Oxford - Whittlesea return with network card

[igloo]

Hi all,

I wonder if anyone could help me with finding the best tickets for a journey later this month please?

It's a little complicated, but the essence is that 2 of us would like to get tickets that allow:
* Fri 28 Oct: Oxford to Whittlesea, leaving Oxford at 16:30 (or perhaps a little later)
* Sun 30 Oct: Whittlesea to Oxford, leaving sometime in the afternoon (aiming to get back to Oxford by 22:00, but not able to commit to a particular train)

So I'd guess we want off-peak returns, although I'm not sure either what the time restrictions on them are, or how to easily find out.

The tricky bit is, both of us have network railcards, but Whittlesea is outside of the network railcard area, so we need to work out where to split the journey. Cost is obviously one consideration, but we'd also like to avoid an unnecessarily long journey (either by taking slow trains, or needing to change somewhere that means taking infrequent trains).

(the complications mentioned above are: one of us will be starting from Didcot on Friday, and we may actually want to end at Peterborough on the Sunday, and/or start from Peterborough on the Sunday. I don't think this will be a problem on walk-up tickets, but again I'm not sure how to easily find out for sure).


Thanks in advance for any help!

Ian

 

[John @ home]

essence is that 2 of us would like to get tickets that allow:
* Fri 28 Oct: Oxford to Whittlesea, leaving Oxford at 16:30 (or perhaps a little later)
* Sun 30 Oct: Whittlesea to Oxford, leaving sometime in the afternoon (aiming to get back to Oxford by 22:00, but not able to commit to a particular train)

The cheap way
2 Off-Peak Returns (SVRs) Oxford - Huntingdon route + Any Permitted with Network Card discount @ £35.50 = £71. These tickets have Validity code 4J.
2 x 2 Off-Peak Day Singles (CDSs) Huntingdon - Whittlesea and reverse route Any Permitted @ £7.90 = £31.60. These tickets have Validity code B3.
Total £102.60
If using this combination, the trains must stop at Huntingdon in both directions. This limits you to using slower First Capital Connect trains between London and Peterborough.

The fast way
2 Off-Peak Returns (SVRs) Oxford - London Terminals route Any Permitted with Network Card discount @ £15.50 = £31. These tickets have Validity code 5K.
If you have Oyster cards, use them Paddington - Kings Cross and return. By tube this costs 4 x £1.90 = £7.60. For all you ever wanted to know about Oyster, see MikeWh's excellent site at oyster-rail.org.uk.
2 Super Off-Peak Returns (SSRs) London Terminals - Whittlesea route Any Permitted @ £39.40 = £78.80. These tickets have Validity code 9D.
If you don't have Oyster cards, buy 2 Super Off-Peak Returns (SSRs) Acton Main Line - Whittlesea route + Any Permitted @ £44.30 = £88.60. These tickets have Validity code 9D. You don't actually use these tickets between Acton and Paddington, booking from Acton is in this case just a little cheaper than paying by cash for the cross-London Underground journeys.
Total £119.60 or £117.40

I'm not sure either what the time restrictions on them are, or how to easily find out.

Validity codes with details of time restrictions are now online, but finding them is still a little cumbersome.

• Go to National Rail Enquiries
• Enter details of your journey
• Choose Returns rather than Singles
• Choose appropriate travel times for Outward and Returns legs
• In the blue box marked Tickets, click on the ticket type, eg. Off-Peak Return
• Towards the bottom of the next page, click on view the specific 'Validity Code' applicable to the journey plan that you have selected.

one of us will be starting from Didcot on Friday

These plans won't work if the Network Railcard holder is starting from Didcot. Depending on ease of access to Didcot Parkway station, it may be necessary for the Railcard holder to get off at Didcot, meet the other passenger, and join a later train.

we may actually want to end at Peterborough on the Sunday, and/or start from Peterborough on the Sunday.

No problem.

 

[igloo]

That's great, thanks!

2 Off-Peak Returns (SVRs) Oxford - London Terminals

I don't think it would have occurred to me that using Oyster across London might be cheaper than a through ticket. How odd.

These plans won't work if the Network Railcard holder is starting from Didcot.

We have one each, so no problem.


Thanks
Ian

 

[John @ home]

I don't think it would have occurred to me that using Oyster across London might be cheaper than a through ticket. How odd.

One reason for this is that you are combining Oxford - London Railcard discounted tickets with full price London - Whittlesea tickets.

 

[igloo]

One reason for this is that you are combining Oxford - London Railcard discounted tickets with full price London - Whittlesea tickets.

Sure, I just meant for the OXF - KGX leg.


Thanks
Ian

 

[Paul Kelly]

An Oxford - Zone U1 London (which includes one zone 1 Underground journey in each direction) off-peak return is £19.45 with Network Railcard discount. That's £3.95 more than the Oxford-London Terminals fare, i.e. 15p dearer than two Oyster off-peak singles, so Oyster is still the best option.

But it is 95p cheaper than the difference between the Acton-Whittlesea and London-Whittlesea fares. So I would suggest extending the first ticket (to Zone U1 London) rather than starting the second earlier (at Acton Main Line) is a better option if you don't have access to an Oyster card. Not much in it though.