A rail passenger has been awarded an advanced degree after identifying the cheapest valid ticket for a straightforward return journey. Examiners praised his handling of competing definitions of afternoon and his refusal to assume that two halves would cost half as much.
The dissertation compares advance, anytime, off-peak and tickets valid only when the passenger has lost confidence. An appendix examines why changing one station can save money even when the train passes through both. His supervisor described the work as accessible to anyone with several free evenings and no urgent need to go anywhere.
Graduate Simon Vale said he initially attempted to purchase a return, but the website suggested several alternatives requiring a map, a calendar and faith. By the time he found the correct combination he had developed a specialist vocabulary and missed the original reason for travelling.
Simplification remains a welcome prospect, though Vale fears it could devalue years of independent study. He now offers consultancy to fellow passengers, with fees calculated through six overlapping categories. His first client asked for a ticket to York. Vale asked whether the client wanted the cheapest journey, the simplest journey or the journey that would still be possible after they had finished discussing it.
