Birmingham to Fareham via 2 different routes this weekend

[DL]

I wondered if someone could help me figure out the best way to do this.

I need to travel from Birmingham to Fareham this Friday evening, returning on Sunday afternoon.
On the way down the quickest way is avoiding London, going Birmingham to Basingstoke on Cross Country, and then Southwestern from Basingstoke to Fareham.

However on Sunday there is a strike affecting cross country and very limited trains back in the afternoon. It looks to me like my best option might be to come back via London, so Southwestern to Waterloo and then either Virgin from Euston or Chiltern from Marylebone.

I have a railcard and so the two relevant return ticket options seem to be off peak returns: Not via London at £60.25 and a via London at £58.

If I am understanding the fares guide on this forum correctly, I can excess a ticket to change route. If I purchase the not via London ticket and then want to come back via London I can excess it, and as the London routed return is cheaper there will be no fare payable. Is that correct (and if so why isn't it just an Any Permitted ticket?)

However the guide also says its hard to get a zero fare excess issued, and some train companies won't do them. I don't fancy my chances of getting on a tube or through the gateline at Euston or Marylebone with a ticket that says route Not London!

What is the best way of ticketing this journey? Am I missing a better option?

Thanks

 

[yorkie]

Probably better to get the via London ticket.

You can ask at Birmingham New Street ticket office if they can excess the outward portion (the price should be half the difference) and if they can't do it, just get on the train. The price on board the same is no different with this type of excess.

It can be difficult to get staff to issue excess fares; it's not uncommon to find the original fare is just accepted or the staff try to charge an incorrect amount or just can't do it.

The problem with getting the more expensive ticket, is that you may find a zero fare excess hard to come by, which is no issue normally but it can be a big problem crossing London as LU gateline staff are unlikely to accept the ticket without the excess.

 

[30907]

Unless you are tight for time, you might find going via London more comfortable anyway. I get the impression XC trains can be busy on that route

 

[The Ham]

I wondered if someone could help me figure out the best way to do this.

I need to travel from Birmingham to Fareham this Friday evening, returning on Sunday afternoon.
On the way down the quickest way is avoiding London, going Birmingham to Basingstoke on Cross Country, and then Southwestern from Basingstoke to Fareham.

However on Sunday there is a strike affecting cross country and very limited trains back in the afternoon. It looks to me like my best option might be to come back via London, so Southwestern to Waterloo and then either Virgin from Euston or Chiltern from Marylebone.

I have a railcard and so the two relevant return ticket options seem to be off peak returns: Not via London at £60.25 and a via London at £58.

If I am understanding the fares guide on this forum correctly, I can excess a ticket to change route. If I purchase the not via London ticket and then want to come back via London I can excess it, and as the London routed return is cheaper there will be no fare payable. Is that correct (and if so why isn't it just an Any Permitted ticket?)

However the guide also says its hard to get a zero fare excess issued, and some train companies won't do them. I don't fancy my chances of getting on a tube or through the gateline at Euston or Marylebone with a ticket that says route Not London!

What is the best way of ticketing this journey? Am I missing a better option?

Thanks

Depending on when you wish to travel there are some GWR services which go to Banbury, which would then show you to change to a Chiltern service to get to Birmingham.

If you split tickets at Banbury and Basingstoke with a rail card (I used 26-30 for the prices) I think it comes in at about the same as the via London cost (Birmingham Banbury £13.75, Banbury to Basingstoke £23 & Basingstoke to Fareham £19.75 = £56.50), but it's worth checking as you'll need to see when the GWR services run.

It should also be noted that the GWR services are slower so will increase your journey time on the way back (tickets would be valid on XC services on the Friday and if they are running on the Sunday), at such you'll probably find it better to go via London for the sake of saving £1.50. It also saves you having to carry 6 tickets and the risk of confusion.

 

[paul1609]

Have you considered a Birmingham to Cosham Route High Wycombe Super Off Peak Return £38.50? Obviously you couldn't travel by Reading and Break of journey is not permitted on the outward so you would also need a single from Cosham to Fareham.

 

[DL]

Thanks all, I have purchased the via London ticket and will attempt to excess it this evening.

Have you considered a Birmingham to Cosham Route High Wycombe Super Off Peak Return £38.50? Obviously you couldn't travel by Reading and Break of journey is not permitted on the outward so you would also need a single from Cosham to Fareham.

The timings on having to go via High Wycombe don't quite work for me this evening, but this is a good find, will bear it in mind for the future.