Changing Time of Travel Additional Charge

[werdna12]

Please could someone clarify for me. I will be travelling back from Manchester to Milton Keynes tomorrow evening. I booked my tickets about 3 months in advance.

I may want to change the time at which I travel. I note from the Virgin Trains website it would cost £10 per ticket and the difference of the fare. When they say difference, would the difference be the price of my ticket on the day against the other train or would it be the difference between my 3 month old ticket price and the cost if ordered the on the day ticket.

ie if for example my ticket cost £35 3 months ago but if I ordered on the day was £150. and the other train cost on the day £160. Would the amount I pay be £10 extra or £125

 

[glynn80]

If your ticket cost £35 3 months ago and is now £150.00 the fare you will need to pay is £115 (the difference between the cost of the tickets) and £10 for the change so it is £125 you will need to pay.

 

[Techniquest]

I've never done this before, but I would hazard a guess as to the more expensive one there. They charge you £10 admin fee then the difference between your ticket (£35) and whatever the cheapest single is on the day.

So it's going to be very expensive for you. It would be cheapest naturally for you to get the train you're booked on if you can, otherwise I would guess the cheapest option then is to buy an Anytime Day Single Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent and Anytime Single Stoke-on-Trent to Milton Keynes. That combination should be considerably cheaper than an Anytime Single from Manchester to Milton Keynes. However, I'll check and edit this post if it isn't.

EDIT:

Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent Anytime Day Single is £11
Stoke-on-Trent to Milton Keynes Central Off Peak Single is £42

At £53 for those tickets, it's considerably cheaper than buying that day single. However, when I search online for Manchester Piccadilly to Milton Keynes, I get an Anytime Single at £82. So getting the combination of singles outlined above, there's still a saving of £29.

It looks to me that they would charge you £57 (£10 admin fee and the difference of £47 from your booked ticket to the £82 Anytime Single). Again, the above combination of single tickets still offers a saving to that of £4.

The only fare I see online that matches your original posted fare would be a First Class Anytime Single at £127.50. The above fares are all Standard Class fares.

 

[sven945]

Assuming your ticket is an Advance ticket, you'd pay the difference between your advance ticket and the relavent single fare (ie an off peak single since you'll be travelling on a weekend). Plus the extra £10.

That's assuming you're travelling earlier. If you arrive after your original train then your ticket is worthless.

I'm not sure of the rules if you get your ticket excessed before your original journey but then use the now off peak after the original reservation time. I'd assume that'd be allowed.

 

[werdna12]

Just looked at my original booking the original advance 1st class was £32.90 and just looked at tickets for tomorrow and 1st advance is £34. I assume then I would pay £10 change fee plus £1.10 total £11.10.

Am I right?

I wonder if the £34 fee will still apply tomorrow

 

[Pumbaa]

Just looked at my original booking the original advance 1st class was £32.90 and just looked at tickets for tomorrow and 1st advance is £34. I assume then I would pay £10 change fee plus £1.10 total £11.10.

Am I right?

I wonder if the £34 fee will still apply tomorrow

AP tickets are only available till 6pm on the day before travelling?

 

[me123]

It won't apply, I'm afraid. The Advance tickets are only available the day before travel so I'm afraid if you need to change that you would have to pay the difference between your ticket and the walk up fare +£10.

 

[Techniquest]

If you book NOW, ie before midnight using the National Express East Coast website (http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com), it's showing me First Class Advance fares at £34 as well. I don't know which train you require, but there are a good few evening services that have the fare available.

Once you get beyond midnight, you'll be looking at either using your current ticket (you could put in a refund for reason of "Unable to travel" for your original if you don't use it) or paying the considerable extra tomorrow.

EDIT: 1315 - 1815 from Manchester Piccadilly all got the fare available, then the 1935 and 2035 have too.

 

[90019]

If you book NOW, ie before midnight

Only 32 minutes!
the suspence!



It could be like a really cr*p version of 24!

 

[Techniquest]

Certainly got me bellowing with laughter!

Obviously, needs to be a push to book before midnight!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Once you get beyond midnight, you'll be looking at either using your current ticket (you could put in a refund for reason of "Unable to travel" for your original if you don't use it) or paying the considerable extra tomorrow.....

'Advance' tickets are non-refundable! (unless, by fault of the railway, you can't use it)

An example of how it all works:

Lets assume you have an 'Advance' ticket to travel in five days, that cost £35, and you want to change the travel time. You go to a ticket office and the chap says that there is another 'Advance' fare available at £55 or an 'Anytime' fare at £75. If you choose the 'Advance' fare, you will be charged £20 for the difference and £10 for the fee, total £30. If you choose the 'Anytime' fare, you would be charged £40 for the difference plus £10 for the fee, total £50.