Valid routes for Exeter Central to Princes Risborough?

[rratgerg]

I've been trying to make sense of the routing guide to see what the valid routes for this ticket are: https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=EXC&dest=PRR&rte=840&ldn=1&tkt=CDR

The shortest route is via Taunton, but the ticket is routed via Honiton. I can't get journey planners to give me an itinerary via Honiton.

Is it valid through Basingstoke, Reading, and Oxford?

 

[Watershed]

As you say, the shortest route from Exeter Central (EXC) to Princes Risborough (PRR) is via Taunton, and going via Honiton (HON) isn't within 3 miles of the shortest route.

However, in this instance the 'split route check' is useful - it allows you to use any combination of permitted routes to & from the "via" point(s) on the ticket. EXC-HON is obviously only valid direct via Axminster, but HON-PRR gives quite a range of options. In particular it allows you to use map BB from Salisbury to PRR, which allows travel via Basingstoke, Reading, Oxford and Bicester Village.

So yes, that fare is valid through Basingstoke, Reading, and Oxford.

 

[Dirty_Mac]

Although if you're doing this as a day return, it'll definitely be cheaper to split it without sacrificing route flexibility. As far as I can tell, splitting at Pinhoe and Basingstoke is best, and at Bicester Village if you're going via Oxford both ways.

 

[rratgerg]

Thank you. I cannot see Oxford to Bicester mapped though - map SM seems to indicate you have to go via Banbury?

 

[JB_B]

The Oxford to Banbury link on map BB potentially covers travel both on the obvious route via Tackley and the indirect route via Parkway, Bicester Village, Haddenham and Bicester North.

However, you're correct - you can't use the above route via Bicester Village to get to Princess Risborough as inevitably you'd then pass through Bicester North and Haddenham twice. As you say, there's no Oxford to Princess Risborough link on the map.

There is a permitted route via Bicester Village using the shortest route from Honiton to Princes Risborough ( via Bruton ).

 

[rratgerg]

So the answer to the original enquiry is no.

The ticket Exeter Central to Princes Risborough via Honiton is not valid via Basingstoke, Reading, and Oxford??

 

[JB_B]

So the answer to the original enquiry is no.

The ticket Exeter Central to Princes Risborough via Honiton is not valid via Basingstoke, Reading, and Oxford??

No, that's not correct. As explained in post #2 you need to split the routeing check at the via point (Honiton) so you need to look at permitted routes from Honiton to Princes Risborough. There is a mapped route via Basingstoke,Reading and Oxford on map BB ( just not via Bicester Village.)

 

[rratgerg]

Sorry, I’m confused.

Bicester village is on the shortest route from Honiton to princes R. Some posters above indicated it would be valid but you’re saying it’s not?

Are you saying it’s only valid to travel via Kings Sutton?

 

[embers25]

It is valid.

 

[rratgerg]

It is valid.

Can you explain what makes it so?

 

[JB_B]

Sorry, I’m confused.

Bicester village is on the shortest route from Honiton to princes R. Some posters above indicated it would be valid but you’re saying it’s not?

Are you saying it’s only valid to travel via Kings Sutton?

OK, just to recap.

The shortest route from Honiton to Prices Risborough is one of the permitted routes: that goes via Bicester Village but it doesn't go via Basingstoke or Reading which is what you want ( instead it goes via Swindon.)

One of the many mapped routes (which are also permitted routes) is traceable on map BB via Salisbury,Basingstoke,Reading,Oxford but that route doesn't go via Bicester Village ( you need to go via Banbury Group.)

Does that make it any clearer?

Of course, it's completely reasonable to go via Bicester and most likely your ticket would accepted without question but you may find it difficult to get an itinerary by that route for the reasons given above.

 

[rratgerg]

OK I think I get it now. How would a ticket inspector at Bicester Village know whether I’d gone through Swindon or Basingstoke?

 

[Haywain]

OK I think I get it now. How would a ticket inspector at Bicester Village know whether I’d gone through Swindon or Basingstoke?

By where your ticket has been checked?

 

[rratgerg]

This is if my ticket is checked on the train from Oxford to Princes Risborough via Bicester Village

 

[yorkie]

The shortest route is via Taunton, but the ticket is routed via Honiton. I can't get journey planners to give me an itinerary via Honiton.

Even our ticketing site?

Can you provide a search URL please, and I will take a look

OK I think I get it now. How would a ticket inspector at Bicester Village know whether I’d gone through Swindon or Basingstoke?

It's unlikely that a ticket inspector would attempt to figure out the route you had taken, but in this unlikely event, then it may be possible to figure it out, depending on any scans (for an e-ticket) or physical markings (for a paper ticket).

 

[rratgerg]

Even our ticketing site?

Can you provide a search URL please, and I will take a look


It's unlikely that a ticket inspector would attempt to figure out the route you had taken, but in this unlikely event, then it may be possible to figure it out, depending on any scans (for an e-ticket) or physical markings (for a paper ticket).

Results | RailUK Tickets

TrainSplit is a free service that makes it easy to find the cheapest train tickets for your journey.

tickets-beta.railforums.co.uk

 

[yorkie]

Results | RailUK Tickets

TrainSplit is a free service that makes it easy to find the cheapest train tickets for your journey.

tickets-beta.railforums.co.uk

We are offering this itinerary for £51.60 on split tickets.

However, I see you have splits off; we can't offer a through fare for this itinerary, because it's not a permitted route according to our fares engine diagnostics:

Mileage 198.72 (Shortest possible 177.86)

---

Origin Routeing Point – EXETER GROUP
Terminus is a routeing point

---

Destination Routeing Point – Princes Risborough
Terminus is a routeing point

---

Through Mapped Route
Checking G12-HON-YVJ-SAL-BSK-G24-DID-OXF-OXP-PRR
Off route at Salisbury
Not Permitted: Not traceable as mapped route.

Using the split route check at Honiton, this is the result from Honiton:

OUTWARD JOURNEY Honiton to Princes Risborough
Mileage 181.98 (Shortest possible 164.63)

---

Origin Routeing Point – Salisbury
Passed fares check
Local journey permitted
Local journey to/from terminus: Honiton to Salisbury
Permitted: Through train.

---

Destination Routeing Point – Princes Risborough
Terminus is a routeing point

---

Through Mapped Route
Checking SAL-BSK-G24-DID-OXF-OXP-PRR
Off route at Princes Risborough
Not Permitted: Not traceable as mapped route.

It is entirely reasonable to go this way, however.

Perhaps someone could contact Rail Delivery Group, or maybe the relevant person might see this thread and fix it? (it has happened before!)

 

[swt_passenger]

Just another example of the impact on fares never being properly addressed when the new curve opened at Bicester.

I expect through trains from Oxford via Bicester Village and Winslow to Bletchley will take fares managers completely by surprise as well.

 

[JB_B]

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Just for completeness, if you add "via Banbury" to that query, you'll see the forum site offers (the anytime single version of) the ticket you referred to in post #1. Even though splits will usually be cheaper it's absurd that the diversion via Banbury is required for a through ticket - hopefully, as @yorkie says, it will get fixed.

Just another example of the impact on fares never being properly addressed when the new curve opened at Bicester.

Indeed.