The inscrutable nature of UK rail ticketing

The massive database that the author references is actually published here:

http://data.atoc.org/routeing-guide

The “pink book” is the one to look at to identify which “group” your station is part of. Then with the “yellow book”, you can use it to work out valid routes for a particular ticket, because it lists valid maps you need to join together. For e.g. if I want to travel from Nottingham to Southampton the yellow book says I can use maps:

London

BG + BW

BG + RB

DG + BW

DG + RB

Then, looking across those maps, there is a set of arcane rules determining whether a particular route is valid for a ticket which includes some calculations about ticket prices and not being able to double back on yourself through the same station. On top of that, your ticket might have specific rules on it for e.g. it’s not uncommon to get tickets that say “via London” and when that is the case you have to travel by that route.

These rules are detailed in the intro document which is actually a pretty good read (if you’re interested in trains!) and is available here: http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws...

In theory the ticket selling platforms should just implement this routing guide. In practice it’s not straightforward to implement! I also have a feeling of you tried to do some of the more obscure routings that train guards or station staff might not be too happy even though in theory it is permitted.

An example of stupid ticketing practices here in the UK is a pair of journey's I've do sometimes.

If I want to get a return ticket from my local station St. Michael's to Liverpool central, which is 2 stops and a 7 minute journey it costs £4.10. However if I want to go from St. Michael's to Prescot, which is 9 stops, a change over and a 1h journey it costs £4.50. In what world does that make sense?

Haha classic. In all honesty, though, I made a similar trip this week from my cousin's home in Leicester to Heathrow. I bought the ticket to London on Trainline and then just used contactless from there.

In London it's flawless and that's what I would do. If possible it's better to avoid a ticket for a specific destination.