Dates on which pre-booked off-peak tickets may be used.

[Spurs]

Hello,

I booked in advance a super-off peak return from Falmouth Docks to Paddington (with railcard), with the outward portion set for this Saturday. I'm now considering instead travelling on Friday afternoon/ evening - is that something I'm able to change on the train/at the ticket office or is it not permissible?

 

[greatkingrat]

You would need to buy a new ticket and then get a refund on the old one (less £10 admin fee).

 

[najaB]

Which train company's website did you use and have you collected the tickets yet?

 

[Dent]

The best course of action is to go back to wherever you booked the ticket in the first place.

 

[ainsworth74]

Actually Advance tickets are non-refundable. You can change the booking for a fee, but you will not be able to get a refund on your old ticket after booking a new one.

Good job were talking about a Super Off-Peak ticket booked in advance not an Advance ticket

 

[Chapeltom]

I don't understand why people do this, buy walk-up tickets in advance. I could understand if you needed to buy a ticket in advance in order to get a place on the train as is the case on most Taiwanese trains but it makes no difference in the UK at all when you buy Off Peak or Anytime tickets.

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't understand why people do this, buy walk-up tickets in advance. I could understand if you needed to buy a ticket in advance in order to get a place on the train as is the case on most Taiwanese trains but it makes no difference in the UK at all when you buy Off Peak or Anytime tickets.

So they can get reservations plus the potential convenience factor of already having their ticket (not needing to faff with TVMs or ticket offices on the day).

 

[ASharpe]

Buy on southern if you need a reservation.

You can then get a refund in full provided you do not collect the tickets.

 

[Spurs]

You would need to buy a new ticket and then get a refund on the old one (less £10 admin fee).

Thanks

Which train company's website did you use and have you collected the tickets yet?

Great Western Railway and they were posted

I don't understand why people do this, buy walk-up tickets in advance. I could understand if you needed to buy a ticket in advance in order to get a place on the train as is the case on most Taiwanese trains but it makes no difference in the UK at all when you buy Off Peak or Anytime tickets.

Partly for the seat reservation (I don't want to stand from Truro to London!), and also because I didn't want to have to navigate an unfamiliar station to me, with luggage, hoping to book the ticket before my train (there's no ticketing facilities at my local station so it'd have to be when I changed at Truro)

Buy on southern if you need a reservation.

You can then get a refund in full provided you do not collect the tickets.

I'll bear that in mind, thanks!

 

[father_jack]

Thanks

Great Western Railway and they were posted

There is a process at FGW booking offices- if the tickets are bought at any FGW outlet (web/phone/office) the pax can do a "refund" to create a credit for the tickets to be reissued with the new date. Ask to speak to supervisor if the the clerk isn't au fait about the process.

 

[gray1404]

There is a process at FGW booking offices- if the tickets are bought at any FGW outlet (web/phone/office) the pax can do a "refund" to create a credit for the tickets to be reissued with the new date. Ask to speak to supervisor if the the clerk isn't au fait about the process.

Will that avoid the admin fee?

 

[island]

Buy on southern if you need a reservation.

You can then get a refund in full provided you do not collect the tickets.

Southeastern is better. They don't charge a fee even if you did collect the tickets.

 

[maniacmartin]

Southeastern is better. They don't charge a fee even if you did collect the tickets.

This really slipped under the radar but is actually making me seriously consider buying tickets from Southeastern. Their press release at https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/news/southeastern-removes-10-admin-fee-from-ticket-refunds/ describes it, for those who are interested

 

[father_jack]

Will that avoid the admin fee?

It should.

 

[gray1404]

It should.

In that case I'd try this at FGW booking office and see how you get on. Hopefully you'll avoid any admin fee. The worst that could happen though is your forced to refund and rebook with the said fee. Hoping its only tickets for one person you need to refund too/change.

For the websites that only charge on booking fee regardless of weather its one ticket or many split tickets, do they only charge one fee regardless of number of passengers too? or is it per person still?