P'boro to London; Carnet vs Season ticket?

[CBL2013]

Apologies if elements of this have been done before (namely the following)

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=64507&highlight=CARNET
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=44189&highlight=CARNET

but I would value some further expert and updated input. I would be commuting a maximum of 3 days a week, most likely from Peterborough (or potentially Kettering), into Central London at peak times. I am trying to assess the opportunity of an advance carnet purchase on EC (not FCC) if one exists and how this compares against a season pass.

I am pretty sure the costings already point to the season pass being best given an anytime return is £99/day (vs even a weekly season pass being £172), but experience here would be valued. I won't need to do a daily commute and at times, the weekly commute could be as low as twice a week (staying in London during the working week).

Thanks in advance.

 

[maniacmartin]

East Coast's carnets give 5 journeys for the price of 4 (ie 5 returns for £396 Standard class).

3 days works out at £237.60
2 days works out at £158.40

Therefore, if you know in advance which days you'll be working, I'd suggest getting a weekly season when you are travelling 3 days in a 7 day period, and using carnet tickets to bridge the gap for the other journeys.

Prices PBO to 1072

 

[Hadders]

Wouldn't a combination of a season ticket plus a day return be best.

For example:

Arlesey to London Terminals 7 day season £92.20
Peterborough to Arlesey SDR £13.70

3 days works out at £133.30
2 days works out at £119.60

This combination would be valid on a non-stop train from Peterborough to London under NRCOC 19(c)

A further saving could be made by buying odd period monthly or an annual season ticket.

There may be a better place to split.

 

[soil]

Here are the possible splits:

Huntingdon £8.70 £117.50 - 2 days £134.90, 3 days £143.70
St Neots £10.40 £112.60 - 2 days £133.40, 3 days £143.80
Sandy £12.00 £104.30 - 2 days £126.30 3 days £138.30
Biggleswade £12.60 £100.40 - 2 days £125.60 3 days £138.20
Arlesey £13.70 £92.20 - 2 days £119.60 3 days £133.30
Hitchin £17 £87.70 - 2 days £121.70 3 days £138.70

Further splitting the Arlesey - London section, you can try:

Hitchin £2.70/£87.70
Stevenage £4.80/£83.30
Knebworth £7/£73.30
Welwyn North £8.20/£68.40
Welwyn Garden City £9.30/£65.10
Hatfield £10.40/£60.70
Brookmans Park £11.50/£49
Potters Bar £11.90/£48
Hadley Wood/Boundary Zone 6 £13.70/£42.70;£55.60
New Barnet/Boundary Zone 5 £14.20/£37.80;£51.80
New Southgate/Boundary Zone 4 £17/£29.50;£43.60
Harringay/Boundary Zone 3 £17.60/£22.20;£35.60
Finsbury Park/Boundary Zone 2 £21.70/£16.90;£30.40

Obviously the split at Harringay is the cheapest for 3 trips a week or fewer, so:

Peterborough - Arlesey + Arlesey - Harringay/Ally Pally/Hornsey SDRs at £31.30 per day, then a weekly Harringay/Ally Pally/Hornsey/Bowes Park - London Terminals season £22.20, total:

£53.40 1 day
£84.80 2 days
£116.10 3 days
£149.40 4 days
£180.70 5 days

cf. PBO - London Terminals £172.20 for 7 days, or £145 FCC Only

If you need add-on tube journeys, you will be best off using PAYG rather than buying a zonal season.