Break of Journey question

[IanPooleTrains]

I'm off to London this Saturday from Rugeley Trent Valley and thinking of getting a super off peak ticket, which it says you can, but was thinking of getting off before London, between Milton Keynes and Watford Junction for a couple of hours and then go to London Euston afterwards

Is that kosher?

 

[north]

I'm off to London this Saturday from Rugeley Trent Valley and thinking of getting a super off peak ticket, which it says you can, but was thinking of getting off before London, between Milton Keynes and Watford Junction for a couple of hours and then go to London Euston afterwards

Is that kosher?

Break of journey is not allowed on London Midland Super Off Peak tickets (restriction code LK)

 

[Dreadnought]

Break of journey is not allowed on London Midland Super Off Peak tickets (restriction code LK)

How would I know if this restriction existed though? When I buy a LM only Super Off Peak return there is nothing that states I cannot make a break of journey. Even the website does not mention that as a restriction, just the times it cannot be used at!

Besides I've 'broken' the return portion of ex Euston LM Super Off Peak returns at Watford Junction (exiting through the barriers) without any problems.

 

[MikeWh]

Remember that unless you leave railway premises you are NOT breaking your journey. You are not compelled to make the journey in one go on a super off-peak, you can just say you felt like some fresh air.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The National Rail enquiries website states that break of journey may not be allowed (if you click on the ticket information) and you should check the ticket validity codes (for which there is a link) or call them to enquire about it.

 

[bb21]

I know officially this is not allowed, however I'm sure that many people would remember that London Midland even encouraged people to break their journeys on flows where discounted tickets were not available during certain promotional events.

 

[Dreadnought]

The National Rail enquiries website states that break of journey may not be allowed (if you click on the ticket information) and you should check the ticket validity codes (for which there is a link) or call them to enquire about it.

I have never found a link to ticket validity codes when I have looked on NRE, also these are never listed when I buy tickets anyway so still unsure how I am suppose to know if the ticket is restricted for a break of journey anyway.

As far as I am concerned if a restriction does apply, they tell you about the time restrictions, you should be told about it at the time of enquiry / purchase without having to make further efforts to find out yourself.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

You haven't looked hard enough then. After clicking on "check fares" you will be shown the cheapest fares for the trains suggested. Just under the trains is a box labelled "tickets". Click on the ticket type (it is underlined) then, when the page has loaded, either scroll down to, or click on, "restrictions". This section has a direct link for the applicable validity code and a separate link for all the validity codes for that ticket type.

The only part of these process which I would say is not completely obvious is the clicking on the ticket type, but it didn't take me long to realise that was how to do it.

All the selling websites are obliged to inform you of the restrictions of the ticket, how they do it is up to them, it may just be a link and a tick box to say you have read them.

 

[bnm]

All the selling websites are obliged to inform you of the restrictions of the ticket, how they do it is up to them, it may just be a link and a tick box to say you have read them.

That may well be the case, but whether the information given is correct is another matter. Here's what FGW's (aka thetrainline) booking engine says when you click on the ticket type for a Super Off Peak Return, Rugely TV - Euston:

SUPER OFF-PEAK RETURN
TICKET TYPE

SUPER OFF-PEAK

DESCRIPTION
Flexible ticket only valid at specific off-peak times of the day.

VALIDITY
Your outward journey must be on super off-peak trains on the date specified, and you must return on super off-peak trains within one calendar month. Super off-peak times vary by route - our journey planner only shows super off-peak tickets on trains for which they are valid.

<snip>

BREAK OF JOURNEY
You may start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel.

OTHER CONDITIONS
The outward portion of a Super Off-Peak Return ticket is only valid for travel when accompanied by an unused return portion.

ROUTE
This ticket is only valid for travel on London Midland services.

London Midland's booking engine doesn't confirm allowance of BoJ either way, merely requiring of the passenger to call NRE to check:

Break of journey:
You may start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel on Off-Peak tickets unless the ticket restriction for the journey you are making does not allow it. If you intend to start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station, please call 08457 48 49 50 to check if it is available on your specific journey.

