Avanti Superfare

[ThrowAway10101]

Where would you change?

Rugby or Nuneaton (Nuneaton during the evenings)

That's really no different to the availability of long distance coach services - from London there is competition on routes to big cities, whereas from smaller towns there is likely to be a small selection of National Express routes and no competition.

True, I was half-joking. Much rather take the train than a coach :X

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Choosing Morning, Afternoon or Evening is quite a gamble about when the journey will be.

Anyone actually been allocated a particularly early morning (or late evening) Avanti train service having opted for 'Morning' or 'Evening', as the case may be?

 

[Johnnylikely]

Anyone actually been allocated a particularly early morning (or late evening) Avanti train service having opted for 'Morning' or 'Evening', as the case may be?

I picked 7-12pm slot for Liverpool was given a very reasonable 10.43am!
I’m thinking maybe the early services are much busier due to working hours? Though I’ve only done this once lol

 

[mangyiscute]

I picked 7-12pm slot for Liverpool was given a very reasonable 10.43am!
I’m thinking maybe the early services are much busier due to working hours? Though I’ve only done this once lol

When I've taken avanti peak services (very rarely, since theyre so expensive) they have been very quiet - suggesting that perhaps they shouldnt be so expensive!

 

[setdown]

Yup. May be going slightly off-topic, but I used to do a lot of travel on the WCML. Arranged my life around the mythical peaks, with the super-expensive fares and (therefore-assumed) rammed trains to justify them. Work bought me a ticket for a departure out of Euston one evening to Liverpool, and I couldn't believe just how quiet one of these 'peak' trains was. Honestly it just made me really angry.

 

[peterblue]

Yep, the 'Peak' trains are quieter but the first (or last) off-peak departure out of Euston is nearly always rammed full.

 

[mangyiscute]

I guess revenue wise if you have a third of the number of passengers but charge 4x the fare you are still making money. Just a shame that railways are run for money and not to try and provide a means of transport for the public.

 

[liam456]

Has anyone purchased a Superfare ticket between London and Glasgow? And if so, has it been on a via Birmingham or a Trent Valley service?

 

[mrmartin]

Has anyone purchased a Superfare ticket between London and Glasgow? And if so, has it been on a via Birmingham or a Trent Valley service?

I assume birmingham given the website says journey time is approx 5.5 hours:

 

[tornado]

That looks like a glitch or because of engineering works. Most days it says about 5 hours. Also via bhm is actually about 6 hours.

 

[liam456]

Well, I've booked one for Thursday evening (23rd). With a 25% chance of a via Birmingham service, I'd be really unlucky to get one...

 

[ainsworth74]

Well, I've booked one for Thursday evening (23rd). With a 25% chance of a via Birmingham service, I'd be really unlucky to get one...

Let us know what you get!

 

[mangyiscute]

The evening time is quite interesting, because often there are only 1 or 2 trains that you could possibly take - say Glasgow to London, on Mon-Fri and Sunday if you book the 17:00-21:00 you could only be put on the 17:30 or the 18:40 (17:34/18:34 on Sundays, and the 18:34 runs via Birmingham on Sundays), and on Saturdays the only possible option is the 17:30. So if you know you want to take that train, this could be a very cheap way to get what is effectively an advance ticket for that train.

 

[zwk500]

The evening time is quite interesting, because often there are only 1 or 2 trains that you could possibly take - say Glasgow to London, on Mon-Fri and Sunday if you book the 17:00-21:00 you could only be put on the 17:30 or the 18:40 (17:34/18:34 on Sundays, and the 18:34 runs via Birmingham on Sundays), and on Saturdays the only possible option is the 17:30. So if you know you want to take that train, this could be a very cheap way to get what is effectively an advance ticket for that train.

If you buy one of these Superfare tickets, are you guaranteed to be allocated a train, or do the Ts&Cs allow them to refund the ticket if there's a sudden surge in demand?

 

[mangyiscute]

If you buy one of these Superfare tickets, are you guaranteed to be allocated a train, or do the Ts&Cs allow them to refund the ticket if there's a sudden surge in demand?

I see nothing in the t&cs suggesting they can suddenly refund a ticket, so I assume that they'd count you towards a booked place on the train

 

[blakey1152]

I've been through the comments on this thread and I didn't see anyone ask the question that was on my mind and I can't see it in the terms and conditions of the ticket but is this Superfare Ticket sent as an e-ticket to your phone or does the e-mail they send give you a TOD to collect the ticket at a machine or is there an option to choose when booking?

The reason I ask is I do not in any way trust QR code tickets to work and prefer to have a proper physical paper ticket
A certain fast food restaurant uses QR codes for their points reward system and so far i've only ever managed to get the code to scan once - I don't know if it's my phone that's temperamental or the silly scanners they use on their touch screens lol

 

[mangyiscute]

I've been through the comments on this thread and I didn't see anyone ask the question that was on my mind and I can't see it in the terms and conditions of the ticket but is this Superfare Ticket sent as an e-ticket to your phone or does the e-mail they send give you a TOD to collect the ticket at a machine or is there an option to choose when booking?

