Chester-Birmingham

[supervalkoinen]

Having seen the thread re L'pool-Birm Intnl, I've just checked fares for Chester-Birm New St.

Am I right in thinking that the OPDR used to be valid via Crewe?
If so, when did that validity end?

Now only seems to be valid via Shrewsbury.

 

[yorkie]

What's an OPDR? Is that Off Peak Day Return? (the code for that is CDR).

The routeing permissions are the same regardless of ticket type.

An FOI request to the DfT should provide the answer, as they are responsible for regulating such changes However first are you sure the routeing has changed? I will look it up shortly....

...just checked, WebTIS is happy to sell tickets via Crewe. What makes you think it isn't valid via Crewe?

Isn't via Crewe the shortest route (at 73 miles) anyway? The shortest route is always valid!

 

[supervalkoinen]

What's an OPDR? Is that Off Peak Day Return? (the code for that is CDR).

The routeing permissions are the same regardless of ticket type.

An FOI request to the DfT should provide the answer, as they are responsible for regulating such changes However first are you sure the routeing has changed? I will look it up shortly....

Yes - sorry - all the acronyms do my head in!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What's an OPDR? Is that Off Peak Day Return? (the code for that is CDR).

The routeing permissions are the same regardless of ticket type.

An FOI request to the DfT should provide the answer, as they are responsible for regulating such changes However first are you sure the routeing has changed? I will look it up shortly....

...just checked, WebTIS is happy to sell tickets via Crewe. What makes you think it isn't valid via Crewe?

Isn't via Crewe the shortest route (at 73 miles) anyway? The shortest route is always valid!

On London Midland says that the Off-Peak Day Return (£17.20) is only valid via Shrewsbury, otherwise cheapest is an off-peak return (£29).

 

[yorkie]

Valid Routes from Birmingham Stations to Chester [CTR]:

1. A Direct train is always valid
   
2. The Shortest Route is always valid
3. Mapped Routes:
   BIRMINGHAM GROUP - Chester:
   • BC
   • BC + CH
   • BP + LC
   • BP + LC + CL
   • CC
   • CC + CL

According to WebTIS, it's 73 miles via Crewe, versus 84 miles via Shrewsbury & Wrexham. Therefore, it's valid under the shortest route rule. In addition, map CC allows Birmingham - Stafford - Crewe - Chester (with optional deviations via Walsall, and via Stoke).

 

[raildude]

I think what happened was it used to just be Any Permitted by itself.

A new route Shrewsbury ticket was added whilst the Any Permitted fare went up.

The Cheap Day Return is only allowed through Shrewsbury because there isn't one for Any permitted


.....

I think

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's been like that since about May this year.
LM slipped in new Any Permitted fares and messed up my day trips no end by not offering a CDR on the shortest/quickest route via Stafford.
The old ATW CDR fare is still there but only valid via Shrewsbury (also valid on the few trains that run Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury-Bham).
What I don't get is why the new fares are set by LM when they don't even run through services, ATW and VT do.

This week I got round it by buying a CDR Chester-Shrewsbury (valid via Crewe and BOJ there, but cheaper than the Chester-Crewe SDR fare), and then a West Midlands Day Ranger valid fom Crewe via Stafford - more expensive than the old fare but cheaper than the new.

 

[yorkie]

I have looked up the fares. The fares are as follows:

Route Any Permitted:
FOR £89.70
SOR £47.00
FOS £44.90
SOS £31.40
SVR £29.00 (CS: By any train except those timed to depart M-F before 0900)

Route Shrewsbury:
FOR £79.80
SVR £34.50 (8A: Valid any train)
FDS £39.90
SDS £24.60
CDR £17.20 (B4: By any train except those timed to depart M-F before 0845)
CDS £17.10 (B4: as above)
SGD £12.90 (B4: as above. Small Group ticket)

 

[All Line Rover]

It's been like that since about May this year.
LM slipped in new Any Permitted fares and messed up my day trips no end by not offering a CDR on the shortest/quickest route via Stafford.
The old ATW CDR fare is still there but only valid via Shrewsbury (also valid on the few trains that run Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury-Bham).
What I don't get is why the new fares are set by LM when they don't even run through services, ATW and VT do.

This week I got round it by buying a CDR Chester-Shrewsbury (valid via Crewe and BOJ there, but cheaper than the Chester-Crewe SDR fare), and then a West Midlands Day Ranger valid fom Crewe via Stafford - more expensive than the old fare but cheaper than the new.

ATW set the "route Shrewsbury" fare. LM set the "Any Permitted" fare as they operate the majority of services between Crewe and Birmingham. Seems sensible enough to me!

 

[supervalkoinen]

It's been like that since about May this year.
LM slipped in new Any Permitted fares and messed up my day trips no end by not offering a CDR on the shortest/quickest route via Stafford.
The old ATW CDR fare is still there but only valid via Shrewsbury (also valid on the few trains that run Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury-Bham).
What I don't get is why the new fares are set by LM when they don't even run through services, ATW and VT do.

This week I got round it by buying a CDR Chester-Shrewsbury (valid via Crewe and BOJ there, but cheaper than the Chester-Crewe SDR fare), and then a West Midlands Day Ranger valid fom Crewe via Stafford - more expensive than the old fare but cheaper than the new.

From my initial searches, it can be done cheaper with a split at Stafford, or even cheaper, at Penkridge.

 

[headshot119]

Could I suggest you purchase a Wrexham General to Birmingham Stations CDR priced at £14.20. Allows travel via Chester and Crewe to Birmingham.

 

[supervalkoinen]

Could I suggest you purchase a Wrexham General to Birmingham Stations CDR priced at £14.20. Allows travel via Chester and Crewe to Birmingham.

Well spotted - thanks!

 

[headshot119]

Just to point out though you'd need to travel via Crewe and Chester using that ticket, you couldn't go via Wrexham and Shrewsbury. Though if you did want to do that a Shotton to Wrexham General SDR is only £3.70.

 

[All Line Rover]

Could I suggest you purchase a Wrexham General to Birmingham Stations CDR priced at £14.20. Allows travel via Chester and Crewe to Birmingham.

I await the RG maps to be changed, or for a "route Shrewsbury" fare to be introduced. :roll:

It's an excellent value ticket (for the time being), though, I'll give you that!

 

[headshot119]

WRX - BHM is priced by ATW. Where as CTR - BHM is priced by LMR. Not sure if Arriva would want a route Shrewsbury ticket introduced. ( I hope not anway, although there are other ways around it ALR, PM me if you want to know more.)

 

[tony_mac]

WRX - BHM is priced by ATW. Where as CTR - BHM is priced by LMR.

Chester to Birmingham was priced by ATW until the recent change and the introduction of the Route via Shrewsbury fare. I wouldn't expect Wrexham to be treated any differently once they notice.