RailSail Irish Rail issued ticket - valid on Tube?

[transportphoto]

No I have only ever used then to cross the Irish Sea and it would be wrong to do otherwise not least as ATOC might get rid of them if they are abused.

Sorry wintonian - I have quoted the wrong post Will edit accordingly.

 

[Railjet]

When I asked at Reading the other week about ferry reservations the clerk went and asked his colleague, came back and told me there was a note on the notice board saying that reservations were no longer needed.

I must say I'm a bit befuddled by the rules.

There used to be a specific "SailRail" website. Now the link redirects to ATW's SailRail page, on which it says:

Benefits of SailRail:
.................
offer (sic) a true “turn up and go service"

"Turn-up-and-go" clearly implies no reservations necessary. What else could it mean?

But in the FAQ:

Do I need to make a reservation?
Yes. Reservations are compulsory on Stena Line and Irish Ferries services. A place will be booked on the ferry for you at time of purchase.

Failure to obtain a reservation may result in you not being allowed to board the vessel.

 

[jon0844]

I think it's very clear. You turn up, they tell you to go.

 

[Track Basher]

Having read this through I don't think the ticket bought in Ireland is valid on the underground. I agree that if the original ticket is issued but a member of ATOC or agent the ticket allows cross London transfer on the underground.

However in this example I do not believe this to be the case. Irish Rail is not acting as an agent of ATOC they are an issuing administation of International tickets in their own right as they are the administration for Ireland.

Becuase of this I don't think the ticket includes the cross London transfer as all the references quoted refer to ATOC and Irish Rail is not a member.

 

[Mojo]

See: http://webarchive.nationalarchives....cotif/reportontheconsultationonthe1259?page=7

Also: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/lul_policies_on_civ_denoted_inte Unfortunately this reply is quite vague.

 

[wiilassie]

When I asked at Reading the other week about ferry reservations the clerk went and asked his colleague, came back and told me there was a note on the notice board saying that reservations were no longer needed.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I've had the same experience. On 12th May I bought a ticket from London Charing Cross for Reading>Dublin on Sun 24th July and was told that reservations were not required for any part of the journey (I specifically asked about the ferry). The member of sales staff was pleasant and competent but I don't think he'd booked a sailrail ticket before.

I'm particularly worried as I'm due to travel on the 17.15 Irish Ferries Swift but only paid £33, when seat61.com says it should be £38. However looking up the journey again on Arriva Wales' own system it shows both fares are valid for the journey...

My ticket says from Reading Stations, to Dublin Fypt I. F., route +Hlyhd Irishf Civ. Is there any danger I'm going to be turned away from the ferry?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

 

[yorkie]

My ticket says from Reading Stations, to Dublin Fypt I. F., route +Hlyhd Irishf Civ. Is there any danger I'm going to be turned away from the ferry?

Unless a huge ash cloud appears or something else wrecks plane travel, then I think you will be quite safe. I travelled on different sailings to what I had reserved and they did not mind at all. There is also a lot more capacity for foot passengers than there is demand, usually, and that goes for the Stranraer route too.

 

[wintonian]

This reminds my Irish Rail issued CIV was refused at Euston tube station last month I need to read back through (on the phone at the moment) and possibly write in.

 

[radamfi]

Unless a huge ash cloud appears or something else wrecks plane travel, then I think you will be quite safe. I travelled on different sailings to what I had reserved and they did not mind at all. There is also a lot more capacity for foot passengers than there is demand, usually, and that goes for the Stranraer route too.

Does that mean there is no point paying more for the Swift, if they let you on it with the cheaper ticket anyway?

 

[junglejames]

Does that mean there is no point paying more for the Swift, if they let you on it with the cheaper ticket anyway?

I dont think its meaning that. The cheaper ticket will only get you on the Ulysses, whereas the most expensive ticket will get you on either Ulysses or Jonathen Swift.

