FGW cheaper tickets for peak-times now possible to purchase

[Marc T]

I've only just recently noticed this. But in the last few weeks or so it is now actually possible to book advance tickets for travel on FGW services during peak times at reasonable prices. For instance if you want to travel between Bristol and London during the morning(before 9am) or between London and Bristol in the evening peak(4pm-7pm) it is possible providing you book well enough in advance, to get tickets for ú21 single. It's even possible to travel on the 0447 from Bristol-London Paddington for just ú10 single if you book ahead. This is a huge improvement on the situation which was in place for many many years, whereby if you wished to travel at peak times between these two destinations(or any long(ish) distance travel along the GWML), no cheap advance tickets were available atall. You'd have to pay the full Open(now called Anytime) Single or Return fares, which are extortionate amounts i.e. today's prices of ú76.50 or ú153 return.

Well done to FGW for doing this. It's about time that sensibly priced tickets are available to purchase for peak time travel.

I wonder why FGW do now make available these cheap(er) advance tickets available at peak times? Perhaps a lot of people have made complaints about it over the years and they've finally seen sense? Or the DFT ordered them to?

[Robin Summerhill]

I wonder why FGW do now make available these cheap(er) advance tickets available at peak times? Perhaps a lot of people have made complaints about it over the years and they've finally seen sense? Or the DFT ordered them to?

The difficulty is that, with a commercial organisation of any kind, there is no incentive to cut prices if you can sell your product at a higher price, and this applies equally to transport as it might a can of peas.

As long as people are willing/ prepared to pay the full fare, and the train is full of 'em, the full fare gets charged.

[Robin Summerhill]

... the full Open(now called Anytime) Single or Return fares, which are extortionate amounts i.e. today's prices of ú76.50 or ú153 return.

Many years ago (mid 90s) I was sent to meetings in London by my employer two or three times a year, going up on the 0738 ex-Chippenham. They paid for a second class rail warrant and I used to excess it to first class myself. Then one day I noticed, deep in the conditions of service, it said "first class at manager's discretion."

My manager would not exercise discretion so, from that point on, I drove to Hayes & Harlington (the mileage claim was equivalent to the 2nd class rail warrant so my employer paid no more or no less than before) then caught the local in to Paddington from there.

Trips to London have been done this way ever since and, since July 2007, it has the further advantage that I can have a fag in my car whenever I like

The most surprising element, though, is in the timings. Option 1 - depart Paddington by HST for Chippenham then walk home: Option 2 - local to Hayes and drive home. Option 2 takes "par for the course" 18 minutes longer than option 1, and costs me roughly ú26 in diesel and servicing costs compared to the ú100++ for the rail option.

No contest really!

[Marc T]

I wonder why FGW do now make available these cheap(er) advance tickets available at peak times? Perhaps a lot of people have made complaints about it over the years and they've finally seen sense? Or the DFT ordered them to?

The difficulty is that, with a commercial organisation of any kind, there is no incentive to cut prices if you can sell your product at a higher price, and this applies equally to transport as it might a can of peas.

As long as people are willing/ prepared to pay the full fare, and the train is full of 'em, the full fare gets charged.

Well they're now making available good value advance tickets for peak time travel. They must have finally realised that it's not just commuters with season tickets who want to travel on those peak time trains. Other types of passengers want to get on those trains too. For instance people from Bristol may want to arrive in London in the morning to connect with a Eurostar to Paris, or a flight around midday from one of the London airports. And that people who are able to book several weeks in advance should indeed be able to travel on peak time trains at a reasonable fare. And I think the ú21(or ú24.50 First Class) single fares from Bristol-London are very fairly priced, bearing in mind it's for peak time travel. At long long last non-commuters are not priced out(fares far too expensive to buy) of travelling on peak-time services, providing they book well in advance.

As for the full maximum fares. For instance ú76.50 single/ú153 Return for Bristol-London. I can't imagine how any people actually pay these sort of crazy fares. For instance if I wanted to go for a day out in London arriving in London early in the day i.e. before 10am(for whatever reason), or even for some more important reasons, then unless someone was paying my fare for me, then there's no way in the world I would ever pay these sort of outrageous fares. Whether I booked in advance or not. I'd seek much cheaper methods of travelling instead, i.e. Megabus or National Express Coaches. I think many people would think the same way too.

Anyway, as I said. Things have definitely improved recently. Book far enough in advance(seems to be about 6 weeks in advance from my experimentation), and good value fares for peak time travel on FGW services is at long last possible!

The 0447 Bristol-London service is especially good value. Just ú10 single if you book far enough in advance. Previously this first service of the day would have cost you absolute full whack fare.

[Robin Summerhill]

Loosely related to this topic, for reasons I won't bore you with I have this evening booked a day trip to Alicante for next Tuesday with Easyjet. Cost, including their credit charge surcharge, ú110.78.

A standard class open return from Chippenham to Paddington next Tuesday would have cost me ú128.00.

Funny old world, isn't it

PS - don't expect any posts from me next Tuesday!!

[sipahi]

I have a few comments. First point to note is to always look at regulated fares - that is the off peak return and season ticket option. I resent buying an advance ticket for a single journey, when I might miss the train by a few minutes, so for me taking the offpeak is a better deal. Mind you I end up with a shed load of tickets (the wrong half of returns) from here to London that I cannot use before they expire.

It is interesting that it is now cheaper to buy a weekly season to London than two peak singles and two off peak singles. There is a good deal if you buy a season that goes via Westbury rather than Swindon.

The final deal is that if you are going on Eurostar, make sure you buy a ticket to London International. This is valid on any train, any time, but only in conjunction with the Eurostar ticket. It is the same price as the offpeak return. Furthermore, if your train to London is delayed, get the ticket marked and Eurostar have to get you on the next train, so you don't lose your booking. It's great fun trying to buy the ticket, the phone centre staff will try and fob you off with excuses, but hold your ground, speak to a supervisor and you will get it in the end. Actually, the best way is to speak to one of the lovely staff in the ticket office. Support them, we need them.

Good luck - anyone else with any hints, for example weekly rover tickets?

[WR Tim]

Good luck - anyone else with any hints, for example weekly rover tickets?

I think splitting tickets at Didcot used to result in a decent saving during the peak (ie buy a return Britsol to Didcot and a return Didcot to Reading/London (was only ever going to Reading but assume London is the same)).