• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Motspur Park to Milton Keynes Central super off-peak single not showing up on all sites

Status
Not open for further replies.

infobleep

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Feb 2011
Messages
12,556
I was looking up ticket prices from Motspur Park to Milton Keynes Central. It wasn't a journey I was wanting to make but more that I was trying to work out if someone's recent car journey was cheaper; the same or more expensive than if they had gone by train. Given they travelled out yesterday and then back early this morning, the answer would be the car is cheaper. However, I was interested if it was the case later in the day, outside of the morning peak ticket period for this route.

To my surprise, National Rail Enquiries came back with two singles. These were super off-peak singles at £18.60. According to National Rail Enquiries, two super off-peak singles at a combined price of £37.20, is cheaper than an off-peak period return, at £42.20.

The travel times were as follows:
Outward trip Depart 12:15, arrive 13:50.
Return trip Depart 14:15, arrive 16:01

However when I went onto brfares.com, no super off-peak single show up. After this, I clicked on buy tickets from National Rail Enquiries and it took me to the London North Western Railway Web Site. However, it came back with the error:
Sorry, due to a technical issue we are currently unable to process your request. Please go back and try again....

Does anyone know what might be causing this?

Checking train split found a cheaper split option. Choosing flexible gave a return fare price of £45, which was £2.80 more than the return fare price on National Rail Enquiries. brafares.com agrees with Train Split.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,725
I was looking up ticket prices from Motspur Park to Milton Keynes Central. It wasn't a journey I was wanting to make but more that I was trying to work out if someone's recent car journey was cheaper; the same or more expensive than if they had gone by train. Given they travelled out yesterday and then back early this morning, the answer would be the car is cheaper. However, I was interested if it was the case later in the day, outside of the morning peak ticket period for this route.

To my surprise, National Rail Enquiries came back with two singles. These were super off-peak singles at £18.60. According to National Rail Enquiries, two super off-peak singles at a combined price of £37.20, is cheaper than an off-peak period return, at £42.20.

The travel times were as follows:
Outward trip Depart 12:15, arrive 13:50.
Return trip Depart 14:15, arrive 16:01

However when I went onto brfares.com, no super off-peak single show up. After this, I clicked on buy tickets from National Rail Enquiries and it took me to the London North Western Railway Web Site. However, it came back with the error:


Does anyone know what might be causing this?

Checking train split found a cheaper split option. Choosing flexible gave a return fare price of £45, which was £2.80 more than the return fare price on National Rail Enquiries. brafares.com agrees with Train Split.
The £18.60 Super Off-Peak Single fare you found is from Zone 4 to Milton Keynes Central. Although Motspur Park is in Zone 4, this fare is not valid from Motspur Park, as it's intended to be used on a tube leg into London, and then on the train. NRE is in error in offering this fare. You can find the fare at http://www.brfares.com/#expert?orig=0792&dest=MKC. Perhaps the combination of route 00200 "via London" and Cross-London = "No" are confusing NRE's journey planner.
 
Last edited:

infobleep

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Feb 2011
Messages
12,556
The £18.60 Super Off-Peak Single fare you found is from Zone 4 to Milton Keynes Central. Although Motspur Park is in Zone 4, this fare is not valid from Motspur Park, as it's intended to be used on a tube leg into London, and then on the train. NRE is in error in offering this fare. You can find the fare at http://www.brfares.com/#expert?orig=0792&dest=MKC. Perhaps the combination of route 00200 "via London" and Cross-London = "No" are confusing NRE's journey planner.
Thanks for resolving that mystery.

Shame they don't directly sell tickets. In this case it would be a £2 cheaper to gwt a bus to a zone 4 tube station and use the zone 4 to Milton Keynes ticket.
 

Paul Kelly

Verified Rep - BR Fares
Joined
16 Apr 2010
Messages
4,130
Location
Reading
TrainSplit will sell you the U-zone fare if you put "London Underground and DLR Zones 1-4" as your origin station.
 

infobleep

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Feb 2011
Messages
12,556
TrainSplit will sell you the U-zone fare if you put "London Underground and DLR Zones 1-4" as your origin station.
Thanks for that. I'm not actually intending to travel in this case but useful to know.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top