Scotrail train tickets

An overtaken service means another train departs later but arrives earlier at your destination, i.e., it's a quicker train.

If two Anytime tickets have different prices, chances are they are for different train companies - you need to check which train company is operating which train, and likely they won't be valid for both trains.

If you tell us the date you're looking at, we can clarify your options.

'Overtaken train' means that there is a faster alternative, so in this case there are at least 2 Falkirk route trains (1045 and 1115), the 1041 Bathgate route, the 1021 Carstairs route and the 1025 Shotts routes trains which are faster overall routes (with tighter connections- the latter two connecting between Central and Queen Street, or even as a Blue Train connection from Central Low Level changing at Hyndland and Dumbarton Central).

Without knowing the date and time of the trip I have no idea whether the split ticket is an Anytime Day, but it is very unlikely not to be.

Personally I find it useful to know that if the Falkirk route is up the creek that day for some reason there are still 3 (or 4) other routes that will get me there on time. In strict terms I can't join a train short at Dumbarton with an Advance Ticket from Glasgow, but if push came to absolute shove that is what I would do, and argue the point if I am forced to.

As for Oban to Edinburgh no idea without details where splits are being made- but on my system an Anytime Day Single Oban to Edinburgh (no split) is £38.35 (Senior Railcard fare), on both the 0856 and the 1211 the split is at Croy with a total fare of £32.45.

The difference on the 0856 is possibly because with a Two Together it isn't valid on the Oban to Croy sector, but is on the Croy to Edinburgh sector, on a weekday. (*).

As said before I simply would not make that split on Croy, because it removes my route flexibility. However the 1441 has a split fare of £33.25 where the split is on Glasgow. Now that can be done, manually, on the 1211 and the 0856 for that matter. For the sake of 80p I retain the valuable route flexibility between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

*- I am looking now at the best (and very impressive) split on the 0856 using a Two Together Railcard to maximise the 0930 start time of validity-
Oban to Loch Awe £18.20 for 2 people
Loch Awe to Arrochar & Tarbet £19 for 2 people
Arrochar & Tarbet to Garelochhead £7 for 2 people
Garelochhead to Linlithgow £20.70 for 2 people
Linlithgow to Edinburgh £9.70 for 2 people

Total of £74.60 or £37.30 each. The drawback (apart from a mountain of tickets) is you are back stuck on the Falkirk route, and also on a train that stops at Linlithgow (not all do).

Needless to say that complex split did not come from Scotrail, but from one of the specialist split ticket sites.

I still think that you are over complicating this, and thereby spending too much.

For me the cheapest answer is
Edinburgh to Glasgow period returns at £14.95 per person with railcard
Glasgow to Fort William single at £25.80 per person with railcard (maybe less if an Advance has surfaced)
Oban to Glasgow £22.20 with railcard [£28.25 each on the 0856 with 2T and the above splits at Loch Awe, Arrochar & Tarbet and Garelochhead- all that splitting saves just £4.10 over a simple Loch Awe to Edinburgh through ticket).
The stop at Loch Awe is at 0934, hence that particular unusual split.

If I was really, really wanting to save money on the 0856 train then I would take the 0820 Ember bus to Loch Awe (Stores) for £2 per person arrive 0901 then the 0934 train!!- £14.20 extra saved. The stores are at the end of the station approach road.
I saw the stores because the bus also calls at St Conan's Kirk in Loch Awe (which you don't want).

Are you travelling Glasgow to Fort William or Edinburgh to Fort William? If you are doing Edinburgh to Fort William just get a ticket for that route. No need to overthink this...

ScotRail has introduced a new app today. It is having teething problems. That may be part of the issue with the logging on.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm really not as dumb as I sound. I've done trains all over Europe. Between Scotrail changing their ticket structure and modifying their website, seemingly constantly, and that I'm traveling with an older adult, its complicated.

We are two seniors traveling with a two together pass. I'm 65, mom is almost 90.

It appears that Scotrail is slowly adding advance single tickets back because I see them cropping up on my October Journeys one by one.

