Basingstoke to Swindon this afternoon

[kristiang85]

My wife and I need to get to Swindon for this evening for the weekend, and as she can only get out of work around 4.30 we thought we'd get a train around then.

But I notice the 1552 train via Reading is £56 (for two on a two together railcard return), and the next train - the 1629 - is £103.30! (and the many trains after that).

Does GWR have an evening peak then? (I usually use the SWR line in London where there isn't an evening peak). It just seems such an extortionate price increase for such a simple journey, and not even going anywhere near London.

Are there any other routes we can use to save a bit of money? I've tried looking on split tickets but no luck there. I suspect not, but I thought it would be worth asking. It's actually looking cheaper to get a taxi there and a train back on Sunday.

Hopefully she can get out of work early so we can get the 1552, but I'd rather leave nearer 1630 to reduce the stress.

 

[sammyg901]

Doubel check the forum ticketing site - looks like splitting at Didcot significantly reduces the pricing for example

 

[kristiang85]

Doubel check the forum ticketing site - looks like splitting at Didcot significantly reduces the pricing for example

Thanks - but like the split ticket site, it only seems to offer journeys at 1449 and 1823 with nothing in between (presumably because of the price?!).

 

[jfollows]

Does GWR have an evening peak then? (I usually use the SWR line in London where there isn't an evening peak). It just seems such an extortionate price increase for such a simple journey, and not even going anywhere near London.

Off-peak return: (https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail...pert=on&flow=0&multi=2&fare=4&rte=700&tkt=SVR)

Outward Travel​
Not valid on trains timed to depart: London Paddington after 04:29 and before 09:12 and after 16:40 until 18:34 Reading after 04:29 and before 09:39 and after 17:03 until 18:56 Didcot before 09:53 Slough after 04:29 and before 09:07 and after 16:40 until 18:25 London Waterloo after 04:29 and before 08:15 Birmingham New Street after 02:29 and before 10:30

Super off-peak return: (https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail...pert=on&flow=0&multi=2&fare=5&rte=700&tkt=SSR)

Outward Travel;

Not valid on trains timed to depart:

• London Paddington after 04:29 and before 10:10 and after 15:04 and before 19:01.
• Reading after 04:29 and before 10:30 and after 15:29 and before 19:01.
• Slough after 02:29 and before 09:40 and after 14:50 and before 18:25.
• London Waterloo after 04:29 and before 08:15 and after 15:59 and before 19:01;
• Birmingham New Street after 04:29 and before 10:30.

 

[kristiang85]

Doubel check the forum ticketing site - looks like splitting at Didcot significantly reduces the pricing for example

Going off this, I worked it out manually and it seems I can do

BSK-RDG: £10.90 (single, two together) 16:29-16:55
RDG-DID: £22.00 (open return, two together) 17:26-17:37
DID-SWI: £29.80 (open return, two together) 17:40-17:55

So with the £10.90 for RDG-BSK on the way back, that's a total of £62.70 for both of us, so that's a great saving. Thanks for your help (no idea why the splitting sites didn't show this?)

(does this all look correct?)

Off-peak return: (https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail...pert=on&flow=0&multi=2&fare=4&rte=700&tkt=SVR)

Super off-peak return: (https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail...pert=on&flow=0&multi=2&fare=5&rte=700&tkt=SSR)

Thanks. I've lived in this area for years and have never realised this.

 

[jawr256]

This search finds several itineraries using split tickets around the time you want to travel:
https://tickets-beta.railforums.co....false&adv:ob:MaxChanges=7&adv:ib:MaxChanges=7

If you go to 'filters' and select 'walk-ups (flexible tickets) only', it finds a combination of (super)/off-peak single tickets (Basingstoke-Didcot, Didcot-Swindon, Swindon-Baskingstoke) for £60.30 [+£7.11 share of saving]

 

[kristiang85]

This search finds several itineraries using split tickets around the time you want to travel:
https://tickets-beta.railforums.co....false&adv:ob:MaxChanges=7&adv:ib:MaxChanges=7

If you go to 'filters' and select 'walk-ups (flexible tickets) only', it finds a combination of (super)/off-peak single tickets (Basingstoke-Didcot, Didcot-Swindon, Swindon-Baskingstoke) for £60.30 [+£7.11 share of saving]

Oh even better ,thank you. Good to know about the filters.

 

[Starmill]

Thanks - but like the split ticket site, it only seems to offer journeys at 1449 and 1823 with nothing in between (presumably because of the price?!).

If you press the "fast" button, some journeys appear.