New SWR "Semi Flex Return" fares

[HantsExile]

I cannot find any reference to the "Semi Flex Return" on the SWR website.

When I first saw this thread on Sunday evening, I checked the Journey Planners on the NRE and SWR websites for Winchester --> Waterloo --> Winchester on Thur 16th January. I got very confusing information with an apparent bias towards Advance Singles and no mention of the "Semi Flex".

This morning I re-checked the journey, and the Planners on both websitesnow offer me an Off Peak Return at the same price I paid a week ago, with the same flexible choice of trains within the Off Peak parameters and still no mention of the "Semi Flex".

 

[Joe Paxton]

Looks like you can't break journey on the outbound but you can on the return.

Correct, but that's because the outbound leg is in effect an Advance ticket - i.e. travel on the booked train only. The return leg is effectively the same as the return leg of a Super Off-Peak Rtn, albeit for travel on SWR only.

 

[AY1975]

Unlike Advance tickets, a Network Railcard does offer a discount on these fares.

I don't think it does - I tried looking up Weymouth-Waterloo both with and without a Network Railcard, and in both cases it quoted me the same price. It does appear to offer a discount with most national railcards, though.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I don't think it does - I tried looking up Weymouth-Waterloo both with and without a Network Railcard, and in both cases it quoted me the same price. It does appear to offer a discount with most national railcards, though.

The SWR booking engine did when I posted the original message (just over a week ago), but I think things may have been tinkered with since then.

 

[paul1609]

I particularly like the simplification on the Havant to Chichester part of the West Coastway Line where SWR set the any permitted fare, here the cheap day returns still exist but they are £1 more expensive than an off peak return. Presumably SWR will be checking anybody returning same day on an off peak return and excessing them to a Cheap day Return?

 

[hermit]

I have a semi-flex return ticket from PMH to WAT for next week which I shall not now be using in view of the advice against non-essential travel. Is it refundable or is it treated like an advance ticket for refund purposes? I bought it from Cross-country, whose website tells me to contact them by phone. In present circumstances this may take a long time.

 

[alistairlees]

I have a semi-flex return ticket from PMH to WAT for next week which I shall not now be using in view of the advice against non-essential travel. Is it refundable or is it treated like an advance ticket for refund purposes? I bought it from Cross-country, whose website tells me to contact them by phone. In present circumstances this may take a long time.

It is like an Advance - not refundable, exchangeable for a fee.

 

[hermit]

Well, I don’t know what to think now. Trying the Cross-Country website again, they’ve accepted the ticket for refund, so not treated as an advance. Good result for me.