Cheapest Ticket

[Jan Mayen]

Reading another thread about pointless tickets and the example if Invershin to Culrain, made me wonder what the actual cheapest fare is. For the purposes of this thread, let's stick to season tickets and anytime tickets, no discounts for railcards or age or anything else.
The cheapest I'm aware of is Lichfield City to Trent Valley:
Season £4.50, single 80p, return £1.00
Anyone know any cheaper?

 

[4F89]

I thought the Wrexhams were cheap. But that's mad!

 

[Gloster]

If I remember correctly, at one time Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier Head and Newhaven Town to Newhaven Harbour tied as the cheapest; the first was certainly sold quite often. This may have been a fair few years ago.

 

[trainophile]

If I remember correctly, at one time Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier Head and Newhaven Town to Newhaven Harbour tied as the cheapest; the first was certainly sold quite often. This may have been a fair few years ago.

We tried to buy those back in October, think it was £1.15 each with our railcards (just checked, £1.80 without), but the lass on the ticket counter at Portsmouth & Southsea couldn't work out how to sell them and she was on her own while the boss popped out, so in the end we walked it, and very nice it was too!

 

[Hadders]

Dockyard to Devonport season is £3.20 per week although an Anytime Single is £1.60, return £1.70

 

[Wallsendmag]

We use Lichfield to Lichfield tickets for testing, it's the cheapest we've found.

 

[SickyNicky]

We use Lichfield to Lichfield tickets for testing, it's the cheapest we've found.

As do we. I often wonder if a computer somewhere wonders about all the child singles between Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley.

 

[Wallsendmag]

As do we. I often wonder if a computer somewhere wonders about all the child singles between Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley.

Although at 3am one night we did come close to a roll back until we figured that our mininum credit card payment was 50p. We laughed about that one the next day, not

 

[philthetube]

Are there any sites that would mail you this ticket without charging.

 

[Mag_seven]

How about Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow T123 - £0 (on HEX).

 

[SeanG]

Of course the cheapest seasons in the NSE area are quite frequently bought to provide a Gold Card

 

[paul1609]

Of course the cheapest seasons in the NSE area are quite frequently bought to provide a Gold Card

I dont think they are anymore. I think the cheapest gold cards are now outside the network card area.

 

[Hadders]

Of course the cheapest seasons in the NSE area are quite frequently bought to provide a Gold Card

I dont think they are anymore. I think the cheapest gold cards are now outside the network card area.

The Gold Card area was expanded a few years ago (2015 iirc) so it is now much larger than the Network Card area. This meant many more season tickets qualified for Gold Card status, the cheapest qualifying for Gold Card status has changed over the years but in recent years it has come from the expanded area.

 

[Kite159]

I dont think they are anymore. I think the cheapest gold cards are now outside the network card area.

Cheapest is Lapworth - Hatton, followed by Lichfield City - Lichfield Trent Valley, then a couple NSE area flows [Newhaven/Pevensey IIRC], but only a couple quid more expensive.

This is where I fear the DFT will decide to increase the cost of those cheap season tickets citing "no genuine users" to increase revenues

(Excluding those part-time Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids season tickets which are a bit of a grey area)

 

[Kilopylae]

With a Railcard, Exeter St Davids to Exeter St Thomas is just £1.05. Notable as one that actually gets used a bit by lazier Exeter College students.

 

[infobleep]

Cheapest is Lapworth - Hatton, followed by Lichfield City - Lichfield Trent Valley, then a couple NSE area flows [Newhaven/Pevensey IIRC], but only a couple quid more expensive.

This is where I fear the DFT will decide to increase the cost of those cheap season tickets citing "no genuine users" to increase revenues

(Excluding those part-time Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids season tickets which are a bit of a grey area)

I have an Exeter part time one. Grey star or not, it was issued and does the job for me
Wonder if I'll ever use it to travel between the two Exeter stations. When I had one for the Isle of Wight, I never did use the line.

It got plenty of use otherwise.

 

[Cdd89]

Assuming one successfully gets an Exeter part time issued, is using the Gold Card discount on non-listed days permitted?

Currently trying to decide if the potential hassle is worth the £20 saving...

 

[infobleep]

Assuming one successfully gets an Exeter part time issued, is using the Gold Card discount on non-listed days permitted?

Currently trying to decide if the potential hassle is worth the £20 saving...

My understanding is it is, as the Gold Card entitles you to a third off tickets. It doesn't state in the conditions this only applies on the day your season ticket can be used.

If others disagree then do post.

 

[kristiang85]

I went to renew my Exeter season ticket today, and the price has gone up to £260! And SWR said they couldn't sell me the part time ones (which would have worked fine, and only £160 or something like that).

So what's the cheapest full time Gold Card for 2021 since the price rises? Is it still Lapworth to Hatton?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Lapworth to Hatton seems to be £16.60 per week, or £16.90 per month/£176 per annum. That can't be right?

West Midlands Rail - Season Tickets | Season Ticket Calculator | West Midlands Rail

www.buytickets.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk

 

[CyrusWuff]

Lapworth to Hatton seems to be £16.60 per week, or £16.90 per month/£176 per annum. That can't be right?

Looking on BRFares, it is indeed showing an actual 7 Day rate of £16.60 and a "base rate" for Monthly and longer seasons of £4.40.

 

[Kite159]

Other seasons slightly more expensive than Lapworth - Hatton @ £176 (if you want to be different!)

