Special Offers Discussion

[lj9090]

PlusBus £2 On-line Offer in June and July

http://www.plusbus.info/offers

Is anyone aware of how to buy one of these online without a rail ticket? I already have a season ticket, so just need the addon.

 

[Deerfold]

Is anyone aware of how to buy one of these online without a rail ticket? I already have a season ticket, so just need the addon.

I don't think any online systems will sell plusbus without a ticket to or from the town the plusbus is for.

 

[jon0844]

I don't think any online systems will sell plusbus without a ticket to or from the town the plusbus is for.

Yet the posters imply you can. At Hatfield there's a poster that says you can buy for just £2 online.

I've not been to the site and it may well be the case you can only do so by buying a normal ticket at the same time, but it's certainly not what the wording suggests. Perhaps there's some very small print that I didn't see from a distance, as most people wouldn't.

 

[Deerfold]

Yet the posters imply you can. At Hatfield there's a poster that says you can buy for just £2 online.

I've not been to the site and it may well be the case you can only do so by buying a normal ticket at the same time, but it's certainly not what the wording suggests. Perhaps there's some very small print that I didn't see from a distance, as most people wouldn't.

You may be right. But I don't think I'm wrong. I'd be glad to be as if I am I'll buy plusbus for a couple of advances I've already bought so if anyone knows different, please let us know. However as the online systems don't validate whether you already have a ticket and plusbus does not need any other ticket to be shown to a driver I'd be very surprised if you can.

 

[gnolife]

I'm quite surprised that Peak District is included in the £2 offer. The area covered is quite large.

I'm not complaining though - £3.40 all in to get from my house to Matlock is a proper good bargain.

 

[jon0844]

Right, just checked the plusbus site and for the special offers it just states you can buy from all TOC websites plus trainline, qjump and redspottedhanky.

So there's no way to buy from the site itself, and I assume therefore no way to just buy plusbus as an add-on for a ticket/season you already have.

http://www.plusbus.info/offers

 

[bb21]

I agree that you cannot buy the PlusBus by itself. It has never been possible online.

 

[boyaloud]

Check your emails as I've currently got 2 great deals from London Midland and First Transpennine Express. The former, 25% off seemingly all advances to anywhere, first or standard, and all railcard discounts apply too. This one can be used multiple times until 27 June, for journeys up to September! Found this out as used twice myself.

The latter, 25% off any advance from Manchester Airport to anywhere on the network, again first and standard and all railcard discounts apply! Don't know if this can be used more than once. Valid until 7 July for tickets until September.

 

[dvboy]

Used the plusbus promotion this week and picked the ticket up from a TVM at Birmingham New Street, the ticket printed out in the old less clear format, so it's not immediately obvious what it is. No trouble using it in Nottingham though.

 

[dvboy]

The £2 offer is issued in a very weird layout. Has anyone else noticed?

Ah not just me then! Didn't plusbus used to always be issued this way at first?

5.1.007 Old E 4 by RailUK Forums, on Flickr

 

[dave87016]

Virgin Trains sale starts 30th June and ends July 2nd discounts off one million standard and first class travel, for travel between 18th July and 27th August

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Virgin Trains sale starts 30th June and ends July 2nd discounts off one million standard and first class travel, for travel between 18th July and 27th August

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/sale/

Only Virgin West Coast, unfortunately for some of us!

Edit: looks like the sale's started early if this link is to be believed.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/vir...w-live-e-g-london-liverpool-10-single-2235737

 

[martinsh]

Used the plusbus promotion this week and picked the ticket up from a TVM at Birmingham New Street, the ticket printed out in the old less clear format, so it's not immediately obvious what it is. No trouble using it in Nottingham though.

I've used two of these £2 offers so far. One printed out in the format above, and the other in the standard format ...

 

[Mojo]

Ah not just me then! Didn't plusbus used to always be issued this way at first?

5.1.007 Old E 4 by RailUK Forums, on Flickr

It was. Originally it was an "add-on" to your normal ticket; you would get a single ticket issued for both your rail and bus journeys; for example Cheltenham to Birmingham+BUSWM. Obviously not quite thought through properly as certain ticket types could effectively get the less honest a monthly bus pass, or two bus tickets for the price of one when buying a return!

 

[JaJaWa]

Excellent; I have always thought that having Super Off-peak Day tickets only available at the weekend a bit strange given that, in the L&SE area at least, demand for weekend travel is quite strong and surely not affected as much by these bargain basement fares. In contrast most weekday off peak trains are carting around fresh air. Some Tocs like Greater Anglia have seen sense and allowed use of Super Off-peak Day tickets on weekdays.

Thameslink & Great Northern have committed to "super off-peak fares to become available during the week in north part of franchise, from 2018"...

 

[Billy Hicks]

Virgin Trains sale starts 30th June and ends July 2nd discounts off one million standard and first class travel, for travel between 18th July and 27th August

£15 London to Edinburgh all through the Fringe Festival, which is a brilliant deal for this time of year even if it is the slower West Coast service.

No railcard discounts but still cheaper than most remaining railcard fares for that month.

 

[westv]

Virgin Trains sale starts 30th June and ends July 2nd discounts off one million standard and first class travel, for travel between 18th July and 27th August

Wonder when we'll see a seat sale for EC.

 

[Floydlover25]

If you click on the "terms and conditions" on the Thameslink site it says:
Super Off-Peak tickets to London stations can only be used on the first trains to arrive in London after 10:00.
When I first looked I'm sure that is what was how it was, but now I too can only get it to work on trains arriving after 11.00. The weekday tickets also don't show up at all on NRE, presumably because it's an online only deal.

I'll enquire what the time restriction is really meant to be.

