First the good news. You can now buy Northern cheap “Advance” tickets up to 15 min before travel from station ticket offices. Previously the company was refusing to let station staff, or ticket vending machines, sell these tickets on day of travel. (They were however allowed to sell other train companies Advance tickets “on the day”.) Common sense – good for staff and good for those of us who like talking to other human beings. Well done, Northern.
There are still issues about advance-purchase, though. The Calder Valley service to Chester is a big success. Halifax-Chester is about £27 for return journey using two Advance singles. (All fares quoted before any railcard discount. Looked up, Nov 2024: subject to change) But Advance fares are only valid on booked train. What if you want flexibility? Who wants to specify both outward and return journeys on a trip like Halifax-Chester? A short distance return valid on any Northern train is about £45 (any operator off-peak about £55 – ouch!) Cheaper options may be available by “split ticketing”. Hull-Halifax is another example. Two Hadrag members recently came back from Rotterdam by P&O North Sea Ferries. They didn’t want to specify train in advance of fear of missing it. An anytime flexible single would be £39.50 (each – another ouch!). An Advance ticket (booked train only) could be about £13/person. But you have to know which train you are travelling on before you book. In the end our pair went to the ticket office, but found they couldn’t book the cheap fare in person (it was before the rules were relaxed) so booked on phones.
Advance tickets are quoted-controlled: only so many available for any train. Now it is rumoured Advance tickets could go back to being sold no later than the day before. This must strengthen the argument for cheaper on- the-day fares. We can understand long-distance operators like LNER marketing Advance (fixed train) tickets. But why does a local and regional operator have to ape this practice?
“File:2019 at Hebden Bridge station – in the ticket office.JPG” by Geof Sheppard is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Halifax and District Rail Action Group 