[ywy1234]

I tried to search a return fare between Oxford and East Cowes, I found an Anytime return is cheaper than an off-peak return?

Is that a common phenomenon across the national rail network?

[yorkie]

Can you clarify the destination and what fares you found please?

The closest destination I can find to 'East Cowes' is Cowes East RFSHP [ECW]

The only fare I can see from Oxford to ECW is £52.00 Off Peak Return.

[ywy1234]

Originally Posted by yorkie

Can you clarify the destination and what fares you found please?

The closest destination I can find to 'East Cowes' is Cowes East RFSHP [ECW]

The only fare I can see from Oxford to ECW is £52.00 Off Peak Return.

Yes, it is OXF-ECW, I tried brfares.com, there is indeed only a 52 off peak return.

But if you try NRE or thetrainline and WebTIS book engines, you will find an 49.10 anytime fare.

[wintonian]

I don't know why Avantix shows only 1 fare but fares to East Cowes are calculated as follows:

Origin - Southampton Central

+

The appropriate add on amount as bellow

£7.60 - Single (FOS, FDS, FSX, SOS, SDS, CDS, OPD)
£7.60 - Advance (All Advance ticket types)
£14.00 - Anytime Day Return (FDR, SDR)
£14.00 - Off-Peak Day Return (CDR, SCO, FRX)
£15.20 - Open Return (FOR, SOR)
£15.20 - Period Return (SVR, SSR, VAR, VBR, VCR)

(Note all singles have a 1 day validity)

Railcards
HM forces, Jobcentre Plus railcards discounted fares have an extra additional amount that needs to be added. Officially there are various minium fares for railcards dependent on the ticket type.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The off peak will be the £49.10 SVR I expect and the £52 fare is the SDR.

The SVR has a 1 month validity on the return and the SDR is a "same day return"

[Indigo2]

If you subtract £15.20 (the add-on value given by wintonian for an Anytime Return) from the quoted £49.10 fare, it gives £33.90 - which is the Anytime Day Return fare from Oxford - Southampton. I wonder where the booking engines are getting their figures from.

[ywy1234]

Originally Posted by Indigo2

If you subtract £15.20 (the add-on value given by wintonian for an Anytime Return) from the quoted £49.10 fare, it gives £33.90 - which is the Anytime Day Return fare from Oxford - Southampton. I wonder where the booking engines are getting their figures from.

But the ticket £49.10 is not an anytime day return ticket, it was indeed an anytime return that outbound and inbound can be used on different dates as shown on booking engines and NRE.

[Indigo2]

Yes exactly - that's why I was suggesting it was strange

[wintonian]

Originally Posted by Indigo2

If you subtract £15.20 (the add-on value given by wintonian for an Anytime Return) from the quoted £49.10 fare, it gives £33.90 - which is the Anytime Day Return fare from Oxford - Southampton. I wonder where the booking engines are getting their figures from.

Thats what I ment to say £49.10 is the SDR and £52 is the SVR.

Having since looked at SWT the SVR is correct but they do indeed think that £49.10 is an SOR with no SDR available, but there should be no SOR available as there is not one to Southampton Central.

I wonder what this ticket actually says on it, and I must remember to have a look next time I pass a Southern machine.

[benk1342]

Originally Posted by wintonian

I don't know why Avantix shows only 1 fare but fares to East Cowes are calculated as follows:

Origin - Southampton Central

+

The appropriate add on amount as bellow

£7.60 - Single (FOS, FDS, FSX, SOS, SDS, CDS, OPD)
£7.60 - Advance (All Advance ticket types)
£14.00 - Anytime Day Return (FDR, SDR)
£14.00 - Off-Peak Day Return (CDR, SCO, FRX)
£15.20 - Open Return (FOR, SOR)
£15.20 - Period Return (SVR, SSR, VAR, VBR, VCR)

Stop the presses---what are these fare "calculations" and "add-ons" you speak of? This method of explaining how a fare is calculated is news to me.

[wintonian]

Originally Posted by benk1342

Stop the presses---what are these fare "calculations" and "add-ons" you speak of? This method of explaining how a fare is calculated is news to me.

Thats what it says in a printout from the manual I have. Prehaps someone with access to it will clarify?

[swt_passenger]

Don't they provide details of the calculation for use when an origin does not happen to have a through fare loaded in the database?

For many origins a through fare will already exist?

[wintonian]

Originally Posted by swt_passenger

Don't they provide details of the calculation for use when an origin does not happen to have a through fare loaded in the database?

For many origins a through fare will already exist?

Yes many (most?) origins do have a fare in the system and I think these are derived from the same calculations, which as you say are used when no fare exists.

[benk1342]

Originally Posted by swt_passenger

Don't they provide details of the calculation for use when an origin does not happen to have a through fare loaded in the database?

Who are "they"?

Originally Posted by wintonian

Yes many (most?) origins do have a fare in the system and I think these are derived from the same calculations, which as you say are used when no fare exists.

Where is this calculation information available? I'm just curious about it.

[wintonian]

Originally Posted by benk1342

Who are "they"?



Where is this calculation information available? I'm just curious about it.

I gave it here but for the full info and railcard add on amounts you would need to ask your friendly TOC for a print out of the relevent section from the manual.

Unless someone here with access is kind enough to provide a PDF of the relevent section.

[benk1342]

Originally Posted by wintonian

I gave it here

Right, I saw that; I meant where is the information about how to calculate fares this way available more generally, not just for this specific journey.