TSGN website now states:-

Morning travel restrictions – Super Off-Peak tickets to London stations can only be used on the trains due to arrive in London after approximately 11.30.

 

[crehld]

TSGN website now states:-

Morning travel restrictions – Super Off-Peak tickets to London stations can only be used on the trains due to arrive in London after approximately 11.30.

What does "after approximately 11.30" actually mean? Is it after 11.30 or not?

 

[bb21]

What does "after approximately 11.30" actually mean? Is it after 11.30 or not?

11.01 if I round up to the next half hour.

(Not serious obviously.)

 

[Floydlover25]

On the GN route into KX the first arrival seems to be 11.20

 

[jon0844]

Well that backs up what the RPI I spoke to said. It's subject to the evening peak restriction too, presumably even stations south of Stevenage? If so, might not be quite such an appealing ticket anyway (in the week).

 

[Hadders]

Well that backs up what the RPI I spoke to said. It's subject to the evening peak restriction too, presumably even stations south of Stevenage? If so, might not be quite such an appealing ticket anyway (in the week).

There do appear to be evening peak restrictions south of Stevenage. It's a good value fare but only available on-line through GTR's website. No travelcards either.

That said I'd rather this type of ticket than Advance fares which are only valid on a specific service and would no doubt cause much grief when passengers get on the wrong train (either accidentally or on purpose)

 

[trevmonk]

TSGN website now states:-

Morning travel restrictions – Super Off-Peak tickets to London stations can only be used on the trains due to arrive in London after approximately 11.30.

Confusing, because it stills says 10.00 on the full offer terms and conditions page here https://tickets.southernrailway.com/sn/en/tickettandc/O/OLD.aspx.

It seems the first valid train to London you can buy for on the Thameslink route arrives at St Pancras at 11.09. Also confusing as they don't specify a start time for tickets to stations other than London, or travelling away from London.

As it's a web only offer and requires a bit of tinkering to find which trains you can use I suspect they might not sell many of these, especially as they don't offer the Travelcard version.

 

[TEW]

EMT's 'Red Dot Day' promotion is back. £20 for a day's unlimited travel on the EMT network, with the exception of Nottingham-Skegness, on Saturday 25th July. Tickets must be purchased from Nottingham ticket office in exchange for a voucher, and can be purchased in advance. Expect the details will be on the EMT website soon enough.

 

[Starmill]

I hope they are clearer than 'with the exception of Nottingham - Skegness' - does that mean the whole line is barred from these tickets, or will you be able to use Norwich trains to travel Nottingham - Grantham?

 

[JaJaWa]

What does "after approximately 11.30" actually mean? Is it after 11.30 or not?

I have now purchased some of these tickets, and they print with the restriction code "GR".

Going to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/GR, the restriction is rather odd; you could take a train departing St Pancras after 10:24 (going south presumably) but not one from West Hampstead Thameslink until 11:11.

On the way back, the Off Peak Day Travelcard restriction applies; not valid on any services which are timed to depart London Kings Cross, London St Pancras International, Moorgate or pass through London St Pancras International after 16:29 and before 19:02, regardless of where you join or leave the service. Not valid for travel from London Liverpool Street after 15:59 and before 19:00.

 

[Bill Badger]

£20 off peak day return offer on SWT between 20th July and 28th August

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/summer.aspx

The usual west of Salisbury and peak departure from Waterloo restrictions apply as well as 2, seemingly random, Saturdays (1st & 15th August) are excluded from the promotion.

 

[Kite159]

£20 off peak day return offer on SWT between 20th July and 28th August

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/summer.aspx

The usual west of Salisbury and peak departure from Waterloo restrictions apply as well as 2, seemingly random, Saturdays (1st & 15th August) are excluded from the promotion.

Gone up again. But a £1.30 saving is a £1.30 saving, plus allows use of the 8:59 departure

Seems you can purchase them at the station on the day of travel (rather than online only at least the day before as per previous deals)

 

[Cletus]

Another one of those no-railcard sales Southeastern like

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/offers-and-destinations/summer-sale/

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/offers-and-destinations/summer-sale/terms-and-conditions/

1. The 25% discount is available on the following ticket types:

Off-Peak Day Return
Off-Peak Day Single
Off-Peak Return
Super Off-Peak Return
Super Off-Peak Single
2. Restrictions vary for different journeys:

Off-Peak Day tickets are valid after 9:00am.
Off-Peak Day tickets for trains travelling into London are valid to arrive after 10:00am.
Off-Peak Open Return tickets are valid after 9:30am.
Super Off-Peak tickets are valid after 10:00am.
Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets are valid all day at weekends and Bank Holidays.
3. This offer is only available online on tickets purchased through the Southeastern website. Discounted tickets cannot be bought at a ticket office or through any other website.

4. This promotion is open to all Southeastern mainline and high speed journeys. It is not available on journeys wholly within the Oyster card area (London Fare Zones 1-6) or when purchasing a Travelcard.

5. Discounts apply to Standard Class only. First Class tickets are not available on this offer.

6. Railcard discounts are not available with this offer.

7. Discounted tickets are available to buy from Monday 13 July for the period of travel from Monday 13 July to Monday 24 August inclusive.

8. Kids for a Quid tickets are available to purchase online when a Southeastern 25% OFF discounted adult Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak day return ticket is purchased.
Standard Kids for a Quid t’s & c’s apply: One adult with a valid ticket can take up to 4 children for just £1 each Off-Peak. Full Kids for £1 terms & conditions: southeasternrailway.co.uk/offers-and-destinations/special-fares-terms

9. Normal refund rules apply.

10. There are no quotas for these promotional tickets. It may be taken up by anyone, any amount of times for travel from Monday 13 July to Monday 24 August 2015 inclusive.

11. In some instances a one-way Advance fare may be cheaper. These are also available on our website.