Anytime Short Return is cheaper than Off Peak Return. Why?

[Howardh]

Bolton to Liverpool South Parkway, out on a Monday (11 July) return on the Friday. Not train-specific advance. Wanted off-peak return, suggests £13.30 with railcard; however if I buy an anytime short distance return (any return within a month) it's actually cheaper @ £13.05

I cannot find any reason why this should be cheaper, as it's anytime it could be peak hours = more expensive? Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yep, the tickets are different routes.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Different routing. The Off Peak Return (at £13.30 with railcard discount) is routed via Manchester and priced by TPE whereas the Anytime Short Return (at £13.05 with railcard discount) is routed via Wigan and priced by Northern.

 

[Howardh]

Really?

Different routing. The Off Peak Return (at £13.30 with railcard discount) is routed via Manchester whereas the Anytime Short Return (at £13.05 with railcard discount) is routed via Wigan.

Right. That seems very confusing, a pax might just buy the ticket in advance and then select the train journey wanted on the day, thinking it's an open ticket. I know I would; and I'd expect to be routed through Manchester. Thanks for alerting me...I saw nothing when I clicked on the ticket's T's and C's. I can now see where it's printed...

My return must be no later than the 2210 to get the last train from Manchester to Bolton, so the ticket must be OPR.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Howardh D. The screenshot you provided in post #1 does seem to indicate (in the bottom right hand corner) that the £13.05 ticket is valid only for travel via (passing through or changing trains at) Wigan.

 

[yorkie]

My return must be no later than the 2210 to get the last train from Manchester to Bolton, so the ticket must be OPR.

An OPR is a Super Off Peak Return; we do allow codes to be used, but it's best to define them the first time they are used and of course they must be correct

The full range of fares for Bolton (BON) to Liverpool South Parkway (LPY) are as follows:

https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=BON&dest=LPY

RETURN FARES
ANYTIME SHORT R SHR​	Route VIA MANCHESTER​	Validity 1DYOUT 1MTHRTN​	Adult £27.70​	Child £13.85​	◊​
​ ​ Fare Setter: TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS​
OFF-PEAK R SVR​	Route VIA MANCHESTER​	Validity AS ADVERTISED Restrictions TO NOT VALID BEFORE 0830 MON-FRI​	Adult £20.20​	Child £10.10​	​
​ ​ Outward & Return:​ NOT VALID BEFORE 0830 MONDAY-FRIDAY.​ Fare Setter: TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS​
ANYTIME SHORT R SHR​	Route VIA WIGAN​	Validity 1DYOUT 1MTHRTN​	Adult £19.80​	Child £9.90​	◊​
​ ​ Fare Setter: NORTHERN​
ANYTIME DAY R SDR​	Route VIA WIGAN​	Validity ON DATE SHOWN​	Adult £16.10​	Child £8.05​	◊​
​ ​ Fare Setter: NORTHERN​
OFF-PEAK DAY R CDR​	Route VIA WIGAN​	Validity SEE RESTRICTNS Restrictions B1 OFF-PEAK​	Adult £13.00​	Child £6.50​	◊​
​ ​ Outward & Return:​ VALID AFTER 0929 MON-FRI​ Fare Setter: NORTHERN​

Really?

Right. That seems very confusing, a pax might just buy the ticket in advance and then select the train journey wanted on the day, thinking it's an open ticket

The term "open" ticket is open to interpretation, but either means a ticket which is semi-flexible (i.e. a Super Off Peak Day Return would count), or valid to return another day (e.g. an Off Peak Return), or valid on any train to return within a month (e.g. an Anytime Return, which retains the code SOR which reflects the fact that such fares used to be called Standard Open Returns) but I've never known anyone use the term "open" to refer to the routeing of a ticket.

I suggest avoiding the use of the term "open ticket" as it causes confusion at the best of times, let alone when you apply it to refer to the route of a ticket!

I know I would; and I'd expect to be routed through Manchester.

When selecting an itinerary, you can check the route is appropriate and the booking site will automatically check that the ticket is valid for that route.

However if you return via a different route, for which a higher fare applies, the good news is that the on the train excess fare is half the difference between the price paid and the appropriate fare, so you are not penalised in such an event.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

However if you return via a different route, for which a higher fare applies, the good news is that the on the train excess fare is half the difference between the price paid and the appropriate fare, so you are not penalised in such an event.

What would the appropriate change of route excess be, if the OP held a £13.05 Anytime Short Return ticket (this after railcard discount), and routed "via Wigan", but wanted to travel instead via Manchester?

 

[yorkie]

What would the appropriate change of route excess be, if the OP held a £13.05 Anytime Short Return ticket (this after railcard discount), and routed "via Wigan", but wanted to travel instead via Manchester?

If the return journey was not before 0830 and there was no evidence the outward journey commenced before 0830, the cost would be 20p.

If travel was before 0830, in either direction, the cost would be £3.95