Flexible ticket one way and Advance the other

[Muzer]

I can't figure out how to purchase a flexible ticket in one direction and an inflexible one in the other using the TrainsCanBeCheaper website (TCBC). Is this actually possible?

I can't buy it in two transactions as I want an Off Peak Single (Online) of type 'SVH' which cannot be purchased on its own.

 

[plugwash]

IIRC this is a known issue with TCBC and you will have to go elsewhere to book your tickets.

 

[trainophile]

Forgive my ignorance but what is TCBC?

 

[A Challenge]

Presumably https://trainscanbecheaper.info/

 

[trainophile]

Presumably https://trainscanbecheaper.info/

Ah, thanks .

 

[yorkie]

I can't figure out how to purchase a flexible ticket in one direction and an inflexible one in the other using TCBC. Is this actually possible?

(I can't buy it in two transactions as I want a SVH)

TCBC (or Trainsplit, which is the same site but with split ticketing) will sell such a combination but there is no way currently to specify that you want a flexible fare in one direction and non-flexible in the other.

Someone asked about this recently:

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is disappointed by this apparent limitation with the Trainscanbecheaper offering. Essentially TCBC appears only able to sell Fixed Time (out and return) or Flexible (out and return) but not a combination of the two. ....

The reply from @SickyNicky was:

Hi there. We run that site. The site itself was designed to display split tickets, but you're not the only one that's asked about it, so I'll talk to the journey planner people.

That said, if you can post details of the specific journey, a workaround may be possible, to force a flexible fare in one direction.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the OP isn't bothered about a reservation, selecting an off peak train on that day that has no Advance quota left, if there is one, would do it. I suspect however TCBC is being used for the seat selector, otherwise the answer is "use any other booking site"?

 

[yorkie]

If the OP isn't bothered about a reservation, selecting an off peak train on that day that has no Advance quota left, if there is one, would do it. I suspect however TCBC is being used for the seat selector, otherwise the answer is "use any other booking site"?

Many booking sites don't offer these fares (or at least didn't the last time I checked), but yes if the aim is to use the TCBC seat selector, then the solution may be to book directly with Avanti and then tweet them to request a change of seat reservation.

Initially Avanti were not changing seat reservations for people who tweeted them but they had to relent when they realised they were losing a lot of custom to Trainsplit/TCBC. When I last looked, Avanti were happy to do this, though some people did report that it could take a few days and needed a bit of chasing in some cases.

By the way, to expand upon the jargon in the opening post, I will clarify that SVH is a Super Off Peak Single (online) that can only be sold in conjunction with another Single ticket (of any type) in the other direction; SVH stands for "Saver Half" however the old Saver Half name was deemed too complicated, so it was changed at fares 'Simplification' in 2008. I will edit the opening post to comply with forum rules.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Our site works for these now I’ll try adding the SVH to a test site