On October 9, I am going from Edinburgh to Fort William. I need that 12:22 from Glasgow, the next train gets to Fort William way too late. So, I want to take an earlier train from Edinburgh so I'm certain to make the 12:22 train. Mom is 89.5 years, slow and sometimes needs a rest room. So I want to take the 10:15 or even 10:45 from Edinburgh Waverly to Glasgow Queen. For the Glasgow to Fort William, it appears Scotrail has just introduced an Advance Single ticket.

On October 10, I'm doing a round trip Fort William to Mallaig. Its a Saturday, but I'm advised the train won't be full. If I look at both this Saturday and October 10, I'm finding an Anytime Single Return for about 25GBP. (Incidentally, I'm also going to do some of the legs via bus, for time flexibility, as suggested by Stuart)

It seems to be essentially the same ticket types for my October 7 round trip to Stirling from Edinburgh. If I leave after 9:30, there is an Anytime Single Return for 16.7GBP.

On October 14, I'm returning to Edinburgh from Oban. I really would like to do the 8:56 train, but not sure mom can handle that early time. Next train is not until 12:11. Until today, I could buy an anytime single ticket and travel earlier if possible. Now, sometime during my night, they've added an advance single to that route, and really upped the cost of the anytime single. Plus, this morning, it looks like the split ticketing has disappeared. I really would like to get to Edinburgh earlier in the day. So, I could pay the 76.70 for the anytime day ticket for the flexibility or look at taking the bus.

Regarding the train from Oban to Edinburgh as opposed to bus Oban to Edinburgh, the train is supposed to be on a "scenic route" (Great Scenic West Highland) . Do I miss the scenery on the Oban to Glasgow leg if we do the bus from Oban, instead? Since mom is experiencing Scotland mostly out an window via train, bus and ferries, I'd like to make the most scenic choices. Yes, I'd like to save some money, but I also need to get the best experience.

Adding: I noticed on one of my many searches, I can request assistance boarding. We are packing in small carry on suitcases and daypacks. If necessary, I can manage all of it, except for getting on the trains/buses. I need a free hand to board. I will look into this more as travel gets closer.

EDITED TO ADD: Just checked Ember and Citylink buses Oban to Edinburgh and times are even less convenient than the train. :(

Now I've finally managed to get into the new website (forget the app) I've noticed two things-
1. You can now pay on Scotrail by PayPal (as opposed to by card)
2. When you book each ticket there is a box to tick requesting Assistance, maybe a 1st on any UK operator to do that as in integrated thing, rather than book the assistance separately.

By the way the rest rooms at Glasgow Queen Street are chargeable (unlike those at Glasgow Central or Edinburgh, and are on the lower level of the station than the platforms (by the George Square entrance), with a lift/elevator down. But ask the attendant at the adjacent left luggage storage and (s)he should be able to loan you a 'blue key' for the free 'disabled' one.

I wish I could get you a blue key to use at any 'disabled' one, but don't think I can do so legally. And I can't lend you mine as there is no way that we can meet.

EDI to Stirling I agree that two people with railcard are a total of £16.70 each with railcard.

The Bus from Oban as far as the rail junction at Crianlarich for all practical purposes follows the rail line from Connel Bridge (it is a different route between Oban and Connel Bridge). For the section along Loch Awe you are at a lower level, closer to the Loch. Its like the A830 to Mallaig- where you can argue the subtleties either way, very similar and slightly different. On the bus you see a bit more of the villages of Connel Ferry, Taynuilt, Dalmally and Tyndrum than you do on the train, so swings and roundabouts.

Crianlarich to Glasgow is the same line as the route to Fort William, and the road deviates a lot more away from the railway.

However I really like the idea of the bus from Oban to Edinburgh because after Crianlarich it takes a totally different route to Edinburgh via Loch Earnhead and Callander then Stirling- either the 0920 Citylink or the 0827 or 1329 Ember.

What I'm really saying above is that the most cost efficient way to do so called split ticketing is to do this the way a well trained old fashioned booking clerk (like Sue, at my local station until she was made redundant) would have done this long before the term split ticketing was ever invented.

