Gunnislake to Tavistock, then Tavistock to Okehampton, then Okehampton to Exeter. I'd be lucky to do that in five hours and I wouldn't even be able to take my bike.

........... and it wouldn't surprise me if I couldn't get home on the same day.
Mick F. Cornwall
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mjr
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by mjr »

Mick F wrote: 17 May 2021, 10:56am I could go by bus using my bus pass (free bus travel) but it would need Gunnislake to Tavistock, then Tavistock to Okehampton, then Okehampton to Exeter. I'd be lucky to do that in five hours and I wouldn't even be able to take my bike.
Does your Moulton not pack down?

But in general, buses are OK for point-to-point local journeys, but rarely compete with trains. Some time ago, I looked at Cambridge-Lynn which is about 50 minutes by train. A bus trip would be Cambridge-Huntingdon-Peterborough-Lynn in about 4½ hours. There are a number of shorter routes which are frustrated by low service frequencies which do not coordinate and/or have 5-mile gaps across county borders, such as Littleport to Ten Mile Bank, or Fordham to Mildenhall.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Mick F
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by Mick F »

Moultons split into two halves, the bigger heavier half being the rear.
Good for fitting into the car, but no use for public transport.

This is a good vid to demonstrate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h4kXKfA45g
Mick F. Cornwall
rjb
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Re: Train ticket pricing

Post by rjb »

The Falcon Flyer takes bikes and could drop you off at drumbridges. Show your bus pass and they discount the fare. :D
Goes up the A38 from Plymouth to Bristol frequently. Was hourly before the lockdowns. Check out their website for current details. :wink:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
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