BUT-KNN Season Tickets

[silexa]

Hi All!

If things go well, I’ll need to start commuting from Burton on Trent to Kings Norton in June.
This is a drivable distance, but I also like the idea of taking the train.
I have a 16-25 railcard and will need to be there for around 08:00 and depart at around 17:00. Looking on Trainline it comes out as £12.85 a day, but the season tickets are coming out at:
Monthly: £344.90 (£17.25 a day/5 days a week)
Weekly: £89.80 (£17.98 a day/5 days a week)
I thought the whole idea of a season ticket was to save you some money?
Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[JonathanH]

I thought the whole idea of a season ticket was to save you some money?

They generally do, but you are looking to use a 16-25 railcard, which applies to daily tickets, but not season tickets.

That said, even for a passenger paying full fare returns, the saving is only on the fifth day. It just happens with some flows, because of the way different fares have been adjusted over time.

I have a 16-25 railcard and will need to be there for around 08:00 and depart at around 17:00. Looking on Trainline it comes out as £12.85 a day

That is an off-peak return which isn't valid until 0930. The correct return fare with a railcard is £14.05.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I thought the whole idea of a season ticket was to save you some money?

Unfortunately the 16-25 Railcard gives no discount on Season tickets or period Travelcards.

 

[silexa]

They generally do, but you are looking to use a 16-25 railcard, which applies to daily tickets, but not season tickets.

That said, even for a passenger paying full fare returns, the saving is only on the fifth day. It just happens with some flows, because of the way different fares have been adjusted over time.


That is an off-peak return which isn't valid until 0930. The correct return fare with a railcard is £14.05.

Apologies, yes £14.05 per day - however the cost of the season ticket still goes over that!
I’m assuming best option is to drive, but if not just buy each day ticket separately

 

[JonathanH]

Apologies, yes £14.05 per day - however the cost of the season ticket still goes over that!

Yes, but the season ticket is cheaper than 5 x £21.30 which, for anyone over 30, would be the more appropriate comparison.

In the case of a railcard holder, they can get a discount by buying tickets each day. It is just how it is.

I’m assuming best option is to drive, but if not just buy each day ticket separately

Or have the flexibility to do either depending on how you feel each day. Driving 70 or 80 miles a day in rush hour traffic can grind people down as much as catching a train can. You might like the option to mix what you do.

 

[Belperpete]

While the trip times by train and car may seem similar, my experience of driving from Derby to Birmingham in the rush hour was that the holdups could be horrendous once you got near Birmingham.

One advantage of travelling by train is that you can probably break your journey in Birmingham at no extra cost, say to do some shopping, have a pint, or whatever. Nowhere near as easy by car.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I’m assuming best option is to drive

There speaks someone who has never tried the M42 at rush-hour.

(I used to commute to Burton by car from south of Birmingham sometimes. Never again.)

 

[gpmartin]

It might also be worth looking at driving to Lichfield Trent Valley and taking the train direct from there - it's slow but I think it may be covered by some West Midlands season ticket schemes, though I don't know how prices would compare to Railcard-discounted tickets.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

An Anytime Day Return from Lichfield TV to/from Kings Norton (~ one hour rail journey each way) could potentially be discounted from £14.10 per day to £9.30 per day using a 16-25 railcard, but on most days, it would be subject to a £12.00 minimum fare if travelling before 10 a.m other than at the weekend, on Bank Holidays or on any day in July/August.

There is also an 8 days in 28 days flexi season ticket option at £98.70 (so £12.34 per day, but with no further railcard discount available).

Anyone know if the journey is possible using a West Midlands area ticket?

 

[alex17595]

An Anytime Day Return from Lichfield TV to/from Kings Norton (~ one hour rail journey each way) could potentially be discounted from £14.10 per day to £9.30 per day using a 16-25 railcard, but on most days, it would be subject to a £12.00 minimum fare if travelling before 10 a.m other than at the weekend, on Bank Holidays or on any day in July/August.

There is also an 8 days in 28 days flexi season ticket option at £98.70 (so £12.34 per day, but with no further railcard discount available).

Anyone know if the journey is possible using a West Midlands area ticket?

A Lichfield TV to West Mids all zones weekly is £39.40 if I'm reading it right.

Look up fares for any train journey in Britain

Full details of all British rail Single, Return & Season tickets and Travelcards. Built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

 

[silexa]

A Lichfield TV to West Mids all zones weekly is £39.40 if I'm reading it right.

Look up fares for any train journey in Britain

Full details of all British rail Single, Return & Season tickets and Travelcards. Built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

Good idea, my only holdback would be parking at LTV monthly is £108.10.

Still unsure, i think it might just be a case of deciding when to take the train & when i want to drive. Just purchase day tickets

 

[P Binnersley]

Blake Street and Four Oaks stations on the Cross City line are inside the West Midlands Combined Authority area and have free parking.

There may be a charge for driving through the Birmingham Clean Air Zone if your car in non-compliant. The Zone is within the "Middleway" ring road and includes the A38 through the city centre.

 

[silexa]

Blake Street and Four Oaks stations on the Cross City line are inside the West Midlands Combined Authority area and have free parking.

There may be a charge for driving through the Birmingham Clean Air Zone if your car in non-compliant. The Zone is within the "Middleway" ring road and includes the A38 through the city centre.

I only drive a little 1.2l petrol Fiat 500 so it doesn’t get charged in Birmingham. It may be that I do some days driving and some days train and see what I prefer.

In other news, I will definitely be doing this commute from June

 

[Sniffingmoose]

I did the commute for 15 years from Burton on Trent to Hamstead in Birmingham. I would not reccomend driving to Birmingham at peak time, also I would not reccomend driving to Lichfield Trent Valley as the carpark in expensive and usually full before 9am and the southbound A38 sliproad is closed due to HS2 construction meaning a long diversion to get to Trent Valley Station from the A38. If you want to get on the Cross City line its better and cheaper to carry on to Blake Street and park & ride.
I sometimes travelled on the 1st off peak train (09:39) so I always bought from the ticket office on the day as that was cheaper if you vary your days and hours. The staff at Burton are great and know what tickets regulars want so you have your ticket done in an instant. Changing at Birmingham has the advantage of being able to use all the facilities for buying lunch from Greggs or Marks & Spencers (Other retailers are available!)