Chiltern Railways 'simple fares' - updated

Chiltern have announced the fare structure that will accompany the launch of Mainline in September. Basically, the Monday to Friday offering will be £75 Anytime Return, £50 Off-Peak Return, and £25 Super off-peak return. However, as ever, the devil is in the detail!

First, the good news...

• The Anytime fare is reduced by £10 - of course, regular readers of my blog know that there was NEVER any need to purchase the former £85 fare
• Monday to Friday travellers FROM London to Birmingham can now use the £25 super off-peak return fare on any train up to the 15.37 departure and then from the 19.15 departure. Given the new timings of Mainline and the 'new' stock, this must be very attractive if Chiltern can find a way of cracking the inbuilt Virgin-bias of the National Rail Enquiry system
• Monday to Friday travellers FROM Birmingham to London can now use the £25 super off-peak return fare on any train FROM the 9.55 departure from Moor Street and can return from Marylebone on any train up to the 15.37 departure and then from the 19.15 departure.
• Weekend travel will still be at the bargain rate of £25 super off-peak return in either direction

Now the bad news...

• If, like me, you are a regular user of the £33 off-peak return fare because of the 10.30 arrival time in London AND freedom to use any train back from Marylebone then you are going to be dismayed by the increase of £17 to the new fare of £50... (My thanks to Tony Hickman for pointing out that the fare will be valid on arrivals into Marylebone after 10am M-F - apologies to Chiltern for this misunderstanding)
• Likewise, travellers from Marylebone who used Chiltern in the afternoon peak in preference to Virgin's extortionate Anytime fare will also be dismayed... (However, LondonMidland's new September timetable might be attractive to them as LM-only tickets do not have an evening peak restriction from Euston)

The only amelioration is that the new fares won't be implemented until Monday 8th August so until that date the £33 fare can still be bought in advance and will still be honoured. Plan ahead whilst you can.