Help another train questions???

[PG13]

It's me again. So I go to book the train from Liverpool south parkway to London Euston and the train that leaves at 9:44 appears to look like a deal, but my Daddy always told me to be sure and look a gift horse in the mouth, so....

It says it a Mid London train only and is overtaken. What do these things means? I see it take about a half hour longer, but that's not a big deal to save half the price. Does this train pull over for another to go by? It goes to the station I need. What might be the problem? It seens that with the more expensive ticket we ride this same type of train for 7 minutes then switch. Any ideas here?

Pat

[Cotswold Eagle]

It's much as you think. The train you are looking at is not the fastest routing (it may not be physically overtaken by the other service, it may go a different way, I haven't looked. Most likely it makes more stops). The system is giving you the choice of prioritising time or cost :)

 

I suspect it's "London Midland", which is a Train Operating Company - so your ticket is only valid on that company's trains, which in this case is not the quickest way to get where you are going.

[MarlboroBell]

It's me again. So I go to book the train from Liverpool south parkway to London Euston and the train that leaves at 9:44 appears to look like a deal, but my Daddy always told me to be sure and look a gift horse in the mouth, so....

It says it a Mid London train only and is overtaken. What do these things means? I see it take about a half hour longer, but that's not a big deal to save half the price. Does this train pull over for another to go by? It goes to the station I need. What might be the problem? It seens that with the more expensive ticket we ride this same type of train for 7 minutes then switch. Any ideas here?

Pat

 

Well, the 9:44 (or indeed the anything:44) is indeed a London Midland service. You do need to switch trains to get to London, because the train goes to Birmingham. On a London Midland-only ticket, you'll change at Stafford and get to London at 12:49. On a ticket that allows for Virgin Trains, you'll change at Runcorn (yes, about seven minutes) and arrive at 11:56.

 

You should also be aware that if you change at Stafford, you'll have to use the bridge (there are elevators) to get from platform 4 to platform 1. If you change at Runcorn to Virgin Trains it's the same platform.

 

Up to you -- the London Midland trains are commuterish trains doing a long journey with a lot of stops; the Virgin trains are high-speed(ish) trains that barely stop at all. That's reflected in the difference in price.

[Omega1]

Hello Pat

It looks as though the journey you are considering is:

9.44 London Midland service to Runcorn, arriving 9.51. Change trains. Depart Runcorn at 10.04 on the Virgin Trains service to London Euston, arriving 11.56.

The pricing structure across different routings can be complex but the cost of a single ticket on the train that leaves at 10.44 (£36) appears to be about half the price of the 9.44 train!

[PG13]

We're in no hurry, we have 2 days in London before we cruise. So maybe taking the :44 train is no big deal, except the transfer. Do they always allow sufficient time to get from the 4 platform to the 1. So we can just climb on the elevator with our luggage and it will transport us to the 1? We will each have a suitcase and husband has parkinsons desease so he moves slower then most. We have spent years visiting NY CIty and negotiation their subway platforms so I figure this is similar. Oh I just don't know. But thank you so much for clearing that up. Pat

Well, the 9:44 (or indeed the anything:44) is indeed a London Midland service. You do need to switch trains to get to London, because the train goes to Birmingham. On a London Midland-only ticket, you'll change at Stafford and get to London at 12:49. On a ticket that allows for Virgin Trains, you'll change at Runcorn (yes, about seven minutes) and arrive at 11:56.

 

You should also be aware that if you change at Stafford, you'll have to use the bridge (there are elevators) to get from platform 4 to platform 1. If you change at Runcorn to Virgin Trains it's the same platform.

 

Up to you -- the London Midland trains are commuterish trains doing a long journey with a lot of stops; the Virgin trains are high-speed(ish) trains that barely stop at all. That's reflected in the difference in price.

[PG13]

I found another quicker option with Virgin Train, not as nice price savings but more timely. It says Virgin West only, so question is will it be obvious and easy to tell the Virgin West from the others. And it says we have to pick up our tickets at another station and that I have to specify. Hmmmm.

[Omega1]

I assume you want to depart from Liverpool South Parkway because that is the station nearest to your grandson's house. If that is not the case, you would be better starting your journey at Liverpool Lime Street station, in the city centre, and taking direct service to Euston on Virgin Trains.

In answer to your question, Virgin west probably refers to the fact that Virgin Trains has the franchise for the west coast main line - there isn't a separate company called Virgin West.

[Cotswold Eagle]

I assume you want to depart from Liverpool South Parkway because that is the station nearest to your grandson's house. If that is not the case, you would be better starting your journey at Liverpool Lime Street station, in the city centre, and taking direct service to Euston on Virgin Trains.

In answer to your question, Virgin west probably refers to the fact that Virgin Trains has the franchise for the west coast main line - there isn't a separate company called Virgin West.

 

I think you are right - it will be the VWC fare condition (actually, it must be VWC + CONNECTNS because Virgin don't serve Liverpool South Parkway, which is also presumably why the ticket is not collectable there).

 

OP - it sounds like this is an Advance ticket, which means you must travel on the specified trains. It might be useful if you post exact details of what you are looking at, because we are having to do a bit of translation from what you are posting :)