The reason I ask is I do not in any way trust QR code tickets to work and prefer to have a proper physical paper ticket
A certain fast food restaurant uses QR codes for their points reward system and so far i've only ever managed to get the code to scan once - I don't know if it's my phone that's temperamental or the silly scanners they use on their touch screens lol

I'd imagine e-ticket since that is the main form used now by most rail travellers, especially the market segment something like this is targeting.

I would say that you shouldnt be worried about a e-ticket not scanning on a train - I have used them plenty of times and never had an issue (whereas with TOD collection I have had issues with it not recognising the card I used for collection) and even if it doesn't scan, its treated similarly to what happens if you put a ticket in a barrier and it doesn't work - they can check the journey details to see if it is valid anyway.

 

[blakey1152]

I'd imagine e-ticket since that is the main form used now by most rail travellers, especially the market segment something like this is targeting.

I would say that you shouldnt be worried about a e-ticket not scanning on a train - I have used them plenty of times and never had an issue (whereas with TOD collection I have had issues with it not recognising the card I used for collection) and even if it doesn't scan, its treated similarly to what happens if you put a ticket in a barrier and it doesn't work - they can check the journey details to see if it is valid anyway.

I've bitten the bullet and bought a ticket from Euston to Manchester on the 12th between 7am and 11.59am, returning on the 14th in the afternoon slot

Lets see what happens now, I'm happy that effectively I've saved just over £60 on the more flexible off peak return

 

[tornado]

TOD collection is an absolute pain. As somebody who never carries around a physical credit card any more as I use contactless on my phone, I got caught out recently. You need to present a physical card to prove your identity. You then need to enter in an 8 digit code and queue up for the machine. An absolute faff in the modern day and age.

I get e-tickets wherever possible. Never had one not scan.

 

[mangyiscute]

TOD collection is an absolute pain. As somebody who never carries around a physical credit card any more as I use contactless on my phone, I got caught out recently. You need to present a physical card to prove your identity. You then need to enter in an 8 digit code and queue up for the machine. An absolute faff in the modern day and age.

I get e-tickets wherever possible. Never had one not scan.

I'd say both have their merits, TOD collection is fine in places where there's very rarely a queue for ticket machines, which is becoming more and more the case as most people use e-tickets - I frequently use Reading and Oxford station and don't remember the last time there wasn't just a free machine straight away, since they both have many ticket machines. I do hope they soon remove the need to have the card, I think it should be possible.

 

[185143]

TOD collection is an absolute pain. As somebody who never carries around a physical credit card any more as I use contactless on my phone, I got caught out recently. You need to present a physical card to prove your identity. You then need to enter in an 8 digit code and queue up for the machine. An absolute faff in the modern day and age.

I get e-tickets wherever possible. Never had one not scan.

Northern's TVMs will happily take contactless for TOD collection.

 

[Haywain]

I'd say both have their merits, TOD collection is fine in places where there's very rarely a queue for ticket machines, which is becoming more and more the case as most people use e-tickets - I frequently use Reading and Oxford station and don't remember the last time there wasn't just a free machine straight away, since they both have many ticket machines. I do hope they soon remove the need to have the card, I think it should be possible.

ToD removal is the priority, not making it easier.

 

[Wallsendmag]

ToD removal is the priority, not making it easier.

What he said

 

[Smidster]

ToD removal is the priority, not making it easier.

Well it would fit with the ethos of the railway to make life as miserable as possible for the consumer and maximise the potential to criminalise folk and make people suffer.

 

[Johnnylikely]

It’s an email with the ticket attached barcode and booking ref given

I've bitten the bullet and bought a ticket from Euston to Manchester on the 12th between 7am and 11.59am, returning on the 14th in the afternoon slot

Lets see what happens now, I'm happy that effectively I've saved just over £60 on the more flexible off peak return

Let us know what you get! Good luck

 

[Starmill]

ToD removal is the priority, not making it easier.

Avanti West Coast are "trialling" a ToD only Worldline machine at Manchester Piccadilly. Only went in a few months ago.

 

[blakey1152]

I've got my outbound ticket now and as expected it's a .pdf file with a QR code showing the seat reservations and other details.

Can I print out this ticket and use that to show / scan at any barriers or do I have to show it on my phone instead?

 

[tspaul26]

I've got my outbound ticket now and as expected it's a .pdf file with a QR code showing the seat reservations and other details.

Can I print out this ticket and use that to show / scan at any barriers or do I have to show it on my phone instead?

If it’s a PDF with a static barcode (no animations or time stamps moving about) then you can print it out and use it as a hard copy ticket.

 

[Wallsendmag]

If it’s a PDF with a static barcode (no animations or time stamps moving about) then you can print it out and use it as a hard copy ticket.

It’s a PDF so it can be printed

 

[HST43257]

If someone wanted to travel from, say, Carlisle to London, would the best option be to:

a) Buy a regular ticket Carlisle to London

b) Buy a regular ticket Carlisle to Preston, Superfare Preston to London

c) Superfare Glasgow to London, boarding at Carlisle