Upgrade two Advances to Return?

[erk]

If I have two Advance tickets, London to Manchester and Manchester to London, can I convert them to an Off Peak Return? Presumably two admin fees at £10 each would apply as well as the difference in price.

Can I do this at a station, for tickets that were bought on-line (on the VTWC site)?

Ross

 

[yorkie]

Yes you can.

See Advance Fares FAQ (available at 1.1.3 Advance tickets)

 

[erk]

Thanks Yorkie, but I'm not sure my specific question is covered. I think the nearest is where the FAQs refer to "Changing both legs where a walk-up return becomes cheaper." In my case I want to buy flexibilty. With no particular trains in mind, it's not possible to specify Advance fares so not possible to decide if a walk-up is cheaper.

On reflection, there's a further complication. What I want to do is to convert London to Manchester plus Manchester to London to a return starting at Manchester (i.e. in the opposite direction).

Ross

 

[najaB]

On reflection, there's a further complication. What I want to do is to convert London to Manchester plus Manchester to London to a return starting at Manchester (i.e. in the opposite direction).

I don't see how this is a complication. You are allowed to change the date and/or time of Advance tickets so it doesn't matter that the London to Manchester ticket is currently earlier than the Manchester to London one.

 

[Paul Duck]

If I have two Advance tickets, London to Manchester and Manchester to London, can I convert them to an Off Peak Return? Presumably two admin fees at £10 each would apply as well as the difference in price.

Can I do this at a station, for tickets that were bought on-line (on the VTWC site)?

Ross

You certainly can. We do a quite a few at Eaglescliffe.

 

[erk]

Thanks for all the info. In the event I changed the tickets on-line (VTWC site). It was a bit convoluted, to ensure I got a return and not two saver halves. I could only get a return in the original direction.

 

[Haywain]

I could only get a return in the original direction.

Because what you wanted to do was slightly unusual and completely within the rules but more difficult to interpret electronically, I believe.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks for all the info. In the event I changed the tickets on-line (VTWC site). It was a bit convoluted, to ensure I got a return and not two saver halves. I could only get a return in the original direction.

I suspect that's due to the way the website has been coded.

If you went to a competent ticket office, they could have done it.

 

[najaB]

It was a bit convoluted, to ensure I got a return and not two saver halves. I could only get a return in the original direction.

Was there a particular reason you wanted a return rather that two saver halves, assuming you were going to make both legs of the journey?

 

[erk]

Was there a particular reason you wanted a return rather that two saver halves, assuming you were going to make both legs of the journey?

Yes, a saver half is valid on one day only (break of journey excepted); the return half of a return is valid for a month. I wanted the flexibility.

In the end, juggling with another return half I already had I was able to get the tickets I wanted. Comments above about the limitations of the web system are probably right. If I'd really needed the "reverse" ticket, I'd have gone to a station.

Ross

 

[najaB]

I wanted the flexibility.

Ah, okay. Makes sense.