Welwyn Garden City - Maidstone East this Sunday

[fzs600]

For a journey from Welwyn Garden City to Maidstone East return this Sunday, the National Rail Journey planner says I have to buy 2 singles (3 tickets) for a (what I consider to be) whopping £54.90 (cheapest fare, no railcard). There is no return ticket option around the time I want to travel (aiming to get there around 11:00 am if poss).

Both First Capital Connect and Trainline tell me I can buy a return ticket, but only leaving at 14:55 earliest.

Why can't I get an off peak return travelling at a reasonable time?

Having written this, I've just found I can get an off-peak return to Maidstone West in the morning for £24.30, so that's probably what I'll do, but I'm still curious.

 

[bb21]

I think National Rail Enquiries is not working for some reason for this journey. If you click through to buy tickets, it goes into a funny loop circulating around these three tickets mentioned while not redirecting you to a ticket-selling site.

£24.30 is the Welwyn Garden City-Maidstone Stns Route +NOT VALID ON HS1 Off-Peak Day Return. It obviously has no time restrictions for travelling on a Sunday. This is the cheapest through fare for this journey.

 

[fzs600]

Thanks, I went to the station yesterday and bought a return ticket to Maidstone Stations for £24.30.

Just a bug in the system I guess.