Off Peak Return (SVR) fare for Nuneaton (NUN)- London Terminals (EUS) route direct

[MKB]

London-Midland style booking engines think NUN-COV-EUS is valid for this fare. Virgin-style booking engines restrict to NUN-RUG-EUS (although the latter regularly tries to charge the Any Permitted fare for routeing directly to RUG, so can't be trusted).

It seems as though some engines take "route direct" in this case to mean "not via BHM", whereas others take it to mean (more logically) the most direct route (although it does allow travel via NMP, so not always the most direct!).

I've always assumed the latter interpretation was correct. However the discrepancy has persisted for a number of years now, so I'm wondering if in fact the former interpretation was intended after all.

Anyone know?

 

[sonic2009]

I always understood that route DIRECT was the shortest distance in this case this is Nuneaton - Rugby - Milton Keynes - London Euston.

 

[LexyBoy]

As far as I know "Route: Direct" has no defined meaning. NRE doesn't allow via Coventry with this ticket, but does allow changing at Rugby (so not "direct trains").

Perhaps the attached info from NRE (the definitive source of information for rail travel) clarifies matters?

 

[causton]

I just went to check out the fare, and got offered either Northern Rail, or RailEasy as the sites to book my ticket from... not London Midland??

 

[LexyBoy]

I just went to check out the fare, and got offered either Northern Rail, or RailEasy as the sites to book my ticket from... not London Midland??

It's what software developers call an "undocumented feature" of the new NRE site

 

[benk1342]

Incidentally, why is Raileasy the only third-party retailer that comes up in that list on NRE? I assume they paid for the privilege. I would have expected ATOC to promote their own Red Spotted Hanky.

 

[yorkie]

As far as I know "Route: Direct" has no defined meaning. NRE doesn't allow via Coventry with this ticket, but does allow changing at Rugby (so not "direct trains").

I've always made the assumption that it means trains over the shortest route (and, logically, by extension, trains that take a route no greater than 3 miles more than that, as we know from The Routeing Guide in Detail that a route up to 3 miles longer is counted within the definition of the shortest route), and also through trains.

There is no way they can exclude through trains as that would defy logic and go against the NRCoC (which refers to through trains, rather than direct trains, as a through train may take a long route but passengers would still see it as 'direct' to avoid changes).

...(although it does allow travel via NMP, so not always the most direct!)....

Actually, if you view the mileages in the National Rail Timetable, in one direction it is documented that Northampton is shorter than the main line!

Now, we know that is not the case, but that is were were are supposed to get mileages from (though it isn't where the booking engines get their mileages from!).

In any case it's a non-issue as the shortest route includes routes up to 3 miles longer.

I just went to check out the fare, and got offered either Northern Rail, or RailEasy as the sites to book my ticket from... not London Midland??

Normally you are sent to the TOC who sets the fare (Virgin, in this case).

 

[thedbdiboy]

Incidentally, why is Raileasy the only third-party retailer that comes up in that list on NRE? I assume they paid for the privilege. I would have expected ATOC to promote their own Red Spotted Hanky.

Hang on, ATOC has no preferred site. Red Spotted Hanky is a service of Atos, a private company that supplies IT services to the rail industry amongst others. The similarity of names is coincidental.

 

[benk1342]

Hang on, ATOC has no preferred site. Red Spotted Hanky is a service of Atos, a private company that supplies IT services to the rail industry amongst others. The similarity of names is coincidental.

Oops! That clears that up.

Doesn't explain how Raileasy got their preferential treatment though.

 

[island]

Thetrainline normally appears in the 3rd party retailers when I look.