Newhaven Harbour (NVH) to Newhaven Town (NVN) - £180
Pevensey & Westham (PEV) to Pevensey Bay (PEB) - £180
Lichfield Trent Valley (LTV) to Lichfield City (LIC) - £184

I still reckon the prices of these season tickets will get hiked by the DFT citing no "genuine" users [especially for the 2 Southern ones]

 

[infobleep]

Other seasons slightly more expensive than Lapworth - Hatton @ £176 (if you want to be different!)

Newhaven Harbour (NVH) to Newhaven Town (NVN) - £180
Pevensey & Westham (PEV) to Pevensey Bay (PEB) - £180
Lichfield Trent Valley (LTV) to Lichfield City (LIC) - £184

I still reckon the prices of these season tickets will get hiked by the DFT citing no "genuine" users [especially for the 2 Southern ones]

I thought fares couldn't go up more than a set amount or percentage, if in a basket.

I went to renew my Exeter season ticket today, and the price has gone up to £260! And SWR said they couldn't sell me the part time ones (which would have worked fine, and only £160 or something like that).

So what's the cheapest full time Gold Card for 2021 since the price rises? Is it still Lapworth to Hatton?

Does that mean SWR have scrapped some or all part time season tickets or do you mean they can't sell it and give you a gold card?

 

[kristiang85]

Does that mean SWR have scrapped some or all part time season tickets or do you mean they can't sell it and give you a gold card?

I'm not sure. When they asked for the £260, I said that can't be right (and the lady selling it agreed). So I looked it up on National rail, and indeed it was right, but the part time tickets were listed too. I pointed to these and said one of these would be fine for my purposes as I would only be going into work 1-2 days a week for the foreseeable, she said "we can't sell those here". No other explanation.

Other seasons slightly more expensive than Lapworth - Hatton @ £176 (if you want to be different!)

Newhaven Harbour (NVH) to Newhaven Town (NVN) - £180
Pevensey & Westham (PEV) to Pevensey Bay (PEB) - £180
Lichfield Trent Valley (LTV) to Lichfield City (LIC) - £184

I still reckon the prices of these season tickets will get hiked by the DFT citing no "genuine" users [especially for the 2 Southern ones]

Thanks, that's really helpful.

 

[Kite159]

I thought fares couldn't go up more than a set amount or percentage, if in a basket.


Does that mean SWR have scrapped some or all part time season tickets or do you mean they can't sell it and give you a gold card?

I would imagine if the DFT decided that there are "no genuine users" of those season ticket flows and the only sales were due to people buying them for a gold card they could increase the fare by a larger percentage without upsetting any genuine user.

Similar to London Midland when they increased the cost of the Lichfield ticket a few years ago after they noticed that sales increased when it was the cheapest season to qualify for a gold card.

After all if someone is willing to pay £176 for the benefits of a gold card, they will most likely be willing to pay £200+ for the same product.

 

[Llandudno]

I would imagine if the DFT decided that there are "no genuine users" of those season ticket flows and the only sales were due to people buying them for a gold card they could increase the fare by a larger percentage without upsetting any genuine user.

Similar to London Midland when they increased the cost of the Lichfield ticket a few years ago after they noticed that sales increased when it was the cheapest season to qualify for a gold card.

After all if someone is willing to pay £176 for the benefits of a gold card, they will most likely be willing to pay £200+ for the same product.

Perhaps there should be a £200 railcard available for everyone who doesn’t currently qualify for a £30 one!

 

[paul1609]

I believe that sales of the 2 southern seasons arent as significant as you might imagine given the publicity they receive amoungst enthusiasts and Ive heard a rumour that the pricing manager believes that the tickets are most likely revenue positive (to Southern)!

 

[Kite159]

I believe that sales of the 2 southern seasons arent as significant as you might imagine given the publicity they receive amoungst enthusiasts and Ive heard a rumour that the pricing manager believes that the tickets are most likely revenue positive (to Southern)!

I would imagine if anybody wants to buy a season ticket solely for the benefits of a Gold Card they would use Lapworth - Hatton as it's cheaper (all be by £4), or try their luck getting a part-time Exeter season ticket.

I would imagine the sales of the Ryde season ticket would have dropped like a stone since SWR stopped doing the freebie weekend tickets which SWT did.

Most railcards are most likely revenue positive to the railways, yes they give a third off the fare, but for some that could entourage more use of the trains.

 

[infobleep]

I would imagine if anybody wants to buy a season ticket solely for the benefits of a Gold Card they would use Lapworth - Hatton as it's cheaper (all be by £4), or try their luck getting a part-time Exeter season ticket.

I would imagine the sales of the Ryde season ticket would have dropped like a stone since SWR stopped doing the freebie weekend tickets which SWT did.

Most railcards are most likely revenue positive to the railways, yes they give a third off the fare, but for some that could entourage more use of the trains.

I will try my luck with the Exeter season ticket in July. I still have plenty of free weakened tickets to use. I think 10 or 11.

I am keeping a record of my ticket spend to see at which point I break even on the Gold Card discounts. I'm about £10 away but a fair number of my journeys are off peak returns and thus the saving would be the same with a network rail card.

This may be due to the fact nothing much is open and so I'm trying traveling to and from my support bubble.

I've just looked up the season ticket calculator on the National Rail Enquiries Web Site and it is still showing 12 month part time Exeter St David's to Exeter Central season ticket prices.

If that is the case I would assume they are legally required to sell you one if asked. I can't of course say whether tu should be in gold card stock or not though.

 

[greyman42]

Certainly not the cheapest but City Thameslink to Blackfriars is £6-30 (first class £10-20) return.