Something I (and, judging by the reaction when i buy the ticket, lots
of other people) have discovered recently is the following Chiltern
ticket anomaly:

Solihull - Marylebone peak return = £69
Solihull - Dartford peak return (passing through Marylebone) = £49.

I know practically nothing about trains, so how is this possible?

It looks a bit odd, The fare for Dartford is routed via High Wycombe
thats why it is that price. I cant account for the Solihull - MYB fare
like Incidently a SVR is valid on any train after 0825 from Solihull
which is about £25


andrewrobins@gmail.com wrote:

> Something I (and, judging by the reaction when i buy the ticket, lots
> of other people) have discovered recently is the following Chiltern
> ticket anomaly:
>
> Solihull - Marylebone peak return = £69
> Solihull - Dartford peak return (passing through Marylebone) = £49.
> 
> I know practically nothing about trains, so how is this possible?

andrewrobins@gmail.com wrote:


> Something I (and, judging by the reaction when i buy the ticket, lots
> of other people) have discovered recently is the following Chiltern
> ticket anomaly:
> 
> Solihull - Marylebone peak return = 69
> Solihull - Dartford peak return (passing through Marylebone) = 49.
> 
> I know practically nothing about trains, so how is this possible?


This is nothing unusual. I report at least one pricing anomaly per 
fortnight to my company's pricing manager!

The roots are in BR's overhaul of the fares system around 1990 and the 
introduction of market-related fares.

Report it to Chiltern's pricing manager via their customer services and 
hopefully it will be looked into in time for their next fares round in 
September or January.

-- 
Rob
http://www.uicstock.org.uk/
To reply, remove zudo

Smart Alec wrote:


> It looks a bit odd, The fare for Dartford is routed via High Wycombe
> thats why it is that price. I cant account for the Solihull - MYB fare
> like Incidently a SVR is valid on any train after 0825 from Solihull
> which is about 25


The fares being compared were both Standard Open Returns, route High
Wycombe.

-- 
                          Stevie D
    \\\\\       /////     Bringing dating agencies to the
   \\\\\\\__X__///////    common hedgehog since 2001 - "HedgeHugs"
___\\\\\\\'/ \'///////_____________________________________________

andrewrobins@gmail.com wrote:


> Something I (and, judging by the reaction when i buy the ticket, lots
> of other people) have discovered recently is the following Chiltern
> ticket anomaly:
> 
> Solihull - Marylebone peak return = 69
> Solihull - Dartford peak return (passing through Marylebone) = 49.
> 
> I know practically nothing about trains, so how is this possible?


Dunno. One of those weird anomaly things, I guess.

Both the fares quoted are Standard Open, route High Wycombe - so they
are exactly comparable.

For both Dartford and London, there are all 4 combinations of First,
Standard Open and Saver, route High Wy and Any Permitted.

What is even odder is the respective SOR route AnyP fares - for
Dartford (cheaper route High Wy) it is 110, but for London it is
100. Which sounds a far more sensible way round.

That's still quite a premium to pay for the dubious pleasure of taking
a less direct route, slower and usually with a change, and on "lesser"
TOCs to boot!

-- 
                          Stevie D
    \\\\\       /////     Bringing dating agencies to the
   \\\\\\\__X__///////    common hedgehog since 2001 - "HedgeHugs"
___\\\\\\\'/ \'///////_____________________________________________

They are both via High Wycombe.

Report it? God, no.

I usually have a monthly solihull - marylebone season ticket, but from
time to time it suits me to get the odd one-off return ticket.

Dartford saves me 20 quid a time ;-)

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 18:05:53 GMT, The Doctor
 wrote:


>> Something I (and, judging by the reaction when i buy the ticket, lots
>> of other people) have discovered recently is the following Chiltern
>> ticket anomaly:
>
>Report it to Chiltern's pricing manager via their customer services and 
>hopefully it will be looked into in time for their next fares round in 
>September or January.


Why would he want to do that? It seems the present arrangements suit
him just fine.

asdf wrote:


>>Report it to Chiltern's pricing manager via their customer services and 
>>hopefully it will be looked into in time for their next fares round in 
>>September or January.
> 
> Why would he want to do that? It seems the present arrangements suit
> him just fine.


No problem. I'll do it instead then <g> :-)

-- 
Rob
http://www.uicstock.org.uk/
To reply, remove zudo

andrewrobins@gmail.com wrote:

> Report it? God, no.
> 
> I usually have a monthly solihull - marylebone season ticket, but from
> time to time it suits me to get the odd one-off return ticket.
> 
> Dartford saves me 20 quid a time ;-)
> 


Dear Chiltern,

Your Solihull - Marylebone ticket costs 20 too much. Please reduce it 
in line with the Solihull - Dartford fare. Many thanks.

:)

Steve M

Ha ha, now you're talking my language ;-)