Bristol-Penzance Penzance-London

[dmncf]

I want to travel with two children using a Family & Friends Railcard:
- Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance on Friday 3 June on GWR's 14:55 train
- Penzance to London on Monday 6 June, probably on GWR's 12:15 train

I haven't yet bought a ticket because GWR Advance fares were expensive, so I intend to buy a London-Penzance Super Off-Peak Return at £134.20. I will not use the London-Bristol part of the outward portion. I wondered, is there a cheaper way of doing this, e.g. buying a Bristol-Penzance return ticket and then paying an excess fare to extend my return portion onto London?
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Jason12]

Saw your post last night and imagined an expert would be along shortly with some advice.

As that's not the case, I just have a couple of non-expert suggestions to save a few quid.

As you seem to be happy to be on specific trains, you can take advantage of split advances. The Trainsplit site should come up with splits which leave you on the through trains you mention but with multiple tickets. Search for Bristol to Penzance separately from Penzance to London as there's no option to do a search for the kind of 'open jaw' itinerary you want.

If you are prepared to take non-direct trains between Penzance and London, advances via Salisbury, with a change of train at Exeter St Davids will probably make a saving. Apart from the change of train, it extends the journey time by more than an hour. Again use Trainsplit to take advantage of splits and enter Salisbury as a 'via' point and 'London Waterloo' as destination.

If you want to stick to the flexible Super Offpeak tickets, your own suggestion of using a London to Penzance return and starting short outward at Bristol is probably the best option. Using a Bristol to Penzance and purchasing an additional ticket from Bristol to London to make the return trip would mean an extended journey time to travel by Bristol, a change of trains there and no actual saving.

 

[Class800]

London to Penzance super off peak allows OP to not travel via Bristol on way back (direct line Taunton to Reading) which saves time. Permitted via Bristol so OK to start short outbound at Bristol

 

[sonic2009]

Outward 1455 Bristol to Penzance 3/6

Bristol to Exeter
Advance Single £19.70
Exeter to Ivybridge
Off Peak Day Single £9.60
Ivybridge to Penzance
Advance Single £11.35

Total outward : £40.65 (TrainSplit will charge you £42.72 incthe share of saving)

Return 1215 6/6

Penzance to London

Splitting at Exeter with Advances costs £75.80

Flexible Super Off Peak Single is £77.50

I'll let you decide on that one personally I'd take the flexibility for an extra £1.70 incase plans change.

Total cost : £120.22 if you use TrainSplit.

Fares calculated at time of writing prices may increase for the advance tickets, and based on 1ad 2ch with Family Railcard.

 

[dmncf]

When I planned this journey a few weeks ago, I dismissed the idea of buying Advance tickets because I wasn't 100% sure of my plans and the savings weren't great. GWR Advance fares seem more expensive than they were pre-COVID.
But I'm more sure of my plans now, so I have bought the Advance plus various other ticket types as suggested above, and made a modest saving.
The return journey from Exeter St David's to London Waterloo is pleasant, but I haven't booked that route because London Paddington is closer to where I live.
Thank you for your replies. Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.