Swindon to Coventry Route Code 00439

[boultonmark]

I admit that much of the fares system is still a mystery to me. Take this example:

Swindon (Wilts) to Coventry - Daily there are trains at (e.g the 16.41 - 1825) with go with a change at Reading. The first leg is GWR, the second is XC. Now there is a routecode 00439 with is a 'XC &CONNECTIONS' fare. But it seemingly isn't valid on the online systems for these journeys. But i can't see any reason why?

I'd be really grateful if someone could tell me why that routecode is invalid for these journeys AND what journeys that routecode is valid for and why (on this route)?

See ticket details here: http://www.brfares.com/#expert?orig=SWI&dest=COV

Kind thanks
Mark

 

[kieron]

Now there is a routecode 00439 with is a 'XC &CONNECTIONS' fare. But it seemingly isn't valid on the online systems for these journeys. But i can't see any reason why?

It sounds as though you wish to catch two different trains which pass through Goring & Streatley with one ticket. I think you'd need a "Reading not London" ticket to do that.

There may be "XC & connections" tickets valid on trains where you change in Didcot, though.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Now there is a routecode 00439 with is a 'XC &CONNECTIONS' fare. But it seemingly isn't valid on the online systems for these journeys. But i can't see any reason why?

Look at the ticket type, Advance Fares only, meaning they are only available, if at all, on specific trains.

 

[Starmill]

Are you only going one way? A Swindon to Banbury Super Off-Peak Single route Not Via Reading is only £15. Then it's £7.90 for a single from Banbury to Leamington Spa and £4.90 for a single from there to Coventry. It might be slightly slower changing at Didcot Parkway and Oxford, but you can book these tickets when you arrive at Swindon to make your outward journey, which will alleviate some of your booking frustration. Of course you might find Advance availability such that a single comes to less than £27.70. What sort of price were you after?

Are you sure you're not coming back within a month? A £36.30 'Not Via Reading' Super Off-Peak Return makes for good value.

Finally, if your priority is to complete the journey in the fewest changes, you could book two Advance tickets - one from Swindon to Reading and one from Reading to Coventry. That could cost more, but will get you the itinerary you want. Make sure you leave enough time to connect at Reading.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Swindon (Wilts) to Coventry - Daily there are trains at (e.g the 16.41 - 1825) with go with a change at Reading. The first leg is GWR, the second is XC. Now there is a routecode 00439 with is a 'XC &CONNECTIONS' fare. But it seemingly isn't valid on the online systems for these journeys. But i can't see any reason why?

It's quite simple; that isn't a permitted route due to the doubleback between Didcot and Reading. To use the XC & CONNECTIONS fares you need to change at Didcot and take a stopping train from there to Oxford. This is rarely the fastest route so you will have difficulty in getting it to show up in journey planners by default, but setting a via point of Radley seems to produce these advances fairly consistently (albeit only at tiers that are more expensive than the £35.20 walkup Super Off-Peak Single routed "NOT VIA READING") - see attached screenshot from the Chiltern site.

 

[boultonmark]

So this might be a stupid question. I always assumed that first the journey plan route is validated (is it direct, shortest path + 3miles, a mapped route) and then if not it sort of gets a second chance by checking if there is an easement that allows the route (and the inverse an easement that denies the route) AND THEN the route codes are checked for applicability. But this doesn't seem to be what you are describing. You seem to be saying that this route fails because of the doubleback, there is no easement but that doesn't matter because one of the route codes 00830 passes the journey. Is this right? Are route codes effectively a form of positive easement? i.e an overrule of the base logic? So that a journey can fail the base checks (like doubleback) but be valid via a route code. I did not think it worked this way.

 

[John @ home]

You seem to be saying that this route fails because of the doubleback, there is no easement but that doesn't matter because one of the route codes 00830 passes the journey. Is this right? Are route codes effectively a form of positive easement? i.e an overrule of the base logic? So that a journey can fail the base checks (like doubleback) but be valid via a route code.

Tickets between Swindon and Coventry are available by four routes:

• via Birmingham (00268)
• Not via Reading (00810)
• Reading Not London (00830)
• XC & Connections (00439).

Tickets bearing each of the first three routes are available for flexible ticket types only. Tickets routed XC & Connections are available for Advance tickets only.

There are no tickets available with route "Any Permitted". Reading does not lie on a Permitted Route between Swindon (Wilts) and Coventry because it cannot be reached without doubling back. But tickets are available routed Reading Not London, so there must be one or more routes available to passengers holding a ticket showing this route. My understanding is that a passenger holding a Swindon to Coventry route Reading Not London ticket may travel from Swindon to Reading by any Permitted Swindon to Reading Route which does not pass through London Group (for routeing purposes), then from Reading to Coventry by any Permitted Reading to Coventry Route which does not pass through London Group (for routeing purposes).

There is a market for the more expensive route Reading Not London tickets because it is often the fastest way to travel from Swindon to Coventry.

The position with Swindon to Coventry route XC & Connections tickets is different because these are Advance tickets. Train companies are free to choose whether or not to offer Advance tickets between a pair of stations and, as far as I know, by which route or routes to make them available. It appears that CrossCountry, who set these route XC & Connections fares, may choose to make them available for journeys via Cheltenham Spa and Birmingham only.

Please use the name of a route, rather than its route code. I suspect the majority of our readers will not be familiar with route codes.