So I'm buying tickets for commuting in April between Reading and Bath. But I can see that it actually works out cheaper (sometimes) if I get tickets for Newbury-Bath. Not much good for the route that goes via Westbury, but for the route via Reading, would I be allowed to join the train there (where it changes)?
These would be Advance tickets, so I suspect not - National Rail Conditions of Carriage:
Note that you cannot break your journey except to change trains with Advance tickets
www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/content/NRCOC.pdf
(2nd bullet page 4)
Can anyone confirm? Would my ticket be rejected at the Reading barriers?
|
|
BTW cheaper than splitting Reading-Bath at Didcot - I know that trick :)
|
|
Have you tried that website/app called Tickety Split? Might give you can answer.
|
>> Have you tried that website/app called Tickety Split?
That, and the corresponding MoneySavingExpert page, only appears to deal with splitting tickets and doesn't mention joining/leaving half way along. Which tends to support the No You Can't answer.
www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets
|
Not an expert but I think break means going out the station and then back in. So i don't see why they would it's one continual journey.
Although the fact that someone has to ask stuff like is an issue with trains and tickets.
|
So just to get this right, you want to buy a Newbury/Bath Spa ticket, one where you would have to change at Reading ?(as there is no through train Newbury/Bath Spa that way round), but you want to use it to access the station at Reading?
Chances are the machine at Reading wont let you in, but the only way to know is to try it. On the train, the guard wont notice, but if you get revenue protection agents on board, they will swipe your ticket and you will be prosecuted. No penalty fare option, they will go for prosecution and fine
|
>> So just to get this right
Correct.
>> they will swipe your ticket and you will be prosecuted.
Thanks - that's all I need to know :)
|
I think the "cannot break your journey" is what will prevent you. If so, then Zero is probably correct; though how they would know I cannot say - not all stations require you to swipe or show a ticket to enter.
Page 11
"C. USE OF TICKETS
16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations
You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you
want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to
some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the Ticket
Seller must make this clear when you buy your ticket.
|
We had this problem on the Tunbridge Wells line.
Season tickets for London from Tunbridge Wells were more expensive by a fair few hundred pounds than they were from Frant which is the next station down the line so savvy commuters got their season tickets from Frant to London.
The local train company didn't like this and prevented passengers with the longer ticket getting on or off at Tunbridge Wells which is a pretty bad show imho as the season tickets did not forbid this explicitly.
|
>> the Ticket
>> Seller must make this clear when you buy your ticket.
Not sure whether that's true - I'll check, but to be honest I don't fancy risking it anyway.
|
|
I wouldn't either, look what happened to Iffy.
|
|
He was a radical offender
|
>> I think the "cannot break your journey" is what will prevent you. If so, then
>> Zero is probably correct; though how they would know I cannot say - not all
>> stations require you to swipe or show a ticket to enter.
Yeah, Newbury has ticket barriers, but Newbury Racecourse Station does not, so there might not be any evidence trail if you bought a ticket from there instead, are there ay interchange barriers at Reading? (they have them at Woking)
|
|
Only external barriers at the all-new Mos Eisley (Reading) Spaceport, so far as I know. You can change platforms freely.
|
|
I start my journeys at Earley, where there are no barriers, and as A says I don't pass through barriers when changing at Reading. So unless the guard marks my ticket for the Earley-Didcot part of my split journey I could probably get it refunded as unused. Except (1) I wouldn't, and (2) after paying the £10 charge I'd only get 80p back :)
|
A million years ago I used to travel on the rural stopping train between Reading & Goring. I used to buy a lot of platform tickets and tickets to Tilehurst.
Mind you, they used to get their money back from all the times I slept until Didcot and had to come back again.
On this Reading / Bath thing, I wouldn't chance dodgy being caught, it simply isn't worth the penalties. But I would play the rules. And if the rules say I can do it, then I would and be prepared for any argument. I'd make sure I kept a note of when and where I'd asked for clarification though.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 29 Feb 16 at 15:27
|
train tickets - getting on/off - Focusless