Full London Midland text here

Surprisingly, Raileasy's T&Cs for this ticket type were clear and succinct:

Break of journey
No

So if you want to break your journey with the LM only Super Off Peak, then buy your tickets from a trainline based booking engine. Part of the contractual information allows it, and that would be backed up by consumer law.

 

[Dreadnought]

You haven't looked hard enough then. After clicking on "check fares" you will be shown the cheapest fares for the trains suggested. Just under the trains is a box labelled "tickets". Click on the ticket type (it is underlined) then, when the page has loaded, either scroll down to, or click on, "restrictions". This section has a direct link for the applicable validity code and a separate link for all the validity codes for that ticket type.

The only part of these process which I would say is not completely obvious is the clicking on the ticket type, but it didn't take me long to realise that was how to do it.

All the selling websites are obliged to inform you of the restrictions of the ticket, how they do it is up to them, it may just be a link and a tick box to say you have read them.

Thanks never realised the information was there.

However, if I do use NRE to check journeys once I've seen the train times and fares I never scroll down any further on the page so would never find that bit anyway. Also, I know I cannot buy tickets from the NRE site so would normally use a TOC site (mainly LM) to make enquiries and buy tickets anyway especially as I find that sometimes the information on NRE can be misleading about which trains return tickets can actually be used on!

In this example using the LM website I cannot find anything that mentions about the specific restriction for this ticket except the standard information (unless again I have overlooked it).

It states that if I wanted to make a Break of Journey then I would need to ring up to check if it is valid and as I have stated before I do not see why the onus should be on the customer to make this enquiry when the information is readily available, as proved by the NRE website.

I even went right through the process right up to the point of purchase and there is still no specific mention of this restriction. Yes you have to tick a box to confirm you agree to the T&Cs of LM and the NRCoC but neither of these give actual restriction details.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Then that needs to be taken up with the websites that don't say it.

 

[All Line Rover]

Then that needs to be taken up with the websites that don't say it.

I wouldn't recommend that, as if you are able to show a printout which says in black&white "YOU MAY START/BREAK/RESUME YOUR JOURNEY", it'll be a lot more difficult for a member of staff prevent you from doing so, as those are the "conditions" you agreed to when purchasing the ticket! Keep the "information" quiet, I say.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Thanks for the advice guys, I wasn't going to leave the station. My intention was to do some spotting at either Tring or Cheddington and then go onto London and do some spotting there in time for The Earl leaving

But thanks for helping out guys

 

[All Line Rover]

Thanks for the advice guys, I wasn't going to leave the station. My intention was to do some spotting at either Tring or Cheddington and then go onto London and do some spotting there in time for The Earl leaving

But thanks for helping out guys

Well if that's the case you're not actually breaking your journey, then!

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Well if that's the case you're not actually breaking your journey, then!

Best to check though

 

[All Line Rover]

Best to check though

True.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks for the advice guys, I wasn't going to leave the station. My intention was to do some spotting at either Tring or Cheddington and then go onto London and do some spotting there in time for The Earl leaving

But thanks for helping out guys

C. USE OF TICKETS
16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations
You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you
want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to
some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant
Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications.
If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station
when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess
fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of
the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to
start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have
used.
A ticket which entitles you to travel on the London Underground and/or
Docklands Light Railway does not entitle you to break and resume your journey at any of
the stations on these networks unless it is a Season Ticket or a Travelcard.
For the purposes of this Condition and Condition 11, you will be treated as breaking your
journey if you leave a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s stations after you start
your journey other than:
(i) to join a train at another station, or
(ii) to stay in overnight accommodation when you cannot reasonably
complete your journey within one day, or
(iii) to follow any instructions given by a member of a Train Company’s staff.

If you are not leaving a station there is no issue

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Ah sweet, thanks for that yorkie