Grand Central Off-Peak ticket - added not valid this weekend

[petter2]

Hi,
I was going to buy this ticket for tomorrow but didn't buy it in advance in case I didn't have to go in the end, thinking it's an off-peak ticket so should stay the same price.

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks, at face value with no fees. Every British rail fare shown, railcard discounts included.

www.brfares.com

However now, it seems like Grand Central has added a restriction that the ticket is not valid this weekend. It was definitely not there when I checked last week.
Surely they won't cancel the ticket of people who already booked this, but is there any way I can get this ticket issued for tomorrow? None of the online systems I tried have it available.
Thanks

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is a bit strange!

You would probably be able to get it from a TVM which doesn't have a journey planner but does allow issue from a different station. Don't know if there are any of those near you?

Unfortunately Northern and LNER TVMs are planner based ones so you might be stuck there.

Edit: their dedicated Anytimes are also so restricted, and also blocked for Sats and Suns 15-27 March. I wonder if they think they may not be able to operate on those days so have done it to block sale? There is major engineering work this coming weekend which might make them a bit busy so maybe they don't want to substantially oversell?

 

[island]

This is a bit strange!

You would probably be able to get it from a TVM which doesn't have a journey planner but does allow issue from a different station. Don't know if there are any of those near you?

If the OP is originating from London, London Overground TVMs would do the trick. I think South Western Railway also would.

Unfortunately Northern and LNER TVMs are planner based ones so you might be stuck there.

Edit: their dedicated Anytimes are also so restricted, and also blocked for Sats and Suns 15-27 March. I wonder if they think they may not be able to operate on those days so have done it to block sale? There is major engineering work this coming weekend which might make them a bit busy so maybe they don't want to substantially oversell?

I suspect that is the crux of the matter.

 

[miklcct]

VALIDITY
One journey in each direction to be made within:​
Outward Validity:​	AS ADVERTISED (1 day)​
Return Validity:​	AS ADVERTISED (1 month)​
From​	Until​	Not available on:​
Fri 3 Dec 2021​	Sun 5 Dec 2021​	Su Fr Sa​
Sat 25 Dec 2021​	Sun 26 Dec 2021​	Every Day​
Sat 1 Jan 2022​	Sat 1 Jan 2022​	Every Day​
Sat 15 Jan 2022​	Sun 27 Mar 2022​	Su Sa​

From the ticket data (emphasis added by me), it seems that the ticket can't be sold anymore. Therefore the OP is out of luck.

 

[petter2]

Thanks for your help! So after trying a SWT ticket machine (only sold any permitted route), SWT ticket office (couldn't find it), Southeastern TVM (didn't have tickets from another station), and Thameslink TVM (only Any Permitted), I checked this morning again and the restriction has been removed, so can buy on any website now

 

[newbie78]

So i have had this problem this morning, went to buy a PRIV off peak single from Kings Cross to Hartlepool. Usually £68 full price, but no option to buy it in the station. Only option is a super off peak at double the price? All very strange, and Granc Central seem like they don't know whats going on! Ended up having to pay double the price i normally would. Any help would be good.

 

[ffm]

Thsiu weekend the ECML is closed for engineering works south of Doncaster, with all trains diverted via Lincoln. This route does not have the same capacity and so there is a significantly reduced service. Therefore operators are restricting tickets sold

 

[philjo]

There was an announcement at Kings Cross this afternoon warning passengers that all Grand Central services had mandatory reservations this weekend for services on the amended timetable.

 

[alholmes]

I saw this online today, advising passengers of compulsory reservations on all GC services on those dates.

Seat Reservations | Grand Central Rail

If you are travelling with Grand Central please follow the advice below to ensure you have a seat reservation with your ticket. Seat reservations can be made via the Grand Central Customer Relations Team 0345 603 4852 opt 4 then opt 1 (Mon-Fri 07:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 09:00-12:30).

www.grandcentralrail.com

 

[miklcct]

I saw this online today, advising passengers of compulsory reservations on all GC services on those dates.

Seat Reservations | Grand Central Rail

If you are travelling with Grand Central please follow the advice below to ensure you have a seat reservation with your ticket. Seat reservations can be made via the Grand Central Customer Relations Team 0345 603 4852 opt 4 then opt 1 (Mon-Fri 07:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 09:00-12:30).

www.grandcentralrail.com

What's the latest time I can get a seat reservation? Is it possible 5 minutes before departure? For example, if I am at York station, seeing the next departure to London is a Grand Central train departing in 5 minutes, can I just grab a Grand Central only ticket and it will come with a reservation?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unfortunately they have failed to set the flag in the timetable data for a number of trains so are going to have a problem of walk up fares sold without a reservation.

Is a little basic competence too much to ask?

 

[infobleep]

Unfortunately they have failed to set the flag in the timetable data for a number of trains so are going to have a problem of walk up fares sold without a reservation.

