Cheltenham to Newbury

[googolplex]

I've got to travel from Cheltenham to Newbury this week (on the 05.54 train , back the following evening) and have noticed that the only ticket valid for the journey is the Anytime Return at £79.20 (with a 16-25 Railcard), which seems a bit steep (even though I'll be claiming it back on expenses).
Does anybody know of any splitting or over-distance options to bring the price down, or what the restrictions are for the cheaper fares (I've not got an up-to-date copy of the NFM)?

Thanks

 

[yorkie]

Full restrictions are available at www.brfares.com which appears to be the NFM data online hosted in the US. (The restrictions are also available by using the National Rail Enquiries website, though I find that too time consuming!)

As for places to split, you can get ideas at the MSE Tickety Split site (it only does singles for now, but often the same principles apply for returns) or using TrainsCanBeCheaper.

 

[dzug2]

Swindon, Didcot and/or Reading can be suitable splitting points - though I'm not sure how many Cheltenham trains call at Didcot.

 

[sonic2009]

Outward :

Cheltenham Spa - Swindon Anytime Day Return ROUTE VIA STROUD £15.25
Swindon - Didcot Parkway Anytime Day Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £13.25
Didcot Parkway - Newbury Anytime Day Return ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £12.00

Didcot - Newbury is usually £9.85 for a Anytime Day Return, but as you are travelling with a 16-25 railcard before 10am the £12.00 minimum fare applies.

Return :

Return portion of Didcot Parkway - Newbury ticket
Didcot Parkway - Swindon Super OffPeak Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £5.95
Return portion of Swindon - Cheltenham ticket

Total cost : £46.45 with 16-25 railcard.

Your train must stop at Didcot Parkway on both outward and return journeys. The 0554 from Cheltenham Spa stops at Didcot Parkway, but as you haven't specified a return journey I cannot provide you a return time of a train that stops at Didcot Parkway.

Most of the direct Reading - Cheltenham Spa services stop at Didcot.

 

[googolplex]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, the BR Fares site is now bookmarked .
The best I could manage was £77.30, which for the sake of £1.90 doesn't seem worth it .
@Sonic, unfortunately they're day singles and I'm travelling down one day and back the next (sorry, the phrasing I used could be read 2 ways, I should have made it clearer)

 

[sonic2009]

I can get the price down to £53.95 using all single tickets :

Outward

Cheltenham Spa - Swindon Anytime Day Single ROUTE VIA STROUD £12.00
Swindon - Didcot Parkway Anytime Day Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £13.25
Didcot Parkway - Newbury Anytime Day Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £12.00

The fares shown for Cheltenham - Swindon & Didcot - Newbury are cheaper than £12.00 but due to the minimum fare rule with a 16-25 railcard, the price of these tickets are £12.00 (Minumum fare before 10am).

Return in the Evening next Day

No minimum fare applies after 10am

Newbury - Didcot Parkway Off Peak Day Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £5.40
Didcot Parkway - Swindon Super Off Peak Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £5.95
Swindon - Cheltenham Spa Off Peak Day Single ROUTE ANY PERMITTED £5.35

 

[LexyBoy]

Make sure your employer is happy to accept smartarse tickets for expenses purposes! Some accounts departments prefer to keep it simple.

 

[34D]

Make sure your employer is happy to accept smartarse tickets for expenses purposes! Some accounts departments prefer to keep it simple.

Yes very wise advice. Small SME types will be glad of the saving but larger corporates will want to know why you've been Swindon without authorisation!