Aberdeen to south wales

[woolos]

Is it possible to travel to via dumfries from Aberdeen to South Wales with a off peak return

 

[Alex365Dash]

Which station in South Wales are you thinking of travelling to?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would it be fair to assert that the only walk-up off peak return fares from Aberdeen to/from South Wales destinations are either route "Any Permitted" (without any Cross London transfer Maltese symbol showing) or are alternatively (more explicitly) routed "NOT via London"?

 

[woolos]

Which station in South Wales are you thinking of travelling to?

Cardiff

 

[Watershed]

Is it possible to travel to via dumfries from Aberdeen to South Wales with a off peak return

Yes, a number of routes are permitted on an Aberdeen-Cardiff Off-Peak Return. These include travelling via Edinburgh and/or Glasgow, then via Dumfries or Lockerbie, via the WCML and its branches, then via Shrewsbury or Birmingham down to Cardiff. You can also travel via Newcastle, Derby and Birmingham - but not via London.

 

[Haywain]

Would it be fair to assert that the only walk-up off peak return fares from Aberdeen to/from South Wales destinations are either route "Any Permitted" (without any Cross London transfer Maltese symbol showing) or are alternatively (more explicitly) routed "NOT via London"?

Are there any journeys that have both options?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are there any journeys that have both options?

Can't see any. Just seems to be one or the other.

 

[Class800]

Can't see any. Just seems to be one or the other.

"Any permitted" can be confusing for non-experts. I know someone - not a rail enthusiast but a reasonably intelligent professional in business - who thought "any permitted" meant he was permitted to use any route at all!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

"Any permitted" can be confusing for non-experts. I know someone - not a rail enthusiast but a reasonably intelligent professional in business - who thought "any permitted" meant he was permitted to use any route at all!

Indeed. That's why I mentioned the absence of the Cross London (Maltese Cross) symbol. Good luck in negotiating the Underground between say Kings Cross and Paddington without one of them on your ticket, even if it was otherwise deemed to be an any permitted route.

 

[Watershed]

Are there any journeys that have both options?

Aberdeen to Bristol is available as 'not via London' and '+via London'. The latter also being valid to avoid London, as the fares are more expensive.

Aberdeen to Cardiff via London would thus be possible using an Aberdeen to Bristol '+via London' ticket and a Bristol to Cardiff ticket. Though there may be cheaper ways of making the journey - it depends on the time and date of travel.

Indeed. That's why I mentioned the absence of the Cross London (Maltese Cross) symbol. Good luck in negotiating the Underground between say Kings Cross and Paddington without one of them on your ticket.

Aberdeen to Newport has no permitted routes via London - so the fact that it's routed 'Any Permitted' doesn't really change anything. It's perhaps one of the rare occasions where a "more restrictive" route would actually be useful in indicating validity.

 

[Class800]

Aberdeen to Newport has no permitted routes via London - so the fact that it's routed 'Any Permitted' doesn't really change anything. It's perhaps one of the rare occasions where a "more restrictive" route would actually be useful in indicating validity.

It doesn't - but someone without fares expertise could think he could use any rail route on 'any permitted' and could claim to feel mis-led. It's a broader topic that this particular fare though

 

[Haywain]

Aberdeen to Bristol is available as 'not via London' and '+via London'. The latter also being valid to avoid London, as the fares are more expensive.

I’m aware of those but that’s wasn’t what I was asking.

 

[Envoy]

Surely, it is cheaper to do splits? See TrainTickets.com / Trainsplit.com

 

[Watershed]

Surely, it is cheaper to do splits? See TrainTickets.com / Trainsplit.com

Not necessarily. With a journey that long, if you are happy to stick to the time restrictions and don't want Advances, the through ticket will likely be cheapest. There is a saving of £11.90 available by splitting at Crewe, Shrewsbury and Cwmbran, but given that it constrains you to that route, I don't think it's a worthwhile saving.