Why different fares?

[Roylang]

I am looking to buy return tickets for me and my son from Fareham to Southampton Central for this Saturday, I have a Network Railcard. Looking at National Rail site I see options to travel between the two with either Southern or First Great Western.

The Southern option is priced at £4.75 (£3.75 off-peak return for me + £1 for my son).
The FGW option is priced at £5.50 (£4.50 off-peak return for me + £1 for my son).

Both show the Network Card discount being applied.

The Southern option does not stipulate that it is Southern only and the only restiction showing for the ticket is "B3: By any train except those timed to depart Mondays-Fridays before 09:00." Clearly this is a Saturday so that does not matter. The ticket conditions clearly state "All Train Operating Companies".

Why the price difference? I am sure there is something obvious that I am missing, but I can't for the life of me work out what it is. I can see nothing that would stop me using the £4.75 option on the FGW services.

Thanks in advance,

Roy

 

[johnnycache]

There are two fares

Southern only £3.75 (with Network Card)
Any operator £4.50

Here is a link to nationalrail.co.uk

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/FRM/SOU/280712/1500/dep/280712/1900/dep

 

[Roylang]

There are two fares

Southern only £3.75 (with Network Card)
Any operator £4.50

Here is a link to nationalrail.co.uk

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/FRM/SOU/280712/1500/dep/280712/1900/dep

Thanks for your reply. I see it now, I had missed the extra box which was off the bottom of my screen stating:

Outward: Route of ticket SOUTHERN ONLY - Travel is only allowed on services operated by Southern Railway. This fare is only valid on trains travelling between certain times.

Return: Route of ticket SOUTHERN ONLY- Travel is only allowed on services operated by Southern Railway. This fare is only valid on trains travelling between certain times.

I am still confused how this stacks up with the conditions of the ticket though which state differently. If I select the cheap fare you get the details for the ticket at the bottom showing: "1 x Adult Off-Peak Day Return" and "Ticket Provider: Southern". However, clicking on the "Off-Peak Day Return" part shows the Ticket Terms and Conditions and that shows "Train Operator: All Train Operating Companies". Given that the conditions between the FGW and Southern fare are different (different restriction codes) I am suprised that the TOC is not changed also.

I wonder what would happen if you argued that you followed the ticket conditions? They state:

The ticket that you have selected may require you to travel at specific times of the day, days of the week or on a specific route. Our Journey Planner will have already taken this into account with the selection that you have made and will only have shown tickets that are valid for the selected trains.

Your ticket is associated with a 'Validity Code' applied by the train companies. If you would like to see full details of the trains on which your ticket is valid view the specific 'Validity Code' applicable to the journey plan that you have selected.

Occasionally, one 'Validity Code' may cross-reference to another and therefore you might need to view the complete list of 'Validity Codes' applicable to the ticket type that you have selected.

Although it notes specific *Route*, in the case of FRM-SOU, the route is the same. When I look at the Validity Code for the Southern ticket, it does not mention Southern only. Still I won't try it out

Thanks again,

Roy

 

[swt_passenger]

The more expensive fare isn't just an FGW fare, it is of course valid on SWT as well.

In my experience the discounted fare isn't worth bothering with, given the ever present risk of SN cancelling their services beyond Fareham if they are running late. SWT and FGW won't necessarily carry you, as they'll expect you to wait for the next SN service.

I regulalrly travel Swanwick to Southampton with SN, but never buy the SN only ticket, having been caught out before.

 

[johnnycache]

Ticket type

Ticket type: Off-Peak Day Return

Description: Off-Peak fares are cheaper tickets for travelling on trains that are less busy. You may be required to travel at specific times of day, days of the week or on a specific route.

Train Operator: All Train Operating Companies

The "All Train Operating Companies" means all train operating companies offer tickets of this sort ie off-peak day returns - it doesn't mean that every off-peak day return has to be valid on every operator