Is a little basic competence too much to ask?

Everyone is human. It may have been just a slip. Or maybe they are overworked and / or understaffed for whatever reason.

 

[yorkie]

Anyone who already has a ticket cannot be charged any extra.

Anyone who is able to physically board the train cannot be charged any extra.

If GC denies people boarding on the basis of not having a valid ticket that would give them very bad publicity, though I doubt GC are bothered about that!

I never use GC these days so cannot comment on what is likely to happen.

 

[skyhigh]

What's the latest time I can get a seat reservation? Is it possible 5 minutes before departure? For example, if I am at York station, seeing the next departure to London is a Grand Central train departing in 5 minutes, can I just grab a Grand Central only ticket and it will come with a reservation?

I strongly suspect given the limited number of reservations and engineering work any availability will be gone before any cut off

 

[miklcct]

I strongly suspect given the limited number of reservations and engineering work any availability will be gone before any cut off

So what will happen if I run into York station, find out that the next train to London is in 5 minutes by Grand Central, grab a Grand Central only ticket from the ticket machine and try to board the train at the platform? Or will it be impossible for me to do so because the ticket will be blocked for sale?

 

[Wallsendmag]

So what will happen if I run into York station, find out that the next train to London is in 5 minutes by Grand Central, grab a Grand Central only ticket from the ticket machine and try to board the train at the platform? Or will it be impossible for me to do so because the ticket will be blocked for sale?

You won't get one from the TVM , it'll look for a reservation and not find one.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You won't get one from the TVM , it'll look for a reservation and not find one.

It will, because they have failed to flag the trains as CR in the data. Some have been done but not all.

 

[Wallsendmag]

It will, because they have failed to flag the trains as CR in the data. Some have been done but not all.

York couldn't see the fares at all yesterday so GC had done something really strange.

 

[paul1609]

Not looked recently but on GTR TVMs Grand Central Only Tickets from London Terminals used to be listed but with a price of £999.99, never tried to see if it was possible to complete a transaction for obvious reasons.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not looked recently but on GTR TVMs Grand Central Only Tickets from London Terminals used to be listed but with a price of £999.99, never tried to see if it was possible to complete a transaction for obvious reasons.

999.99 is meant to mean "do not sell". I guess they will need to change that at some point, though, as long distance 1st fares might tip over it.

 

[trek]

So i have had this problem this morning, went to buy a PRIV off peak single from Kings Cross to Hartlepool. Usually £68 full price, but no option to buy it in the station. Only option is a super off peak at double the price? All very strange, and Granc Central seem like they don't know whats going on! Ended up having to pay double the price i normally would. Any help would be good.

As far as I am aware GC still have a pay train policy where all tickets are avaliable for purchase from on board staff so you may be best served speaking to their guard.

Although... this may be at odds with their current reservation only policy (this might be why the ticket you wanted to buy was not avaliable from presumably the LNER ticket office, where they will be looking for that train and if it were fully reserved wouldn't be offered the ticket I believe)

 

[Wallsendmag]

As far as I am aware GC still have a pay train policy where all tickets are avaliable for purchase from on board staff so you may be best served speaking to their guard.

Although... this may be at odds with their current reservation only policy (this might be why the ticket you wanted to buy was not avaliable from presumably the LNER ticket office, where they will be looking for that train and if it were fully reserved wouldn't be offered the ticket I believe)

I think GC may have underestimated how long changes to fares take to filter to all systems.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think GC may have underestimated how long changes to fares take to filter to all systems.

They have also, it seems from Twitter, been telling people whose train was cancelled to go away and come back tomorrow, or pay walk up for LNER and refund the GC ticket.

This all rather stinks. A Ryanair approach is not welcome on the railway.

 

[miklcct]

They have also, it seems from Twitter, been telling people whose train was cancelled to go away and come back tomorrow, or pay walk up for LNER and refund the GC ticket.

This all rather stinks. A Ryanair approach is not welcome on the railway.

I am so shocked that Grand Central actually tells people to _ off when a train is cancelled. This is not the airline where overloading is strictly forbidden due to safety reason. This will definitely damage their reputation.

A main reason of using trains rather than other forms of transport is because taking a train for long distance travel is as convenient as taking the tube for urban travel, which means turn-up-and-go and unaffected by road traffic. If I want to travel from York to London, my expectation is that I can always squeeze onto the first fastest train arriving into the station and get to London in approximately 2 hours.

 

[yorkie]

They have also, it seems from Twitter, been telling people whose train was cancelled to go away and come back tomorrow, or pay walk up for LNER and refund the GC ticket.

This is incorrect info from GC; the passenger is entitled to be assisted by any company in a position to do so.

This all rather stinks. A Ryanair approach is not welcome on the railway.

I would advise against using Grand Central.

I've not used them for years; I can't remember the last time I travelled with them. I might consider them if I was going to Sunderland but not to London.