Advice needed - tickets to Blackpool

[A0wen]

Looking at going to Blackpool sometime soon - have a couple of options on where I'm travelling from.

First problem - can't see prices for any return tickets from Crewe - Blackpool, only singles. Any ideas? I know it's possible to split at Warrington which can bring the price down.

Another option is travel from Congleton, which is £25 ish, but all via Manchester. Having looked at the routing guide, Congleton has Crewe as its first routing point. On this basis would it be valid to travel Congleton > Kidsgrove > Crewe > Blackpool if the ticket was 'any route' ?

 

[John @ home]

can't see prices for any return tickets from Crewe - Blackpool, only singles.

Assuming no Railcard, here are prices Crewe - Blackpool North or Blackpool South

First Class Anytime Return (FOR) £102.00
Standard Anytime Return (SOR) £54.00
First Class Anytime Single (FOS) £51.00
Standard Off-Peak Return (SVR) £30.90 (Not Mondays-Fridays before 0415)
Standard Anytime Return (SOS) £27.00

I know it's possible to split at Warrington which can bring the price down.

Splitting at Warrington reduces the price of a Day Return from £30.90 to £23.20. But there are no Crewe - Warrington fares valid for more than one day, so it's better to split at Wigan if not returning the same day.

Another option is travel from Congleton, which is £25 ish ... would it be valid to travel Congleton > Kidsgrove > Crewe > Blackpool if the ticket was 'any route'

Standard Off-Peak Return (SVR) Congleton - Blackpool route Any Permitted is £25.20. To work out which routes are permitted, we need to consult the National Routeing Guide.

The Routeing Point Identifier shows that the Routeing Points for Congleton are Crewe, Stockport, Stoke On Trent and Wilmslow Group.

To find out which of these are appropriate Routeing Points for a Congleton - Blackpool journey, the Instructions tell us to compare fares.

If you are unsure whether a particular routeing point (RP) for the origin station is the correct one compare the fare from that routeing point to the destination with the fare for the throughout journey - it is an appropriate routeing point only if that fare is the same or lower than the fare for the throughout journey from the origin station to the destination station.

Fares are:

• Congleton - Blackpool SDS £22.60. No SOS fare
• Crewe - Blackpool no SDS fare. SOS £27.00. Not an appropriate RP.
• Stockport - Blackpool SDS £15.50. No SOS fare. Appropriate RP.
• Stoke On Trent - Blackpool no SDS fare. SOS £30.00. Not an appropriate RP.
• Wilmslow - Blackpool SDS £18.80. No SOS fare. Appropriate RP.

From this Crewe and Stoke are not Appropriate RPs and travel via Crewe would not be permitted.

 

[tony_mac]

But there are no Crewe - Warrington fares valid for more than one day,

Just get a ticket to Earlestown instead.

Splitting also gives you Anytime tickets - and hence valid for a free weekend first upgrade on Virgin.

 

[A0wen]

Assuming no Railcard, here are prices Crewe - Blackpool North or Blackpool SouthSplitting at Warrington reduces the price of a Day Return from £30.90 to £23.20. But there are no Crewe - Warrington fares valid for more than one day, so it's better to split at Wigan if not returning the same day.Standard Off-Peak Return (SVR) Congleton - Blackpool route Any Permitted is £25.20. To work out which routes are permitted, we need to consult the National Routeing Guide.

The Routeing Point Identifier shows that the Routeing Points for Congleton are Crewe, Stockport, Stoke On Trent and Wilmslow Group.

To find out which of these are appropriate Routeing Points for a Congleton - Blackpool journey, the Instructions tell us to compare fares.

Fares are:

• Congleton - Blackpool SDS £22.60. No SOS fare
• Crewe - Blackpool no SDS fare. SOS £27.00. Not an appropriate RP.
• Stockport - Blackpool SDS £15.50. No SOS fare. Appropriate RP.
• Stoke On Trent - Blackpool no SDS fare. SOS £30.00. Not an appropriate RP.
• Wilmslow - Blackpool SDS £18.80. No SOS fare. Appropriate RP.

From this Crewe and Stoke are not Appropriate RPs and travel via Crewe would not be permitted.

Thanks for this response - it's crazy that it's this complex, particularly given the combination of routing points and which fare is cheapest......

Will think about what to do now, but your response is much appreciated.