Time of train changed on advance ticket

[RonnieMac]

I purchased advance tickets to Glasgow from Salford Crescent for tomorrow (Tues 13th Feb) several weeks ago. I bought the tickets in person at a booking office and paid cash. On the tickets the departure time is printed as 08:38 (I will be changing at Wigan and arriving in Glasgow just before midday). However, when I recently checked the itinerary online, that train now seems to be timetabled to depart Salford Crescent at 08:32, not 08:38. Is this likely to cause me any problems regarding the use of my tickets?

 

[yorkie]

Are you happy to depart slightly earlier? (you cannot be forced to!)
What is your full itinerary?
What do you want to do?

If the exact departure time stated on the ticket is no longer possible, it's the customers' choice whether they take the train before, or after, that time, depending on personal circumstances and convenience.

 

[telstarbox]

Do you actually have a seat reservation for the first train (Salford Crescent to Wigan)?

 

[RonnieMac]

There is no actual seat reservation for the Salford Crescent to Wigan leg no.

I'm happy to commence my journey slightly earlier; I was just worried that someone might say that I was on the 'wrong' train and that therefore my ticket was not valid, so thanks yorkie for clarifying what happens in this situation.

 

[yorkie]

Are you getting the 0925 from Wigan North Western? There will be no issues doing that.

Your options are to take the 0832 at your own inconvenience or, if you were unable to get to the station in time for that, the next available trains would result in you being 1 hour late into Glasgow Central and therefore Northern would be liable to compensate you under their Delay Repay scheme.

 

[najaB]

I'm happy to commence my journey slightly earlier; I was just worried that someone might say that I was on the 'wrong' train and that therefore my ticket was not valid, so thanks yorkie for clarifying what happens in this situation.

I say that, generally speaking, if you hold an Advance ticket for a train which is no longer running (cancelled, timetable change, etc.) then you are entitled to take any train which allows you to complete your journey if your ticket would have been valid on that train other than the time restriction.

As @yorkie points out, if that results in a delay to your journey you will also be entitled to delay compensation based on your original itinerary.

 

[RonnieMac]

I'm getting the 0925 from Wigan North Western yes.
I need to be in Glasgow by midday so getting a later train is not an option.

I suppose it's a good job I checked the journey times though, as had I, say, arrived at SLD at 0833 intending to catch the (non-existent) 0838, I would have been miffed to have just missed the (replacement) 0832!

 

[telstarbox]

The 0832 was introduced at the 2017 timetable change according to RTT:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y51023/2018/02/13/advanced

 

[Adlington]

Are you happy to depart slightly earlier? (you cannot be forced to!)

Just curious: what if the passenger isn't happy with an earlier departure? Is (s)he entitled to a full refund?

 

[najaB]

Just curious: what if the passenger isn't happy with an earlier departure? Is (s)he entitled to a full refund?

I would say so, yes. The Advance Ticket T&Cs allow a full refund (without any charge) if your train is cancelled and this 'feels' like a cancellation.

 

[Nick66]

A different TOC I know, but I always book my Friday evening tickets on VTEC in the extended booking window and get the following message which would appear to confirm all the above advice, although you should have been contacted.

"To get the best deals you can book up to 24 weeks ahead for this journey. Your Virgin Trains East Coast train times may change slightly, but in that unlikely event we’ll let you know well in advance and be happy to change or refund your booking with no fees. We can't confirm changes in times for other train operating companies and we advise you re-check closer to departure."

 

[Adlington]

although you should have been contacted.

I assume this refers to the OP, who bought the ticket in person and paid cash - not the easiest person to contact afterwards.

 

[joncombe]

I had this happen 3 times last year, where the times printed on my Advance ticket didn't match the times the trains were operating too. Two were with South Western Railway and one with GWR. In the latter case the train was in fact around 30 minutes later (I was booked on the first departure of the day).

In no cases did the rail company concerned email about the change. It does seem very poor to sell tickets only valid on a specific train when the only way the customner has to identify the train (given head-codes are generally not public) is the time and date and there isn't then a train running at that time or date. No excuse either for not bothering to tell people when they have contact details from the ticket booking. But thats the way it seems to be now.

 

[Adlington]

the train was in fact around 30 minutes later [...]
In no cases did the rail company concerned email about the change.

Was it actually a change timetabled in advance (after the ticket purchase but before the day of travel) or simply the train running late? Only in the former case one can expect the TOC to send a notice.

 

[joncombe]

Was it actually a change timetabled in advance (after the ticket purchase but before the day of travel) or simply the train running late? Only in the former case one can expect the TOC to send a notice.

It was a timetabled change yes, not simply the train running on late it was listed on the departure screens as scheduled to depart later than printed on my ticket. And in fact it was late on top of that time, too.