TrainsCanBeCheaper - New Booking Engine

[yorkie]

If I put in the journey I did today Rye to Ivybridge for next Sat- Southeastern's website comes up with the obvious route via St Pancras and Paddington. Trains can be cheaper uses the same super off peak fare but sends me via Brighton, Clapham Junction, Exeter St D. taking much longer I can't work out why.

Journey time appears to be the same:
http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?orig=RYE&dest=IVY&odate=20170408&otime=1000&maxres=10&maxch=3

Rye 0956
Ashford Intl 1018

Ashford Intl 1038
London Victoria 1207

London Paddington 1300
Newton Abbot 1555

Newton Abbot 1623
Ivybridge 1652
​

vs
http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?ori...:&odate=20170408&otime=0955&maxres=10&maxch=3

Rye 0956
Ashford Intl 1018

Ashford Intl 1043
London St Pancras 1121

London Paddington 1300
Newton Abbot 1555

Newton Abbot 1623
Ivybridge 1652
​

However I agree that going via St Pancras is preferable as you have longer to cross London, and a greater frequency of through LU trains for the transfer.

If you specify via: St Pancras, then itineraries via St Pancras are shown.

 

[najaB]

The two options that are offered are Belfast Central and Belfast Port. Neither currently returns a result.

I tried this journey on Raileasy.co.uk and it finds results so I don't think it's the journey planner at fault.

 

[sheff1]

Just tried this and the results came back with am & pm times. This seems a serious flaw which is bound to cause confusion as the GB railway has used the 24 hour clock for as long as I can remember.

 

[SickyNicky]

Just tried this and the results came back with am & pm times. This seems a serious flaw which is bound to cause confusion as the GB railway has used the 24 hour clock for as long as I can remember.

Comments anyone? The am/pm format looked more friendly for most end-users but I have no objecting to switching everything to 24hr mode, should that be the consensus.

 

[Merseysider]

Comments anyone? The am/pm format looked more friendly for most end-users but I have no objecting to switching everything to 24hr mode, should that be the consensus.

If I had to pick, I'd say 24h clock. I know you're probably snowed under at the minute but an option to toggle between the two might appease everyone.

 

[MikeWh]

Comments anyone? The am/pm format looked more friendly for most end-users but I have no objecting to switching everything to 24hr mode, should that be the consensus.

I'd put am/pm as an option if people want it, but when they get to the station the train will be advertised in 24 hour format.




You'll also get a stinging rebuke from Barry Doe as it stands

 

[najaB]

I'd put am/pm as an option if people want it, but when they get to the station the train will be advertised in 24 hour format.

I second that suggestion.

 

[Hadders]

It should be 24 hour format imo. The whole of the railway uses the 24 hour clock and has done for years.

 

[planetf1]

Definately 24h


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FenMan]

Unsure if this is a bug or enhancement request.

Many ticketing sites don't have the ability to display services in the evening peak at Paddington where the return portion of Off Peak Tickets are valid.

An example using my home station, Blackwater:-

The itinerary below is valid for the return journey on a Blackwater - London Off Peak Day Return, Route Any Permitted:-

d. 1718 Paddington
a. 1753 Reading
-----
d. 1804 Reading
a. 1825 Blackwater

Perhaps I'm pressing the wrong buttons (I've tried "Value"), but Trains Can Be Cheaper only shows the faster connection where Off Peak tickets are not valid i.e.

d. 1730 Paddington
a. 1755 Reading
-----
d. 1804 Reading
a. 1825 Blackwater

Cheers.

 

[SickyNicky]

Times are now all in 24hr format. Thanks for the feedback.

I'm looking at all the other suggestions, but please keep them coming. Please excuse me if I take a few days to respond.

 

[SickyNicky]

I should probably also mention that you can link to journey searches using TCBC.

Here's an example:

https://trainscanbecheaper.info/default.aspx?FromStation=Ledbury&ToStation=Leeds&OutboundDate=100417&OutboundTime=08:00&InboundDate=120417&InboundTime=10:00&Adults=1&Children=0&Railcard=DIS"

You could use a URL shortener, but the forum software doesn't seem to like them

You can't (yet) put advanced options in, but if there was a demand, I could add them.

 

[Starmill]

Is PlusBus available? I understand this might need to wait for the next phase of development!

 

[Paul Kelly]

Unsure if this is a bug or enhancement request.

Many ticketing sites don't have the ability to display services in the evening peak at Paddington where the return portion of Off Peak Tickets are valid.

An example using my home station, Blackwater:-

The itinerary below is valid for the return journey on a Blackwater - London Off Peak Day Return, Route Any Permitted:-

d. 1718 Paddington
a. 1753 Reading
-----
d. 1804 Reading
a. 1825 Blackwater

Perhaps I'm pressing the wrong buttons (I've tried "Value"), but Trains Can Be Cheaper only shows the faster connection where Off Peak tickets are not valid i.e.

d. 1730 Paddington
a. 1755 Reading
-----
d. 1804 Reading
a. 1825 Blackwater

Cheers.

According to the electronic restriction data that must be used by journey planners, neither of those itineraries are valid because restriction code W1 bans departures from Reading at 1804: see here and scroll down to the Unpublished Restrictions, return journey: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=BAW&dest=1072&tkt=CDR
You could consider complaining to GWR about this.

 

[furlong]

You could consider complaining to GWR about this.

And then when they ignore you and still don't fix it, the ORR as a straightforward breach of the consumer regulations, for which they should consider a prosecution.

 

[FenMan]

According to the electronic restriction data that must be used by journey planners, neither of those itineraries are valid because restriction code W1 bans departures from Reading at 1804: see here and scroll down to the Unpublished Restrictions, return journey: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=BAW&dest=1072&tkt=CDR
You could consider complaining to GWR about this.

