Checking that I have been charged the correct fare from West Draytron - Hereford

[Londerground]

Hi there,

I recently went to see my girlfriend for the weekend to Hereford.

On Friday 4th 16.47 from West Drayton - Reading, changed then 17.50 Reading - Hereford.

I returned Monday 7th April 15.14 Hereford - Slough, 18.22 Slough - West Drayton.

I looked online and it said I could get a return with a disabled adult railcard for £36.30.

But when I had to rush to get a ticket from the machine, when it didn't work online, I had to pay £45.20 with a railcard.

Even though I have made the journey now, am I entitled to any sort of refund?

 

[34D]

Ah. The £45.20 ticket is an anytime day return, and the £36.30 ticket is an off peak period return.

Can I suggest that, as you technically didn't have a valid ticket for the Monday that you let things lie.

However, if you can go to West Drayton station and replicate the TVM only showing the expensive fare, then there are grounds for a complaint.

Fares at http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=WDT&dest=HFD&rlc=DIS

 

[sonic2009]

I'm suprised you got through the barriers at Hereford as well.

 

[Haywain]

Ah. The £45.20 ticket is an anytime day return, and the £36.30 ticket is an off peak period return.

Can I suggest that, as you technically didn't have a valid ticket for the Monday that you let things lie.

However, if you can go to West Drayton station and replicate the TVM only showing the expensive fare, then there are grounds for a complaint.

Fares at http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=WDT&dest=HFD&rlc=DIS

If you try and replicate the ticket not showing, make sure it is at the same time that you made your purchase in case the restriction code has been incorrectly applied. If that is the case, I think that you would have grounds for a complaint, simply on the basis that the cheaper ticket would have been valid at any time, even for a day trip. The fact of using a day return ticket t return on the wrong day is, in this case, lucky but best not mentioned.

 

[yorkie]

I concur with Haywain.

If this was posted earlier, I could have been at West Drayton at that time on Monday to try to replicate it! I can't get there now, but can you go there one day to see what happens? Can you take photos and upload them here?

 

[34D]

If you try and replicate the ticket not showing, make sure it is at the same time that you made your purchase in case the restriction code has been incorrectly applied. If that is the case, I think that you would have grounds for a complaint, simply on the basis that the cheaper ticket would have been valid at any time, even for a day trip. The fact of using a day return ticket t return on the wrong day is, in this case, lucky but best not mentioned.

There is a further cheaper ticket for a day return £30.35 - hence why he needs to be very careful what he says.

 

[furlong]

Some (but not all) of the ticket machines at nearby Reading were failing to show the full range of off-peak fares/discounts during the evening peak a few weeks ago. (I've not had time to investigate/report this properly yet if it wasn't just a one-off.)

 

[Flamingo]

Some (but not all) of the ticket machines at nearby Reading were failing to show the full range of off-peak fares/discounts during the evening peak a few weeks ago. (I've not had time to investigate/report this properly yet if it wasn't just a one-off.)

There was a software glitch a few weeks ago, I couldn't get tickets too& from Reading on my Avantex one day. It might be related,