Why is it so expensive to get to Doncaster from Shipley?

[johntea]

I'm travelling from Shipley to Doncaster today, in the past I would have used my MetroCard and could have stated from Wakefield which is reasonably cheap.

However, without that luxary I'm looking at £17! It seems there isn't even an off peak day return for the route which seems a bit odd.

It's not a journey I can see myself needing to make that much but are there any tips for such a journey (other than remortgage the house ). I did try train split but it didn't find any options.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Pure price-gouging from Virgin Trains East Coast, no other reason; a day return from Leeds to Doncaster is £15 Shipley-Sheffield day return is £12 (route not via Doncaster) by comparison.

If you split at South Elmsall you can get it down to £10.90 off peak, but you'd be restricted to the stopper.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Use a train that calls at South Elmsall and travel off peak. £6.70 + £3.20.

 

[fireftrm]

That doesn't sound expensive to me.

 

[LexyBoy]

Don't move down south! Oxford-Swindon is the same distance and £44!

Agree that there should be a CDR on this flow though.

 

[sheff1]

Don't move down south! Oxford-Swindon is the same distance and £44!

An Off Peak Day Return (which is what this thread is about) is £10.80 !

 

[LexyBoy]

Well the £17 fare is an SDR - I did say that there should be a CDR for this journey.

 

[anme]

Don't move down south! Oxford-Swindon is the same distance and £44!

Agree that there should be a CDR on this flow though.

For Oxford to Swindon, I see the off peak day return is a mere £10.80, compared to the anytime day return of £44. So travelling at peak time costs a rather astonishing 407% more than off peak. Are there any other journeys in the UK where the proportional difference is that high, or even higher?

 

[causton]

Watford Junction - Manchester SOR is £329 and a SVR is about £80. So That is around 410%! Imagine a lot of similar tickets are the same!

 

[Starmill]

If you want to use VTEC, you might try a Mirfield to Swinton (SY) CDR 'Not Via Leeds" and a Shipley to Wakefield.

 

[maniacmartin]

So travelling at peak time costs a rather astonishing 407% more than off peak

407% as much. 407% more would be the original 100% plus another 407%

 

[yorkie]

Until recently I'd have suggested Darton-Doncaster. This was only £6 as recently as 2013!

However, this good value fare of many years standing has now come to an end, as East Coast (now VTEC) took ownership of the flow after reading about it on this forum. The fare has now been ramped up to £9.70 to match the premium Wakefield-Doncaster fare. The cheaper fare is now only valid by using the slow, infrequent, convoluted route via Meadowhall.

There's nothing we can do to stop them ramping up fares like this as there is no body with any teeth who stands up for passenger rights when it comes to fares matters whatsoever and the DfT will ensure there never is.

The best value fares (or, if you want to use the term "loophole", though I see it more a a case of bringing down the fares to an acceptable level) in Yorkshire tend to only get mentioned at our Yorkshire Meals/meets, as to mention them on the forum only leads to their withdrawal.

 

[Ianigsy]

There are a few funny things about fares in West Yorkshire which get on my nerves- for example it'd be quite handy to have "not via Leeds" fares on routes between the Airedale and Wharfedale lines so I don't have to pay for going into Leeds and out again when I'm going from Menston to Keighley or up the S&C- or down the Calder Valley for another. Particularly when this is offered as an option on the MetroCard!

The journey I probably make most often by train is to my parents in Birkenhead, leaving from work in Leeds on a Friday evening. As I have a First bus pass for my regular commute, it's not worth my while to book through from and to Menston- it adds £7 to the return ticket and the connection out of the fast Liverpool-Newcastle on a Sunday is poor, so I tend to use the bus into Leeds that I've already paid for, rather than my local station.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Those fares do exist between the Calderdale and Airedale lines, with some only routed NOT VIA LEEDS (to avoid people claiming the shortest route from e.g. Halifax to Frizinghall is by rail). So it can be done.

VTEC price gouge. You'd be struggling to beat £10.60, depends how much the faster train matters to you.

 

[anme]

407% as much. 407% more would be the original 100% plus another 407%

Indeed you're right. I was so outraged by the overcharging that my maths skills abandoned me. I remember the same thing happened when I saw Virgin's peak time fare from London to Birmingham. I wonder if Mr Brandston realises that this does more damage to his image as the Iraq war and his friendship with Tony Blair put together.

 

[father_jack]

For Oxford to Swindon, I see the off peak day return is a mere £10.80, compared to the anytime day return of £44. So travelling at peak time costs a rather astonishing 407% more than off peak. Are there any other journeys in the UK where the proportional difference is that high, or even higher?

Weston super Mare [WSM]- Chippenham [CPM] SOR is £56 (only available return in morning peak), CDR is £16.90..................

But Taunton [TAU] - CPM SOR is £35.80. :roll:

 

[northwichcat]

It seems there isn't even an off peak day return for the route which seems a bit odd.

There's many examples of routes where a day return is available but an off-peak day return is not. Although, it may not be as common in Yorkshire as in other areas.

 

[Deerfold]

There are a few funny things about fares in West Yorkshire which get on my nerves- for example it'd be quite handy to have "not via Leeds" fares on routes between the Airedale and Wharfedale lines so I don't have to pay for going into Leeds and out again when I'm going from Menston to Keighley or up the S&C- or down the Calder Valley for another. Particularly when this is offered as an option on the MetroCard!

I've done Keighley to Menston a few times recently.

It's £5.70 peak / £4.30 peak

That compares with £8.10/£5.70 for a return from Keighley to Leeds or £6.60/£4.80 from Menston to Leeds.

Is the Keighley-Menston ticket valid via Leeds? It certainly already seems to be priced as if it's a "not via Leeds" ticket.

journey I probably make most often by train is to my parents in Birkenhead, leaving from work in Leeds on a Friday evening. As I have a First bus pass for my regular commute, it's not worth my while to book through from and to Menston- it adds £7 to the return ticket and the connection out of the fast Liverpool-Newcastle on a Sunday is poor, so I tend to use the bus into Leeds that I've already paid for, rather than my local station.

I'm not sure I see the relevance of that one. A not via Leeds ticket wouldn't help, would it?