I've checked this ad infinitum at least 4 times now, for the best fare combination. I've even looked at a 4 days in 8 Spirit of Scotland at £103.20 each, but the maths don't quite work out- close, but not close enough-
https://www.railrover.org/pages/spirit-of-scotland-travelpass.html

Book Anytime Period Returns Edinburgh to Glasgow (valid for 1 month, far cheaper than 2 singles), the Advance Fare Glasgow to Fort William (but you will need to move fast on that), and Anytime Day Singles Oban to Glasgow.

Book the Oban to Glasgow assuming you are on the 1211 so with railcard discount- at £22.20 each.

If you happen to make the 0856 ask the Booking Clerk at Oban to 'excess' the ticket to the non railcard fare of £33.40- so an extra £11.20 each. I would really hope they are well enough trained to do that.
The way I would do it is to book seats on both trains on the TPE website, then buy the tickets on the day when I knew which train I was on, but doubt I'm going to persuade you to do that.

And if you wanted to go one way between Glasgow and Edinburgh 1st class buy a £5 upgrade per person from the guard on the train.

Thanks Stuart. And the disability and restroom information is so appreciated. Right now, I'm thinking of doing the Edinburgh/Glasgow round, so the train from Oban makes the most sense. But, I'm not going to buy the tickets for Oban to Glasgow right now, so I have some time.

My prices of for the two of us.

OK, I just purchased Glasgow to Fort William, Advance Single 33.80GBP. Surprisingly, no issue with purchase.

So back to Oban to Glasgow on October 14, I can buy the Anytime Single at 12:11 for 44.40GBP. It says "Travel is allowed via any permitted route." So, why would I have to pay more to take the earlier train at 8:56? And what is a "permitted route"? Is it anything between Oban and Glasgow? EDITED TO ADD: Maybe rail pass can't be used before 9:30am?

Then for Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street, round trip, October 9 and 14, I can buy an Anytime Return for 29.9GBP, and basically take one train ride Edinbugh to Glasgow, any time and one train ride Glasgow to Edinburgh, any time. Correct?

It's the travel before 9.30 am that means you can't use the railcard, hence the higher price

https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/using-your-railcard/travel-times-tickets/

Understanding railway ticketting in the UK requires a masters. I think we do have people who can.

'Any permitted route' is the ticket is valid on any normal route between two stations. Some like Oban to Glasgow there is only one route, but there are stations where there is a different route - Anytown to Othertown, one via Zootopia and the other via Gallifrey but the route is A to B it is generally ok to use others. It would not be permitted to go Edinburgh to Glasgow via London, but 'any route' would be via any of the main routes through the central belt.

I do have a masters, but alas, not in the Scottish rail system. ;)

My daughter in law just forwarded a BBC post that said the app is not going to work for IOS less than 17 or something like that. So maybe I will be good with the app.

Yes EDI-GLA out Oct 9, back Oct 14 is £29.90 for two people with a Two Together railcard.

Any full fare ticket always says "any permitted route" even if there is no choice of route.

In the case of Oban to Glasgow there are three permitted routes-
1) yours to Queen Street High Level; 2) change off your train at Dumbarton or Dalmuir and take a local train to Queen Street Low Level (that route is also used by the Caledonian Sleeper to Fort William which picks up or sets down at QS LL); 3) change as at 2 above and take a local train to Glasgow Central Low Level.

As an extreme example if you buy a full fare ticket from the Lake District to London Euston it is valid any permitted route- so also to St Pancras via Manchester or the Settle line, Marylebone or Paddington (both via Birmingham). A long time ago it was also valid into Victoria or Waterloo, which may sound bizarre, but there are historical reasons for that.

The useful thing about the Spirit of Scotland pass is that it is generally available on any West or North Highland train (so even the 5am from Oban to Glasgow) but the 2T time restriction takes precedence so for you it wouldn't have been valid on the 8.56, but is for me with a Senior Railcard. Elsewhere in Scotland the Spirit has a 0916 restriction on trains- but valid anytime on Edinburgh Trams participating bus routes, and discounted Loch Ness or Loch Lomond cruises, also the Northlink boats and the participating heritage railways.