Is there any way to coax the
trainsfares.co.uk system to sell me the
ticket I want?
I have a multi-train journey with poor connections. trainsfares insists
that the passenger leave as late as possible; I want to book to leave as
early as possible and have the slack time at the last change-point. I
can't find out how to achieve this. Any ideas?
The need is to get my son back from Portsmouth Harbour (PMH) to Matlock
on Sat 16 August. He will get to PMH at about 0950, and wants to get
home as early as possible.
There is an ideal PMH - Southampton - Derby option leaving 1022 arriving
1439. If all goes to time, he would have 9 minutes at Derby before the
1448 to Matlock. If not, he would have to wait until the 1622 to Matlock.
The
trainsfares.co.uk site (as used by East Midlands Trains) refuses to
offer the 1022 via Southampton if it knows I want to buy a ticket to
Matlock. Ask it for the first departure after 10.00 via Southampton and
it will offer 1122, connecting into the 1622 to Matlock. But no sign of
the 1022. If I forget about Matlock, and specify Derby, there is the
1022, with advance-purchase availability.