Possible to lower fare? Down to you...

[district]

Personally, I don't think that it is possible to lower the fare in the following scenario. I've been trying a great deal to think of ways how but have not concluded with anything. So, fellow experts, down to you;


I'm attempting to find the cheapest way for a friend with a 16-25 railcard to travel between Ashford International and Tonbridge, as a commute five days a week. It'll only be for a few months so an annual season would not be appropriate.

By season, it is £235.40 per month, which is £11.77 per day (ticket will only be used Monday to Friday) or £5.89 per journey.

By point to point, an anytime day return with the railcard is £13.60, or £6.80 per journey.

I don't think splitting tickets is appropriate. It's also a direct train.
Does anyone here have any ideas on how to lower the price for my friend?

• She has to travel on an anytime ticket or a ticket permitting early morning travel.
• She has a Young Person's railcard and as such is an adult.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Splitting only isn't appropriate because of the railcard minimum fare. If travelling in July and August, you could do:

Ashford International to Staplehurst SDR £5.00
Staplehurst to Tonbridge SDR £5.70

so £5.35 per day. But only when the railcard minimum fare doesn't apply.

However, your calculation of the per-day price of a monthly season seems a bit off. The worst case scenario this year (when the shortest month has 29 days), is that the longest season you need to buy to get a full 5 weeks of Monday-Friday commuting out of it is 1 month and 4 days, e.g. Monday 6th February to Friday 9th March. That comes to £267.30. Divide by 5 weeks of 5 days each with 2 journeys per day and it comes out at £5.35, i.e. identical to the best price by split ticketing.

In months with 30 or 31 days it will be even better value, e.g. You could buy another five-week season from Monday 12th March to Friday 13th April for the rate for 1 month and 2 days, or £251.40, working out at £5.03 per journey. Of course you wouldn't want to do that because of the Easter holidays, but by planning in advance and working around holidays or weekends you can achieve very good value.


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Actually don't know how I didn't notice this: you can split season tickets at Pluckley for a good saving.

Prices for a 1 month and 2 days season:
Ashford Int to Pluckley £65.20
Pluckley to Tonbridge £162.00

Total £227.20, or £4.54 per journey.

The train must call at Pluckley of course. But I think most or all of them do.

 

[Crossover]

Actually don't know how I didn't notice this: you can split season tickets at Pluckley for a good saving.

Prices for a 1 month and 2 days season:
Ashford Int to Pluckley £65.20
Pluckley to Tonbridge £162.00

Total £227.20, or £4.54 per journey.

The train must call at Pluckley of course. But I think most or all of them do.

I thought you could combine seasons without the need to call at the station - or is that a season and normal ticket? *is confused*

 

[Intermodal]

Condition 19 says (I do not quote) that you can change tickets when not calling at a station if one of the tickets is a season ticket or leisure travel pass and the other tickets is/are not.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Yes. If they are both season tickets then the train needs to call.