Chesterfield to Chester valid routes please

[SirAlf]

Looking to travel on Sat 5 Apr, arriving Chester 10:30 – 11:00. The most obvious option is the route via Manchester or Stockport. But to meet up with another person also going to Chester I'd like to go via Derby & Crewe, and only go via Manchester or Stockport if the Derby–Crewe train didn’t run for any reason

So my question... Is Chesterfield–Derby–Crewe–Chester a valid route on a Chesterfield to Chester flexible ticket? The forum site will sell me a ticket for that route but only with a split a Tutbury, I can't get that route without a split which wouldn’t work if my Derby–Crewe train was cancelled and I had to go via Manchester or Stockport.

Thank you in advance for any help. I really try to understand the routing guide but I'm still learning

 

[transportphoto]

I haven’t checked the routing guide, however… I doubt you’ll have any problems whatsoever using the ticket for this journey. It’s one of the most logical routes available.

If anyone questions it, the answer is “I’m heading up to Derby to pick up the Crewe train to go direct from there…”

Edit - checking the routing guide - I can’t see it as a mapped route. Map PR will take you to Derby, however none of JG, JO, or MJ, interface with Derby. I stick with my gut instinct that this will be allowed in reality.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Appears to be valid via Stockport and Crewe but not via Derby and Crewe.

However, Chesterfield to Crewe is valid via either Stockport or Derby.

For example:
Depart Chesterfield 08.08, change at Derby, Arrive Crewe 09.58
Or
Depart Chesterfield 08.22, change at Stockport, Arrive Crewe 10.09
£37.70 (Anytime Single)

Both would get you to Crewe in time for the 10.21 service to Chester (arrive 10.42) which currently has advances available for £6.70.

If you were coming back the same day, it's £44.70 Off Peak Return for the Chesterfield - Crewe portion and £16.60 for an Anytime Day Return for the Crewe - Chester bit (advances available for less if you could commit to the specific train).

 

[robbeech]

Is this likely to be the shortest route perhaps?

 

[jfollows]

Is this likely to be the shortest route perhaps?

I’d guess that’s going to be via Stockport and Northwich.

 

[lyndhurst25]

There is a very reasonably priced Derby to Rhyl Off-peak Day Return (£37.10) that would be valid to Chester via Crewe, or via Chesterfield and Stockport. If travelling via Derby then you would need an extra ticket to cover the Chesterfield to Derby leg, another reasonably priced Off-peak Day Return for £15.30.

 

[SirAlf]

Thank you everybody for your help, I've gone with flexible tickets Chesterfield – Crewe and Crewe – Chester

 

[Watershed]

Thank you everybody for your help, I've gone with flexible tickets Chesterfield – Crewe and Crewe – Chester

You might want to refund your Crewe-Chester ticket if you've not already bought it. TfW (or rather, their predecessor Arriva Trains Wales) increased prices so much that it is cheaper to buy an "overdistance" ticket for a longer journey (such as Kidsgrove to Chester) than actually buying Crewe to Chester. The latter is priced by EMR, whose predecessors EMT and Central Trains didn't engage in the same level of price increases as ATW.

In fact the cheapest option, if you want to avoid splitting at an intermediate station on the Derby-Stoke line to maximise flexibility, would appear to be to split at Stoke-on-Trent. This would cost £35.10 + £15.40 = £50.50 in total for a day trip (assuming Off-Peak). The Chesterfield-Stoke ticket would be bought as "Any Permitted" by default (which is only valid via Tutbury) but could be excessed to "via Sheffield" on either portion for half the difference in fare (i.e. £5.70 each way).

 

[tram21]

if my Derby–Crewe train was cancelled

Check the EMR website on Friday night for the cancellation list. Due to the Rest Day Working agreement expiring there are many weekend cancellations now. But they are all listed the night before (and P-coded