TOC-specific long-term promotions that are only available direct

[Mike395]

Having been quite extensively looking into SailRail options to Ireland over the past few days, I thought it might be interesting to collate a list of offers where passengers have to purchase the ticket directly from the TOC offering the deal (and thus not available from third-party retailers such as Trainline/Trainsplit). SailRail would be a bad example as most decent retailers can sell it, however there are lots of examples where this isn't the case.

For this, I'm more thinking long-term offers rather than short-term sales for individual TOCs or rangers/rovers - some examples I can think of off the bat are:

• Lumo's cheapest fixed fares
• TPE's student discount on their own Advance fares
• Avanti's Standard Premium product

....but would be good to hear of others, and indeed whether a particular offer regularly draws you back to a TOC's site!

Mike

 

[A S Leib]

The Calais Day Tripper looks like it was (hopefully will be again) available from non-Southeastern stations, but not available online at all.

How to travel from London to Paris by train & ferry - a guide

Train times, fares & how to buy tickets for travel by traditional train and ferry from London via Dover-Calais to Boulogne, Etaples, Amiens & Paris.

www.seat61.com

South Eastern Trains offer a cheap Day Tripper ticket from London to Calais, also available from selected stations in Kent & south of London such as Croydon, Guildford, Woking, Orpington, Canterbury or Ashford. It's very poorly publicised, it's not even mentioned on their website, but it definitely exists. A Calais Day Tripper ticket is a same-day return ticket from London to Calais and back, covering both the train and ferry, valid on any classic (non-high-speed) train from London Charing Cross or London Victoria to Dover and on any P&O ferry sailing from Dover to Calais, no prior reservation necessary.

 

[ServerHoster]

Avanti's Standard Premium product

I've managed to buy a standard premium from a WMT station before, and also on the LNER website

 

[trover]

TPE 50% off discount is interesting. It tended to be slightly greater than 50% discount in the past, but tends to charge more than 50% recently (not applying 50% off to the lowest available advance price if you get what I mean).

Edit: in some occasions charges more than adding the railcard and not inputting the promo code

 

[Watershed]

TPE 50% off discount is interesting. It tended to be slightly greater than 50% discount in the past, but tends to charge more than 50% recently (not applying 50% off to the lowest available advance price if you get what I mean).

Edit: in some occasions charges more than adding the railcard and not inputting the promo code

The 50% off discount unfortunately won't be available much longer, from what I've heard.

 

[_toommm_]

The 50% off discount unfortunately won't be available much longer, from what I've heard.

Well that is a shame. Sheffield to Manchester for £2.50 (depending on availability) and Leeds to Manchester for £5.00 (same thing) was really good (yes I know Northern have similarly-priced tickets on slower journeys). Definitely glad I don't have to commute on TPExpress anymore as it would be unaffordable.

Out of curiosity, where did you hear this?

 

[XAM2175]

Southern's DaySave?

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Avanti's Standard Premium product

I've managed to buy a standard premium from a WMT station before, and also on the LNER website

Standard Premium is an odd one, living in the fares data as bracket of standard-class fares rather than its own class - but as I understand it they're just a bit of a bother to find in a journey planner that can't filter for them, rather than being blocked to sale by any particular retailer.

 

[trover]

The 50% off discount unfortunately won't be available much longer, from what I've heard.

I’d be sad to see it go.

Sheffield to Manchester for £2.50 (depending on availability) and Leeds to Manchester for £5.00 (same thing) was really good

I’ve done Sheffield to Manchester for £2.55 and Manchester to Liverpool for £1.7

 

[stevenmiles70]

The Calais Day Tripper looks like it was (hopefully will be again) available from non-Southeastern stations, but not available online at all.

How to travel from London to Paris by train & ferry - a guide

Train times, fares & how to buy tickets for travel by traditional train and ferry from London via Dover-Calais to Boulogne, Etaples, Amiens & Paris.

www.seat61.com

I tweeted South Eastern railways last night and they replied that this ticket has been withdrawn from sale. I'm hoping this is incorrect, or that the decision night be reversed at some point.

 

[Wolfie]

I tweeted South Eastern railways last night and they replied that this ticket has been withdrawn from sale. I'm hoping this is incorrect, or that the decision night be reversed at some point.

Perhaps something to do with the P&O fiasco?

 

[mmh]

TFW Multiflex. I've been told I'm foolish before on this forum for buying "M-tickets", these tickets are only available as tickets within TFW's mobile app. I'd be surprised if this was the only example of that.

 

[Alfonso]

Southeasterns kids for a quid?

 

[Feuillesmortes]

Perhaps something to do with the P&O fiasco?

There's a FOI request floating around somewhere on this forum and it pre-dates the sackings.

 

[alistairlees]

Southeasterns kids for a quid?

This does not fulfil the OP's requirement of "only available direct" (by which I assume that he means via the TOC's own website, but not through any others, whether TOC or independent).

 

[Wolfie]

There's a FOI request floating around somewhere on this forum and it pre-dates the sackings.

Ah, ok, thanks. Perhaps COVID-related then.

 

[Haywain]

This does not fulfil the OP's requirement of "only available direct" (by which I assume that he means via the TOC's own website, but not through any others, whether TOC or independent).

Pretty sure the same applies to the Calais Day Tripper tickets. I believe I’ve sold these in the (not very recent) past.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Pretty sure the same applies to the Calais Day Tripper tickets. I believe I’ve sold these in the (not very recent) past.

Yup. Definitely available from any Ticket Office, but you had to remember to issue a (free) "Control Ticket" for each direction as well, which could catch some staff out.

 

[trivran]

I had some very angry LNER ticket staff in the KGX office tell me they couldn't sell tickets to Calais the last time (possibly for good) I used the P&O offer. Presumably they thought I meant a Eurostar ticket. Southeastern were gently persuaded to sell me one along with a HS supplement.

 

[gray1404]

I had some very angry LNER ticket staff in the KGX office tell me they couldn't sell tickets to Calais the last time (possibly for good) I used the P&O offer. Presumably they thought I meant a Eurostar ticket. Southeastern were gently persuaded to sell me one along with a HS supplement.

When was this?

 

[trivran]

When was this?

This was pre-pandemic I believe, the exact dates can't be certain.

 

[gray1404]

I believe South Eastern used to offer through fares to Calais pre-pandemic. It would be good if these make a return

 

[Dai Corner]

TfW offer the following to Welsh concessionary travel pass holders

If you have a Concessionary Travel Pass from a Welsh Local Authority, you can travel free on many of our trains.​

You can travel between:​

• Wrexham – Hawarden Bridge
• Machynlleth – Pwllheli (Cambrian Coast line) – October to March only
• Llandudno – Blaenau Ffestiniog (Conwy Valley line)
• Shrewsbury and Llanelli/Swansea (Heart of Wales Line) – October to March only

You’ll need to get a free ticket from the ticket office before you travel. If there is no ticket office or if it’s closed, you can get one from the Conductor on the train.

You’ll also get 1/3 off tickets to travel on the Cardiff and Valley network after 0930 Monday - Friday and any time at weekends and bank holidays.