Can I buy a ticket from Burton to Lichfield City?

[Comstock]

Yes I know it's a ludicrous route- presumably I have to go in and out of BHM. And yes I know there is a bus, but I live very very near Burton Station and nearly a mile from the bus route. Coupling that with a massive preference for train over bus travel make me consider the train.

So, could I buy such a ticket, or would I need to buy 2 separate tickets?

 

[Wallsendmag]

Yes would be the answer

 

[yorkie]

Indeed you can http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=BUT&dest=LIC

 

[John @ home]

> Can I buy a ticket from Burton to Lichfield City?
Yes. A full set of Burton to Lichfield City fares is here.

> presumably I have to go in and out of BHM.
Not necessarily. All Burton to Lichfield City fares are valid by "Any Permitted" route, and the journey planners offer a choice of going via Birmingham (1 change of train) or via Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley (2 changes of train).

Very occasionally, usually during Sunday engineering work, you may even find a direct train from Burton to Lichfield.

 

[Comstock]

Many thanks for this

Very occasionally, usually during Sunday engineering work, you may even find a direct train from Burton to Lichfield.

Presumably the fare would be the same- if so that would be one of the highest prices per mile on the network?

 

[Djgr]

Many thanks for this



Presumably the fare would be the same- if so that would be one of the highest prices per mile on the network?

I think you will find that the train runs directly from one to the other but may not stop at both (or either!)

 

[Comstock]

I think you will find that the train runs directly from one to the other but may not stop at both (or either!)

Now that John mentions it I'm sure I saw a train stopping at both on trainline a few months ago and dismissed it as an error. Sorry can't remember any details and may even have imagined the whole thing!

 

[Kite159]

I think you will find that the train runs directly from one to the other but may not stop at both (or either!)

A couple months ago there was weekend engineering works closing the usual route and XC were calling additionally at Lichfield City to connect with rail replacement bus services.

And yes heading Lichfield City being announced as a calling point on a XC service at Exeter St Davids was very strange.

 

[Samuel88]

> Can I buy a ticket from Burton to Lichfield City?
Yes. A full set of Burton to Lichfield City fares is here.

> presumably I have to go in and out of BHM.
Not necessarily. All Burton to Lichfield City fares are valid by "Any Permitted" route, and the journey planners offer a choice of going via Birmingham (1 change of train) or via Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley (2 changes of train).

Very occasionally, usually during Sunday engineering work, you may even find a direct train from Burton to Lichfield.

Why then when I try to plan a journey via Birmingham does the National rail journey planner give an invalid route...

 

[JB_B]

Why then when I try to plan a journey via Birmingham does the National rail journey planner give an invalid route...

Because going via Birmingham isn't a valid route for a route:Any Permitted ticket. There are no mapped routes. There are no relevant easements. The only permitted route is the shortest route via Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley.

 

[kieron]

Now that John mentions it I'm sure I saw a train stopping at both on trainline a few months ago and dismissed it as an error. Sorry can't remember any details and may even have imagined the whole thing!

As it happens, Crosscountry are running a few trains on Sunday which call at Burton-on-Trent and Lichfield City. I think the line through Water Orton is closed, meaning their normal route via Tamworth isn't available.

The trains stop in Lichfield to meet a rail replacement bus to Tamworth. I don't know why Lichfield City, though. Can trains from Derby get into platform 3 without reversing? If they can, they may prefer Lichfield City because it has lifts.

Because going via Birmingham isn't a valid route for a route:Any Permitted ticket. There are no mapped routes. There are no relevant easements. The only permitted route is the shortest route via Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley.

It may be worth adding that the reason why there are no mapped routes is because, despite the (possibly complete) lack of scheduled trains from Burton-on-Trent to Lichfield Trent Valley, Lichfield Trent Valley is one of the routeing points Burton-on-Trent is associated with. Lichfield City is associated with it as well, which means that there are no mapped routes, and "routeing point" easements such as 30176 (which would otherwise cover this journey) cannot be used.

 

[dvboy]

They stop at Lichfield City rather than Lichfield TV because there is no platform on the southbound line at Lichfield TV high level.