Chiltern Railways Birmingham to London fares from 20th May 2012

As noted in blog posts earlier this week, Chiltern are introducing a new timetable from Monday 14th May, and 'revised' (ie increased) fares from Sunday 20th May - although some minor changes in restrictions and supplements come in to force from the start of the new timetable.

The headline fare change is the £10 increase in the Anytime Return fare between Birmingham and London along with the £5 increase in the Anytime Single fare. As the Off-peak  and Super Off-peak fares are not affected, the 'simplified' fare structure becomes:

• £95 Anytime Return for journeys into London Monday to Friday arriving by 10am
• £50 Off-peak Return for journeys into London Monday to Friday arriving by 11.30am
• £25 Super Off-peak return for ALL other journeys EXCEPT return journeys from London between 4pm and 7pm Monday to Friday (when an Off-peak return is required)

The Business Zone supplement remains £20 per journey on the peak time Silver sets BUT the Business Zone Package fare increases by £10 to £125. However, from the 21st May, a Business Zone Advance ticket will be available on the  0619 and 0655 departures for £65. Combining this fare with the equivalent fare at £50 on the 1646 and 1807 return departures from Marylebone thus saves £10 by booking ahead, and you get a reserved seat (not that I have ever seen a reservation label in the Business Zone yet...).

So far, so simple... but of course being Chiltern nothing is ever straightforward. The key question for Chiltern passengers is 'Do I ever need to book an Anytime Return?'; the answer to which is 'Only if you are travelling on the 0655 Silver set service from Birmingham and returning on the 1807 Silver set service from Marylebone.* Here's why:

1. You are travelling to London to arrive before 10am Monday to Friday BUT can return either before 4pm or after 7pm Monday to Friday OR at the weekend: buy an Anytime Single at £61 and a Super Off-peak return at £25, thus saving £9 (and gaining a ticket for an additional journey)
2. You are travelling to London to arrive before 10am Monday to Friday NOT on the 0655 Silver set service BUT need to return from London between 4pm and 7pm Monday to Friday NOT on the 1807 Silver set: buy an Anytime Day Return to Banbury (£19.10) and an Anytime Return Banbury to London (£67.30), thus saving £8.60
3. You are travelling to London to arrive before 10am Monday to Friday and can use the 0546, 0659, or 0747 services AND can return from London on the 1607, 1737, or 1837 services Monday to Friday: buy an Anytime Return to Bicester (£22.50) and an Anytime Return Bicester to London (£49.60), thus saving £22.90!

* Note that Option 2 works only for journeys there and back in a day

All the above fares are valid ONLY on Chiltern's route via High Wycombe