Liverpool, Manchester, Reading, Rugby and London! Help!

[ChrisTheRef]

Evening folks!

On Friday, I'm travelling from Liverpool to London for an FA Hearing (horrah!) then stopping at Rugby on the way home to see a friend.

I have an advance ticket from Manchester Picc to London Euston as it was the only one left when I was told about the hearing.
I have an unused Reading Stns - Liverpool S Pkwy via London ticket.

I think - after I buy one to Manchester - I should be ok, but I'm unsure about the break of journey at Rugby and more importantly, getting back to Liverpool as I think it may well mean going south to MKC first.


Help?? Please??

 

[yorkie]

Break of journey is always allowed with the return portion of any walk-on ticket that I'm aware of, so there is no problem there.

You'd need to check the timetable, but a direct Rugby (RUG) to Liverpool (LIV) train isn't likely, so you will probably need to change somewhere like Birmingham or Stafford. Evening timetables can be quite different, so take a look and see where the best connections can be caught.

If you want to double back to concrete town, RUG-MKC is £6.60 return or £6.55 single with a Railcard.

Edit: There is actually a direct train from RUG at 19:23 arriving LIV 2053, however strictly speaking your ticket is not valid as it departs Euston at 1833, which is during the barred period with your ticket. There is no evening restriction on Rugby-Liverpool tickets. If you ask the guard before boarding he/she may use their discretion to let you travel on your ticket.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

As my ticket has YP discount, can't I use it on peak services anyway?

 

[tony_mac]

Yes, your ticket is priced by Virgin, so it's valid on Virgin services at peak time.

 

[Railjet]

Break of journey is always allowed with the return portion of any walk-on ticket that I'm aware of, so there is no problem there.

Is this valid for all operators? The wording on Avantix for LM super off-peak returns seems to indicate that no break of journey is allowed at all.

 

[Pumbaa]

Is this valid for all operators? The wording on Avantix for LM super off-peak returns seems to indicate that no break of journey is allowed at all.

As far as I know that is correct. Gateline staff don't know that though - frequently use them, walk out saying "BoJ" and I'm let through!

 

[tony_mac]

It then goes on to say

Break of Jrny: (OUT) YES
(RTN) YES

For any restriction on break of journey they are supposed to
'make this clear in their notices and other publications'

 

[yorkie]

As my ticket has YP discount, can't I use it on peak services anyway?

Yes, that's true, so it's not an issue for you.

Yes, your ticket is priced by Virgin, so it's valid on Virgin services at peak time.

I've said it before, but I don't see how it has to be priced by Virgin. What freely available to the public source states that only Virgin priced tickets can be used, and what freely available to the public source states which TOC prices a particular ticket? Given that it is announced that Off Peak tickets are valid, and given that you cannot find out who sets the fare without usign Avantix or the FRPP it has to be totally and utterly unenforceable to attempt to restrict it to journeys priced by Virgin.

 

[tony_mac]

I've said it before, but I don't see how it has to be priced by Virgin. What freely available to the public source states that only Virgin priced tickets can be used, and what freely available to the public source states which TOC prices a particular ticket? Given that it is announced that Off Peak tickets are valid, and given that you cannot find out who sets the fare without usign Avantix or the FRPP it has to be totally and utterly unenforceable to attempt to restrict it to journeys priced by Virgin.

You got the quote attribution wrong.

But anyway, do you know where it says that off peak tickets are valid, other than Avantix?

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I'm having words put into my mouth now

Thanks for your help guys!
x

 

[yorkie]

You got the quote attribution wrong.

But anyway, do you know where it says that off peak tickets are valid, other than Avantix?

Sorry. yes, I knew you said it, I just messed my post up. I've corrected it.

I've heard it announced on trains, and the only other place I've seen is the "Is your Off Peak valid?" leaflet, I have an old copy and it doesn't say "if the journey is priced by Virgin trains". I wonder if they still produce this leaflet? It was several pages long and tried to over-simplify a very complicated set of conditions, but the restrictions are even more complicated (and restrictive) now!

 

[tony_mac]

I'm fairly sure the Virgin ticket machines don't mention it, and I can't find any mention of it on Virgin's website.

It's just a (very minor) concern that, if you need Avantix to find the 'easement', then I suppose they could argue that you must know about the pricing restrictions.

Not that I think it particularly matters, I doubt that the staff know this rule and know which journeys are priced by Virgin, and even if they did, would expect customers to know.

I also can't see any journeys where it would matter, but I'm sure they must exist.

 

[John @ home]

the only other place I've seen is the "Is your Off Peak valid?" leaflet, I have an old copy and it doesn't say "if the journey is priced by Virgin trains"

I picked up a copy of the current leaflet a couple of weeks ago. I think it's now called Is your ticket valid? I'm not at home now (the leaflet is) but will post the relevant quote within a couple of days.