"Michael Hopkins" wrote in message
...


Actually, the OP was sold the cheapest ticket from HH to Newark, but what
was cheaper was a ticket from HH to London and London to Newark, but
that's
a different question.

I think to the average punter, the difference between the two would be seen
as splitting hairs.

I suppose the question asked of the ticket office should have been "what is
the cheapest combination of tickets that will take me from HH to Newark".
And if the rail companies don't have access to this information, then they
bloody-well should have - they do run the services and set the fares, after
all.

In an ideal world, there would be only one fare between A and B, it would be
valid for travel at any time (and return at any other time, on the same or
another day) and it would be directly proportional to distance travelled.
That would make life so much easier. Sadly our beloved rail watchdog has
allowed TOCs to charge perverse fares (such as A-B being more expensive than
A-C, where B is between A and C) and A-B being more expensive than B-A,
instead of uttering Harry Enfield "Oi! No!" edicts.