 

[yorkie]

Indeed, there are two routeings (to DFP), Rte Hlyhd Irishf CIV and Rte Hlyhd Swift CIV. What I do not know is whether or not you can pay an excess to upgrade the ticket. But, in terms of the times, and there being space on the ferry, it's never* a problem. Now, if you were taking a vehicle on the ferry, that would be a different matter.

* Except when there are problems with planes, then it can be!

 

[b0b]

Next time write in the + next to the route, problem solved

 

[wintonian]

Next time write in the + next to the route, problem solved

Unfortunately it's not that simple, the guy at Euston tube took one glance at it and refused it as it wasn't a normal credit card sized ticket so can't have been valid (“that’s not a tube ticket” was one quote) he didn't even want to look inside at the 2nd page let alone care about what was written on it.

 

[jon0844]

If the ticket is definitely valid, and they refuse to let you through the gates, just double up with someone! Can they call BTP and have you arrested if you have a valid ticket? Isn't it an offence not to produce a valid ticket? Well, if it's valid....

I suspect that after shouting at you a bit, they'll give up.

I came in to Waterloo station once and saw the wide gate was open. So I walked through it and didn't bother to swipe my Oyster card. Why should I when it's a Travelcard? Suddenly someone in a uniform rushed over towards the gates and called me back, but I ignored him. He shouted a few more times then turned around and gave up.

Perhaps I should have gone back, but I had a train to get and the gate was open. He wasn't by the gate, nor had he asked me to show him his ticket!

 

[wiilassie]

Indeed, there are two routeings (to DFP), Rte Hlyhd Irishf CIV and Rte Hlyhd Swift CIV. What I do not know is whether or not you can pay an excess to upgrade the ticket. But, in terms of the times, and there being space on the ferry, it's never* a problem. Now, if you were taking a vehicle on the ferry, that would be a different matter.

* Except when there are problems with planes, then it can be!

Thanks for this helpful info. Going on responses here, I think rather than go through the palaver of trying to get a Southeastern ticket office to refund and reissue the ticket a month on, I'll probably take my chances with Irish Ferries. I'm perfectly happy to pay a £5 upgrade if needed, though I think it's iffy that the online (and presumably ticket office) booking system both show either ticket is valid. Just hope they won't refuse point-blank to let me board!

In case anyone's interested, I just purchased my return journey online via Arriva Wales' own site, and when I collected the ticket it included a reservation for Holyhead to London but nothing for the ferry, so I assume evidence of a ferry reservation isn't needed.

 

[Greenback]

I have bought loads of tickets to Ireland at Swansea Travel Centre and never got a ferry reservation. Nor have I ever been asked for one on either the Holyhead or Fishguard routes.

 

[wintonian]

Thanks for this helpful info. Going on responses here, I think rather than go through the palaver of trying to get a Southeastern ticket office to refund and reissue the ticket a month on, I'll probably take my chances with Irish Ferries. I'm perfectly happy to pay a £5 upgrade if needed, though I think it's iffy that the online (and presumably ticket office) booking system both show either ticket is valid. Just hope they won't refuse point-blank to let me board!

In case anyone's interested, I just purchased my return journey online via Arriva Wales' own site, and when I collected the ticket it included a reservation for Holyhead to London but nothing for the ferry, so I assume evidence of a ferry reservation isn't needed.

The ones I bought online TOD from SWT didn't have a ferry reservation either (same TTL booking engine) but did come with an unallocated place reservation for a morning peak train to Waterloo with about as much chance of getting a seat as being on a Delhi to Mumbai express with a ticket that states ‘Waitlist (WL)’. But like others I have never been asked to produce one for the ferry.

 

[radamfi]

If no one is checking or issuing these reservations, why were they 'officially' required? Perhaps they thought it would deter people from starting/ending short and not using the ferry?

 

[wintonian]

If no one is checking or issuing these reservations, why were they 'officially' required? Perhaps they thought it would deter people from starting/ending short and not using the ferry?

I think so, but a better way would be to just not to tell anyone about them. Hmm...