Hi,

On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.

What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
Network Rail or someone else)?

Thanks

Rich

"Rich"  wrote in message 
news:1125920506.252693.325080@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,
>
> On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
> coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
> return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
> under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.
>
> What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
> Network Rail or someone else)?
>

Its probably NR policy, not SET because I just tapped into the trainline the 
details, except travelling out tomorrow, return sunday and can confirm that 
its singles only.  So I then tried Stafford to Crewe with the same times and 
again its singles only... So my guess its nothing to do with SETrains

Rich wrote:

>
> On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
> coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
> return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
> under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.
> What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
> Network Rail or someone else)?


Network Rail don't set fares, so this is SETrains policy, and for that
matter, the policy of pretty much all the other TOCs. Short distance
fares tend to be valid one day only, as a way of reducing fraud. The
logic is that tickets are less likely to be gripped on short journeys,
therefore there is more likelihood of people attempting to re-use them.
-- 
Pat Ricroft, City of Salford, UK
================================

"Pat Ricroft"  wrote in message 
news:1125925244.537643.321370@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Rich wrote:
>>
>> On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
>> coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
>> return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
>> under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.
>> What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
>> Network Rail or someone else)?
>
> Network Rail don't set fares, so this is SETrains policy, and for that
> matter, the policy of pretty much all the other TOCs. Short distance
> fares tend to be valid one day only, as a way of reducing fraud. The
> logic is that tickets are less likely to be gripped on short journeys,
> therefore there is more likelihood of people attempting to re-use them.
> -- 
> Pat Ricroft, City of Salford, UK
> ================================
>
>

I can remember rtns being valid 3 months. Bolt cutters were needed before 
you could nip the tickets. The trick was to buy 5 either end of the journey 
and mix them all up and say you were not a regular traveller.

"Pat Ricroft"  wrote in message
news:1125925244.537643.321370@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Rich wrote:
> >
> > On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
> > coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
> > return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
> > under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.
> > What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
> > Network Rail or someone else)?
>
> Network Rail don't set fares, so this is SETrains policy, and for that
> matter, the policy of pretty much all the other TOCs. Short distance
> fares tend to be valid one day only, as a way of reducing fraud. The
> logic is that tickets are less likely to be gripped on short journeys,
> therefore there is more likelihood of people attempting to re-use them.


The policy goes well back into Southern Region days. In the early days of
Network SouthEast the only tickets in the Network area available valid for
more than one day were Network AwayBreaks, valid 5 days, but not valid in
either direction during the morning peak. This was later relaxed to allow
some Savers, e.g  to airports.

Peter

Rich wrote:

> On Friday I took the train from Faversham to Dover, with a plan of
> coming back on Sunday (France for the weekend). I asked for a period
> return, and was told that this wasn't possible, as the journey was
> under 40 miles, so I had to buy a single each way.
> 
> What's the logic behind this, and whose policy is it (SETrains or
> Network Rail or someone else)?


It's been like this for at least 15 years. The logic, of course, is the
maximisation of revenue, though precisely how this works is open to
question.

-- 
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9633054.html
(50 004 at Basingstoke, 1985)