Group Save with Chiltern

[jon01]

I had an interesting experience yesterday

I asked for 3 One Day TravelCards (Super Off Peak) on Group Save at the Warwick Parkway ticket office. I was surprised when I was told that the total was £90, the normal cost for 3 TravelCards. I said that I was departing on the 10:14 departure and returning late on the 22:37 from Marylebone. The Super Off Peak TravelCard on the National Rail website is £30 from Warwick on the above trains. The 3 tickets had Group Save 3 printed on them. Last time I travelled in a group of three at those times, about one year ago, I got 3 for the price of 2 TravelCards. I wasn't going to argue as there was a queue and I know that the lady has worked there for many years

Have the Group Save rules changed on weekdays, or was this a mistake by the ticket office??


Thanks

 

[wintonian]

The groupsave 3 price seems to be £88.50 and the price for 3 one day travelcards without the discount is £134.10 i.e. £44.70 each, thses are route any permitted.

A super off peak travel card (valid into London after 11:30) route High Wycombe is £30 or £59.40 for 3 with groupsave discount.

 

[bb21]

Were you mis-sold the Route Any Permitted Off-Peak Day Travelcard? These come in at £88.50 for three people.

The Route High Wycome Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard cost £59.40 for three people.

 

[barrykas]

The Route High Wycome Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard cost £59.40 for three people.

Except GroupSave is only available on Off-Peak Travelcards (ODT), NOT Super Off-Peak (SOT).

The undiscounted route High Wycombe Off-Peak Travelcard (valid by any train timed to arrive in London at or after 1005, return by any train) is £55.00, and the Any Permitted (arriving Marylebone at or after 1130, departing between 0926 and 1500, and at or after 1845) is £44.70.

So a GroupSave 3 Travelcard would be £29.50 per person (£88.50 total) for the Any Permitted, or £36.30 per person (£108.90 total) for the High Wycombe.

Similarly, a GroupSave 4 would be £22.35 (£89.40) for the Any Permitted, and £27.50 (£110.00) for the High Wycombe.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[bb21]

Except GroupSave is only available on Off-Peak Travelcards (ODT), NOT Super Off-Peak (SOT).

Yes I think this explains why the OP didn't in fact receive any discount at all, and paying £90 for three full-fare SOTs.

 

[jon01]

The ticket sold was an Off-Peak TCDS GPS-3 Any Permitted £29.50 x 3

So I only get the 3 for 2 offer on an Off Peak Travelcard (£55 each), which would actually cost more than 3 x Super Off Peak Travelcards (£30 each)?

 

[bb21]

The ticket sold was an Off-Peak TCDS GPS-3 Any Permitted £29.50 x 3

So I only get the 3 for 2 offer on an Off peak Travelcard (£55 each), which would actually cost more than 3 x Super Off Peak Travelcards (£30 each)?

That is unfortunately correct.

 

[jon01]

That is unfortunately correct.

Ok, thanks!

I'll drive down to Banbury or Bicester next time and use a Network Card!

 

[yorkie]

I'll drive down to Banbury or Bicester next time and use a Network Card!

That's a good idea. Some TOCs like to penalise us by making fares incredibly complex (e.g. where you think you are getting a discount - but find out you aren't - by which time it may be too late) and also by charging a huge premium for a longer distance journey.

As a result it can be best to split the journey into multiple tickets, or simply to drive to another station. A huge amount can be saved from York by driving to Garforth if going to anywhere in West Yorkshire, and the parking is expensive in York but free at Garforth, so it's a no-brainer if you can do it. Obviously this option is not open to all people or in all scenarios but if it's open to you then go for it.

It's odd how the TOCs appear to be unhappy at "split ticketing" but are not showing any concern that many people drive part of their journey to get the fare down to a sensible level. Some of them have their heads buried firmly in the sand when it comes to pricing policies!

You could write to Chiltern informing them of their decision, just so that they know where they're losing revenue! (managers will probably be reading this anyway so maybe there's no need )

 

[wintonian]

Were you mis-sold the Route Any Permitted Off-Peak Day Travelcard? These come in at £88.50 for three people.

The Route High Wycome Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard cost £59.40 for three people.

Except GroupSave is only available on Off-Peak Travelcards (ODT), NOT Super Off-Peak (SOT).

I see bb21 has made the same mistake as me. Is there an error in Avantix then as that is where I got the £59.40 from?

 

[John @ home]

The ticket sold was an Off-Peak TCDS GPS-3 Any Permitted £29.50 x 3

So I only get the 3 for 2 offer on an Off Peak Travelcard (£55 each), which would actually cost more than 3 x Super Off Peak Travelcards (£30 each)?

Not quite, no.

The £55 Off-Peak Travelcard is Warwick Parkway - London Zones 1-6 route High Wycombe. On Mon-Fri it is limited to trains arriving Marylebone after 1004, but has no afternoon peak restriction from Marylebome.

The ticket you were sold was a £44.70 Off-Peak Travelcard Warwick Parkway - London Zones 1-6 route Any Permitted. On Mon-Fri it is limited to trains arriving Euston before 0720 or after 1129, Paddington after 1043 or Marylebone before 0720 or after 1129. There are evening restrictions from all three London stations. See validity code G9.

The £44.70 fare is reduced to £29.50 by GroupSave 3, but Virgin don't participate in GroupSave so the ticket can't then be used on a Virgin train.

 

[class377man]

Are rules different in Chiltern-land? I've definitely got a Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard with GroupSave discount before.

 

[bb21]

Are rules different in Chiltern-land? I've definitely got a Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard with GroupSave discount before.

SWT will definitely sell theirs with GroupSave discounts. The trouble is that SWT's has code STO whereas Chiltern's is SOT. I think they're allowed their own terms.

 

[John @ home]

Are rules different in Chiltern-land? I've definitely got a Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard with GroupSave discount before.

SWT will definitely sell theirs with GroupSave discounts. The trouble is that SWT's has code STO whereas Chiltern's is SOT.

That's exactly the reason.

On c2c, Chiltern, FCC, FGW, LM, NXEA (except Stansted Express services), Southeastern, Southern and SWT, GroupSave discount is available in Standard accommodation with Ticket types CDS, CDR, SVS, SVR, SSS, SSR, SCO, STO, 1DT, CBA, PDS and PDR, and with type ODT on journeys which originate outside the London Fare Zones. They can also be used with types SDS and SDR where CDS/CDR is not available.

On EMT and ScotRail GroupSave discount is available only on flows where there is a GR3 & GR4 fare.