Network railcard splitting

[Ricfez]

Hi,

I've been following he forum for a while but have always found my answers via search so this is my first post, so Hi!
My query seems logical to me, but wanted to check before I start trying to do clever things with tickets. I had a good search but can't find a definite answer to this exact question
I travel Bournemouth to London a lot for work with meeting start times of about midday usually. This means I can do a lot of travel after 10 am.
Rail tickets are paid for by the company but come from my budget and as a profit making enterprise obviously decrease that profit the more that is spent. So I'd like to use a network railcard but know it's not valid until after 10am. So as an example could I therefore get a 0955 departure Bournemouth to Brokenhurst return at full fare, and a Brockenhurst-London return ticket using the railcard (as now it's after 10am) to allow me to complete the journey within the rules? Obviously if I needed to be in London earlier I could potentially split further up or buy singles. As I said it seems obvious, but wanted to be sure before I commit to the railcard etc and ask my boss if they'd pay to save me and the company money.

Thanks in advance.

 

[James H]

It might be worth knowing that the Network Railcard is valid on the 9.40 from Ashurst New Forest (leaving Bournemouth 9.05am) which with a change at Southampton Central would allow you to reach Waterloo at 11.20am.

I haven't done the maths to see what the potential saving is, but it would be worth exploring.

See list of easements to the 10am rule:
http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/using-your-railcard/travel-times/

 

[Hadders]

Hi,

I've been following he forum for a while but have always found my answers via search so this is my first post, so Hi!
My query seems logical to me, but wanted to check before I start trying to do clever things with tickets. I had a good search but can't find a definite answer to this exact question
I travel Bournemouth to London a lot for work with meeting start times of about midday usually. This means I can do a lot of travel after 10 am.
Rail tickets are paid for by the company but come from my budget and as a profit making enterprise obviously decrease that profit the more that is spent. So I'd like to use a network railcard but know it's not valid until after 10am. So as an example could I therefore get a 0955 departure Bournemouth to Brokenhurst return at full fare, and a Brockenhurst-London return ticket using the railcard (as now it's after 10am) to allow me to complete the journey within the rules? Obviously if I needed to be in London earlier I could potentially split further up or buy singles. As I said it seems obvious, but wanted to be sure before I commit to the railcard etc and ask my boss if they'd pay to save me and the company money.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum

This is fine, the main thing to remember is the train must call where you change from one ticket to another.

If you travel a lot it might be worth considering a cheap Gold Card season ticket (eg Hatton to Lapworth currently costing £164 for a year). You don't actually use the ticket to travel between Hatton and Lapworth but for its Gold Card benefits. They are similar to Network Railcard benefits but there are some key differences:

- Discount available across a wider area - basically covers most of East Anglia and most of London Midland's area (as far as Stafford)
- Discount available after 0930
- No minimum fare
- Discount available of 1st Class tickets
- The discount can be added to an Oyster PAYG card so you can benefit from reduced PAYG fares in London.
- You can purchase another railcard for yourself or a friend or family member for £10 (eg. Friends and Family, Senior, 16-25 or even a Network Railcard)

 

[Ricfez]

Thanks for your help,
Gonna try and talk my boss into authorising the expense so not sure she'll go for a distant season ticket, but a £30 railcard she might as I think I'd make it back inside 2 returns or so.

 

[tspaul26]

It might be worth knowing that the Network Railcard is valid on the 9.40 from Ashurst New Forest (leaving Bournemouth 9.05am) which with a change at Southampton Central would allow you to reach Waterloo at 11.20am.

I haven't done the maths to see what the potential saving is, but it would be worth exploring.

See list of easements to the 10am rule:
http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/using-your-railcard/travel-times/

Assuming that return travel is made the same day, using Off-peak Day Returns the fares are:
OPTION A
Bournemouth to Ashurst New Forest: £10.50
Ashurst New Forest to London Terminals: £31.35 (with railcard)
TOTAL: £41.85
Depart Bournemouth: 0905
Earliest arrival at Waterloo: 1120

OPTION B
Bournemouth to Southampton Central: £14.60
Southampton Central to London Terminals: £29.10 (with railcard)
TOTAL: £43.70
Depart Bournemouth: 0918
Earliest arrival at Waterloo: 1120

OPTION C
Bournemouth to Brockenhurst: £7.70
Brockenhurst to London Terminals: £32.50 (with railcard)
TOTAL: £40.20
Depart Bournemouth: 0955
Earliest arrival at Waterloo: 1149

In summary:

• option C is cheapest, but gives the latest arrival time
• options A and B allow the same earlier arrival time
• option B costs only £1.85 more than option A for the same arrival time, but gives a greater choice of trains, later departure from Bournemouth (at 0918) and a through service

Given the marginal difference in price (£3.50), Option B would seem to be the best value of these three scenarios, even though it is also the most expensive.