Avanti West Coast - "Superfare" Scheme

[duncanp]

Haven't seen this published elsewhere.

Avanti West Coast are running a "superfare" scheme until the end of July, whereby they offer heavily discounted train tickets (eg. Birmingham - London for £12), with the catch that you have to be "flexible" on journey times.

It involves customers buying a ticket for a particular date and specifying they want to travel in the morning, afternoon or evening. Then roughly 24 hours before the journey, Avanti West Coast will match ticket-holders to a quieter service and inform them of their departure time.

Can't see this catching on, as speaking for myself I like to be able to choose when I want to travel, and no doubt those £12 tickets will be rarer than hen's teeth.

If they want to attract passengers back to pre pandemic levels how about, er, providing a reliable and frequent service.

£12 Birmingham to London train tickets launched in Avanti West Coast trial

Passengers can score major savings on the price of travel if they can flexible on journey times

www.birminghammail.co.uk

£12 Birmingham to London train tickets launched in Avanti West Coast trial​

Passengers can score major savings on the price of travel if they can flexible on journey times

Cut-price train tickets between Birmingham and four major cities from £12 each way were launched today, Monday, March 13, in a bid to boost passenger numbers. Avanti West Coast is the latest train operator to trial discounted tickets that will cost up to £22 for single journeys.

The fares are aimed at those who can be more flexible with their journey times. The move is aimed at trying to return rail passenger numbers back to pre-pandemic levels.

It involves customers buying a ticket for a particular date and specifying they want to travel in the morning, afternoon or evening. Then roughly 24 hours before the journey, Avanti West Coast will match ticket-holders to a quieter service and inform them of their departure time.

Tickets must be booked between seven and 21 days in advance and railcard discounts won't apply. Avanti West Coast trains run between London Euston and Birmingham International and New Street stations.

Routes vary with some stopping at Sandwell & Dudley en-route to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly and Preston.

Avanti West Coast executive director for commercial Sarah Copley said: “Superfare tickets are aimed at customers who can be more flexible with their journeys. Not only does it provide a cheaper option, but it’s also quick and easy.

“We want to give our customers more cost-effective ticketing options in an innovative way when travelling with us, as well as encouraging more people to take the train.”

Train journeys in the UK are still around a fifth lower than pre-Covid levels, resulting in billions of pounds in lost revenue each year.

The move follows Southern rail operator selling cut-price tickets a month ago to lure commuters back on Mondays and Fridays. Transport Secretary Mark Harper also recently announced fares on some LNER services will vary based on demand.

The cost of rail fares in England and Wales has been a bug bear for passengers, especially as they rose by an average of up to 5.9 per cent earlier this month. It was the largest annual rise for 11 years.

I see now that there is another thread on this topic in the Fares Advice & Policy section, so please delete this thread.

 

[ainsworth74]

Please see existing thread here:

Avanti Superfare

Avanti have launched a new type of way to get bums on to seats. https://www.avantisuperfare.co.uk/ Sorry can't add more on the phone - seems to be in partnership with Seatfrog Full T&Cs here : https://www.avantisuperfare.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

www.railforums.co.uk