Season ticket valid via Reading?

[Fat Tulip]

Sorry, me again!

I have a annual season ticket from Shawford to London terminals, via any permitted route.

I want to travel up to Birmingham, so where do I need to buy a ticket from? I travel to London via SWT, but there is a XC service from Winchester to Birmingham which I'll get. Can I buy a Reading to Birmingham ticket (ie is my season to London valid travelling via Reading to Paddington)? Or do I need Basingstoke to Birmingham? Does it matter that it's a XC service rather than SWT?

 

[bb21]

A ticket is required from Reading.

Your season ticket is valid on any train company.

 

[SickyNicky]

And from Reading to Birmingham you'll probably save money by splitting tickets, depeding on the actual journey, of course.

 

[Fat Tulip]

Thank you, that's good news. I wasn't sure about going via Reading, as the other day, when there were severe delays going through Woking, we were told that because of the delays we could get of at BSK and go via RDG to Paddington, which made it seem like it was a special exception rather than a normal possibility.

I'm planning to get a RDG -> Ban ticket, and Banbury to Birmingham, so I can take advantage of my gold card discount on the first part of the leg.

 

[swt_passenger]

Thank you, that's good news. I wasn't sure about going via Reading, as the other day, when there were severe delays going through Woking, we were told that because of the delays we could get of at BSK and go via RDG to Paddington, which made it seem like it was a special exception rather than a normal possibility.

Definitely OK, I do Winchester to Paddington via Reading a couple of times a month and have done for years, it isn't specific to season tickets.

There is an issue at Basingstoke though, in that from there there is a 'route Woking' fare sold, that isn't normally valid via Reading,

When they make these announcements, typically "passengers with SWT tickets can travel via Reading" they are a necessary simplification, as although very few passengers have a ticket not valid by that route, a minority will, such as those from west of Brockenhurst or Salisbury travelling on SWT only 'Advance' fares.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm planning to get a RDG -> Ban ticket, and Banbury to Birmingham, so I can take advantage of my gold card discount on the first part of the leg.

Bear in mind the 'Gold Card area' has changed, it is enlarged and no longer the same as the Network Card area, this may make a different choice available...

New map here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/content/routemaps/Gold_Card_scheme_area.pdf

 

[67018]

I'm planning to get a RDG -> Ban ticket, and Banbury to Birmingham, so I can take advantage of my gold card discount on the first part of the leg.

Aren't Gold Card discounts valid on Banbury-Birmingham now as well? Or is it only valid if travelling on Chiltern?

 

[Fat Tulip]

Thanks for the route clarification.

I just booked my tickets and it would only give me the gold card discount as far as Banbury. I think it might be a XC specific thing, so changing trains would probably have worked out cheaper but it didn't seem worth the hassle.

I booked both tickets in the same transaction, so have managed to get the same seat for both on the way there, but on the way back one is coach F and one is coach D!

 

[bb21]

That is correct. Gold Card-discounted tickets are only supposed to be valid on Chiltern beyond Banbury, and if you get beyond Leamington Spa, also on LM.

On XC it is only valid up to the original boundary of Banbury.

 

[Paul Kelly]

As an alternative to staying on the same CrossCountry train, there are very competitively-priced "Chiltern Only" tickets between Banbury and Birmingham, which can be reduced even futher with Gold Card discount. The CrossCountry trains to Manchester (xx15 departure from Reading during the day) tend to connect very nicely at Banbury with a Chiltern train to Birmingham Moor Street running 10 or so minutes behind, and you can arrive into Moor Street only 5 minutes later than you would have arrived into New Street had you stayed on the CrossCountry train. I've done this a few times recently and would very much recommend it. There's a good chance of getting a table seat to yourself on Chiltern, and the Wifi is free!

 

[Fat Tulip]

Thanks, Indigo, I read your post after I'd booked but it's useful to know for next time when it's an easy change!