Why have TFW advance tickets on the South Wales to Manchester route got so expensive all of a sudden?
I have just priced up a journey from Neath to Manchester for 2 advance singles for the last weekend in May, which is within the 6 week window when TFW advances go on sale. I was surprised when the price of an advance was £57.10 each which makes the total return trip £114.20. Just 20p short of the anytime return from Neath to Manchester which is priced at £114.40. A ticket I could purchase on the morning of the journey and not several weeks in advance and would have 1 month to return on any train and any permitted route.
Its not that im not prepared to pay £114 for my tickets if I have to, its just that I thought the point of advance tickets was you got them for a far cheaper price but were restricted to the date and time and if plans changed subject to a £10 admin fee per ticket to change them. There is no point in purchasing advances at that price when you only save 20p! And if circumstances changed and they needed to be changed paying the £10 admin fee per ticket would actually work out more expensive then an on the day anytime return.
I even tried splitting the journey at both Cardiff and Shrewsbury but a combination of tickets still gave me roughly the same total price. Why are fares so expensive on the marches? I remember the days when you could get the 2 advance single tickets about half the price of the standard anytime return. It seems only when there is a sale on (like in February when i got a return for £67 and the return journey was in 1st class) that you get a decent discount now.
I have just priced up a journey from Neath to Manchester for 2 advance singles for the last weekend in May, which is within the 6 week window when TFW advances go on sale. I was surprised when the price of an advance was £57.10 each which makes the total return trip £114.20. Just 20p short of the anytime return from Neath to Manchester which is priced at £114.40. A ticket I could purchase on the morning of the journey and not several weeks in advance and would have 1 month to return on any train and any permitted route.
Its not that im not prepared to pay £114 for my tickets if I have to, its just that I thought the point of advance tickets was you got them for a far cheaper price but were restricted to the date and time and if plans changed subject to a £10 admin fee per ticket to change them. There is no point in purchasing advances at that price when you only save 20p! And if circumstances changed and they needed to be changed paying the £10 admin fee per ticket would actually work out more expensive then an on the day anytime return.
I even tried splitting the journey at both Cardiff and Shrewsbury but a combination of tickets still gave me roughly the same total price. Why are fares so expensive on the marches? I remember the days when you could get the 2 advance single tickets about half the price of the standard anytime return. It seems only when there is a sale on (like in February when i got a return for £67 and the return journey was in 1st class) that you get a decent discount now.