Inverse use of Anytime Returns

[Haydn1971]

I know that I can't use the return before the outward, that's specifically implied in the conditions of carriages, but is there anything stopping me from using an anytime return ticket to do my reverse commute - for example, using the outward on say a monday night, to go home, then the return to go to work in the morning the next day ? My savings on a fixed advance ticket would be a couple of pound a day, the savings on an anytime ticket would be about £9, giving me added flexibility with a saving - so traveling one way on the first morning could be advantageous - to clarify, I've recently reduced my traveling to 3 days a week on the train. I've not done the math yet, but suspect I'd have to travel for a few weeks to recoup the cost of the one way tickets each end, unless of course I used an anytime and did the inverse over a month.

Thoughts would be appreciated, cheers in advance.

 

[najaB]

I know that I can't use the return before the outward, that's specifically implied in the conditions of carriages, but is there anything stopping me from using an anytime return ticket to do my reverse commute - for example, using the outward on say a monday night, to go home, then the return to go to work in the morning the next day ?

No. The railway doesn't know (and doesn't care) where home and work are.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

No problem I can see. I used to know someone who did that with Savers (now Off-Peak Return) for a daily commute because it worked out cheaper than the weekly season ticket for him.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Remember that there's no peak restriction at all on an off-peak return for the eastbound journey - the £21.30 ticket can be used at any time

 

[LowLevel]

It's something some of the regulars on your route have cottoned on to. I have no issue with people being canny to save a bit of money as long as it's within the rules. Quite a few ask us to sell them for example Manchester Stations to Sheffield SVR tickets in the morning to use that evening while actually travelling to work on the return portion of the ticket they bought yesterday which is free of restrictions, if they travel less than 5 days a week.

 

[Sleepy]

some people commute from Suffolk to London on Advance tickets !!!

 

[gordonthemoron]

I do that with Off Peak returns from Euston to Milton Keynes

 

[paul1609]

Although not legal several people commute on Portsmouth to Peterborough Advances never using the Virgin EC part of the ticket.

 

[gray1404]

Sorry, how does this work exactly, getting a SVR and using the RTN part in a morning when there are no restrictions?

 

[yorkie]

Sorry, how does this work exactly, getting a SVR and using the RTN part in a morning when there are no restrictions?

There is no problem buying two return tickets the same day, and using both outward portions on that day. You then use the return portion of one of the tickets the next day, and buy a ticket for that evening, and so on... finally you use the return portion of the original ticket on the last day. Then you start the process again.

Just be careful to make sure you keep track of what tickets you are using and buying!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I do that with Off Peak returns from Euston to Milton Keynes

Hope LM aren't reading, or you might find you get a nice present of some restrictions making this non-viable in the next fares round...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There is no problem buying two return tickets the same day, and using both outward portions on that day. You then use the return portion of one of the tickets the next day, and buy a ticket for that evening, and so on... finally you use the return portion of the original ticket on the last day. Then you start the process again.

Doing this and never using either outward portion is, in cases where the Anytime fare is particularly high and where outbound BoJ is barred, not a terrible way of getting a return ticket with both halves valid for a month with BoJ allowed both ways should you need that.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There is no problem buying two return tickets the same day, and using both outward portions on that day. You then use the return portion of one of the tickets the next day, and buy a ticket for that evening, and so on... finally you use the return portion of the original ticket on the last day. Then you start the process again.

Just be careful to make sure you keep track of what tickets you are using and buying!

Be interesting to see how that works out compared to buying a single on the first and last day of work, given that few people are on holiday for more than a month at a time.

 

[IanD]

I do that with Off Peak returns from Euston to Milton Keynes

Hope LM aren't reading, or you might find you get a nice present of some restrictions making this non-viable in the next fares round...

It's already happened with the VT only tickets from Milton Keynes to Euston. They now have morning peak time restrictions both way.

 

[swt_passenger]

They must also have the option of withdrawing the Anytime Return for short distance commuter flows, as we know it is the usual case around London and out to about 35-40 miles.

 

[FenMan]

Although not legal several people commute on Portsmouth to Peterborough Advances never using the Virgin EC part of the ticket.

If those commuters were to think laterally, instead of radially (hint!), then a Portsmouth to Waterloo peak time return journey, using direct trains on the mainline, can be done for less than £50 using a perfectly valid combination of walk-up tickets.

Much less faff than messing around with Advances.

 

[gordonthemoron]

It's already happened with the VT only tickets from Milton Keynes to Euston. They now have morning peak time restrictions both way.

Bugger, mind I don't work in London very often these days so just get an anytime travelcard

 

[Tetchytyke]

Hope LM aren't reading, or you might find you get a nice present of some restrictions making this non-viable in the next fares round...

I'm sure that if people were doing it in meaningful numbers then London Midland would have sorted it out by now. A combination of most people having onward travel in London (and so getting Travelcards) and the evening peak restrictions out of London mean that the benefit of doing this for regular travel is probably fairly limited.

 

[Crossover]

Sorry, how does this work exactly, getting a SVR and using the RTN part in a morning when there are no restrictions?

That is one way of doing it, yeah. As often the return portion is less restricted than the outward, you may go OUT to home and RETURN to work, where the return permits travel at any time

I am aware of a few flows where that may be possible, though I wouldn't post them here. As others have said though, you would have to be careful to make sure you presented the correct ticket for inspection