Thanks. It appears that the timing restriction from Reading i.e. the 1804, is a blunt instrument, as the 1804 that goes to Blackwater definitely isn't the 1804 service to Paignton.

Returning to the original issue, that I'm unable to get trainscanbecheaper.info to display valid itineraries for the return portion of an Off Peak Day Return from Blackwater to Paddington, perhaps this a better example:-

d. 1818 Paddington
a. 1856 Reading
-----
d. 1904 Reading
a. 1925 Blackwater

So far as I can see, there are no unpublished restrictions that bar the use of this itinerary.

 

[Paul Kelly]

d. 1818 Paddington
a. 1856 Reading
-----
d. 1904 Reading
a. 1925 Blackwater

So far as I can see, there are no unpublished restrictions that bar the use of this itinerary.

There are unfortunately; same problem again:

Not valid to depart READING 1903–1904 on any TOC

 

[Crossover]

First visit to the page and the banner reads

Balham to
Canterbury East Or Canterbury West
single
£0.00 (20 Apr, 17:24)

I haven't actually looked beyond this but wondering where this data is coming from!

You can. Any photos you want to donate? Need to be hi res, wide and not too​ high.

Could you define hi-res? If you mean 300dpi, I won't have anything, but most web stuff uses 72dpi, which I may be able to assist with if I have anything suitable

You could use a URL shortener, but the forum software doesn't seem to like them

I think that's because it can hide dodgy sites behind, which you won't know about until they are clicked and it is too late

 

[FenMan]

There are unfortunately; same problem again:

D'oh!

I'll have to ask GWR to refine the unpublished restrictions to stop this nonsense, if only to stop others from buying more expensive tickets than are needed. Fun times ahead.

 

[yorkie]

Has anyone else had any problems finding itineraries with this?

Or any itineraries that are found that perhaps shouldn't be (these may best discussed via PM if so!)

If I put in the journey I did today Rye to Ivybridge for next Sat- Southeastern's website comes up with the obvious route via St Pancras and Paddington. Trains can be cheaper uses the same super off peak fare but sends me via Brighton, Clapham Junction, Exeter St D. taking much longer I can't work out why.

Journey time appears to be the same:
http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?orig=RYE&dest=IVY&odate=20170408&otime=1000&maxres=10&maxch=3

Rye 0956
Ashford Intl 1018

Ashford Intl 1038
London Victoria 1207

London Paddington 1300
Newton Abbot 1555

Newton Abbot 1623
Ivybridge 1652
​

vs
http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?ori...:&odate=20170408&otime=0955&maxres=10&maxch=3

Rye 0956
Ashford Intl 1018

Ashford Intl 1043
London St Pancras 1121

London Paddington 1300
Newton Abbot 1555

Newton Abbot 1623
Ivybridge 1652
​

However I agree that going via St Pancras is preferable as you have longer to cross London, and a greater frequency of through LU trains for the transfer.

If you specify via: St Pancras, then itineraries via St Pancras are shown.

I note this has been changed, so a search for Rye (Sussex) to Ivybridge for Saturday departing after 0930 shows the 0956 - 1652 itinerary with a change at St Pancras/Paddington.

NajaB - I see the Belfast NI fares appear to be working too

 

[najaB]

Has anyone else had any problems finding itineraries with this?

Not a problem so much as an oddity. I tried my Dundee-Belfast search again and it returned the expected £35 Anytime ticket, but also returned a £70 return even though I had specified a single journey.

Journey details were: DEE - BFC, 10/04/2017 0900

 

[Paul Kelly]

Not a problem so much as an oddity. I tried my Dundee-Belfast search again and it returned the expected £35 Anytime ticket, but also returned a £70 return even though I had specified a single journey.

That seems to be because the £35 fare is an Anytime Day Single and so isn't valid on an itinerary that continues overnight. The £70 fare is an Anytime Return with outward validity 5 days, so is valid to continue the next day.

 

[najaB]

That seems to be because the £35 fare is an Anytime Day Single and so isn't valid on an itinerary that continues overnight. The £70 fare is an Anytime Return with outward validity 5 days, so is valid to continue the next day.

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[yorkie]

I think I know why. Will reply shortly...

Edit: yes that's it! beaten to it!

 

[Crossover]

What may be a bug - using Firefox on Windows, I have tried to select a time and scrolling with the mouse to try move up to an earlier time, the box disappears. I have had to select the time box and then use the keyboard arrows to get the time I am after

 

[yorkie]

What may be a bug - using Firefox on Windows, I have tried to select a time and scrolling with the mouse to try move up to an earlier time, the box disappears. I have had to select the time box and then use the keyboard arrows to get the time I am after

I got the same, so not just you

 

[infobleep]

When on the mobile version of the site and I select a price it comes up with a box giving route details and changes. However it disappears very quickly so I can't read it all in time.

I'm enjoying playing around with it. Good fun.

 

[Merseysider]

When on the mobile version of the site and I select a price it comes up with a box giving route details and changes. However it disappears very quickly so I can't read it all in time.

I'm enjoying playing around with it. Good fun.

Yes, that's happening for me too.

Another point is that, again on mobile, a black information box appears every time for each field I tap on (eg departure station) which makes seeing what I'm typing difficult

Great website though!

 

[Puffing Devil]

The site isn't pulling up Northern Duos for a trip and wants to sell me (more expensive) advances.

Goostrey-Manchester Picc 14/4 Out 18h05 ret 22h04. 2 Adults Duo should be £15.70, selling £4 advances for each leg, per person, instead.

 

[tony_mac]

for that journey, and others, it (and Raileasy) only offer £4 advance singles, other sites are offering £3.50 advance singles (and at least 9 are showing as available).