Most Expensive Standard Anytime Single

[Albion91]

I wonder if anyone can solve a problem for me: I'm wondering what the most expensive and cheapest standard anytime single tickets in the country are?

 

[RJ]

For an up to date answer I'll have to wait until ATOC release the fares data for the current fare round.

For the last fare round, the cheapest Anytime Single (SOS) was Swathling to Southampton International for £1.90. The most expensive was for £246.50, between Lake/Shanklin/Sandown and various stations on the eastern end of the Buxton Line and Stranraer.

 

[richw]

Penzance to wick which is the longest journey in miles is £228.10 anytime single. Journey time just over 24 hours!

 

[RJ]

On a scale of 0 to 10, I'd estimate the correlation between distance (shortest route for argument's sake) and price is about 5

 

[bb21]

On a scale of 0 to 10, I'd estimate the correlation between distance (shortest route for argument's sake) and price is about 5

You mean a correlation coefficient of 0.5?

 

[PermitToTravel]

PMCCing SOS values against shortest routes might actually be interesting; I'll get cracking on it when I've time if no one else does first :P

 

[RJ]

You mean a correlation coefficient of 0.5?

Yes but attempted to convey in a way that might make sense to most readers

PMCCing SOS values against shortest routes might actually be interesting; I'll get cracking on it when I've time if no one else does first :P

It's the kind of thing I would have done for my dissertation had I not been discouraged from writing about rail fares! How do you get your distance data? I suspect it might be in the Routeing Guide feed, but won't be spending any money on that anytime soon!

 

[PermitToTravel]

There's a large quantity of mileage data on this website in a machine-parsable format. The author says here that large quantities of data can be used if credit is given, requesting that a donation be made to the Swindon Foodbank.

 

[SickyNicky]

For an up to date answer I'll have to wait until ATOC release the fares data for the current fare round.

For the last fare round, the cheapest Anytime Single (SOS) was Swathling to Southampton International for £1.90. The most expensive was for £246.50, between Lake/Shanklin/Sandown and various stations on the eastern end of the Buxton Line and Stranraer.

These tickets were not affected and remain the same price and the cheapest and most expensive tickets following yesterday's disgraceful price hikes in other areas.

However, Buxton to Shanklin more expensive than Penzance to Wick? :roll:

 

[neilmc]

I didn't really believe this so I typed in various combinations from Shanklin and it is probably true.

A passenger asking for an anytime single to Buxton (£246.50) would pay £109 more than if they terminated at Manchester (£137.50), and slightly more than an anytime single to Glasgow (£235) which again is bizarrely more expensive than to book all the way to Thurso (£215.50). And the Manchester anytime fare is actually cheaper than an off-peak ticket (£146.50), which is something I've never spotted before.

This demonstrates the fact that if you are taking any journey of any significant length, especially a convoluted one like this, you should not accept the obvious point-to-point fare without trying several split combinations, or even putting in a longer journey with the intention of stopping short (e.g. booking to somewhere more north if Glasgow is your destination) as some of those fares quoted (like the Buxton one) are stupid to the point of being criminally insane.

 

[Greeby]

I didn't really believe this so I typed in various combinations from Shanklin and it is probably true.

A passenger asking for an anytime single to Buxton (£246.50) would pay £109 more than if they terminated at Manchester (£137.50), and slightly more than an anytime single to Glasgow (£235) which again is bizarrely more expensive than to book all the way to Thurso (£215.50). And the Manchester anytime fare is actually cheaper than an off-peak ticket (£146.50), which is something I've never spotted before.

This demonstrates the fact that if you are taking any journey of any significant length, especially a convoluted one like this, you should not accept the obvious point-to-point fare without trying several split combinations, or even putting in a longer journey with the intention of stopping short (e.g. booking to somewhere more north if Glasgow is your destination) as some of those fares quoted (like the Buxton one) are stupid to the point of being criminally insane.

£246.50 is the "Via London" fare, the Not London fare is £142.50.

http://www.brfares.com/#expert?orig=SHN&dest=BUX

 

[Kite159]

£246.50 is the "Via London" fare, the Not London fare is £142.50.

http://www.brfares.com/#expert?orig=SHN&dest=BUX

I was expecting it to be the other way round, with XC costing more

 

[swt_passenger]

For the last fare round, the cheapest Anytime Single (SOS) was Swathling to Southampton International for £1.90.

aka Southampton Airport Parkway?

 

[PermitToTravel]

There's an entry in the fares database called Southampton International. If I recall correctly it's for discounted fares to Southampton for airline passengers, and one must present a boarding pass to buy them.

 

[greatkingrat]

The TOCs have been deliberately freezing or cutting the price of Anytime tickets on very long distance journeys such as Penzance - Wick to avoid bad publicity in the press. SOS Penzance to Wick (via London) was £278.50 in NFM02 (Jan 2009) and £234.50 now.

Meanwhile SOS Shanklin - Buxton has had normal increases and gone up from £185.70 in NFM02 to £246.50 now.

 

[RJ]

aka Southampton Airport Parkway?

Southampton International and Southampton Airport Parkway are two distinct locations for ticketing purposes. There is no Anytime Single between Swaythling and the latter.

 

[Starmill]

I was expecting it to be the other way round, with XC costing more

Sheffield to Southampton

 

[swt_passenger]

Southampton International and Southampton Airport Parkway are two distinct locations for ticketing purposes.

I was just inquiring if Southampton International does indeed refer to Parkway. It might (albeit unlikely) have been in relation to international travel via the docks from 'Central'.

How does anyone become aware of such a destination though - I'm assuming that the destination exists for other flows and provides some sort of additional discount and benefits to the Parkway ticket?

 

[Deerfold]

I wonder if anyone can solve a problem for me: I'm wondering what the most expensive and cheapest standard anytime single tickets in the country are?

Just to be picky for a moment - you've had your precise question answered, but did you want to include Anytime Single Day tickets in your query?

If you did there's many cheaper fares - inlcuding (though unlikely to be the cheapest) Steeton and Silsden to Keighley which is £1.50.