Reading to Portsmouth Return

[Thames99]

I'm looking on the forum's ticket site to travel out Tuesday around midday and returning Thursday afternoon using a senior Railcard. It offers a multitude of different routes - changing at Southampton or at Guildford or at Basingstoke or at Basingstoke and Woking all at slightly different prices due to splitting.

I'm tempted going via Guildford which splits as a Reading to Guildford Super Offpeak return and evening out singles for the remainder of the journey. Splitting is worthwhile financially as it reduces the fare by about £5 from the £30.40 with no splits shown on the GWR site as the fare via any route.

My concern is if there are cancellations or disruption on the journey. Would there be any flexibility to travel via an alternative route in that case or does the lower fare tie me absolutely to travel via Guildford?

 

[jfollows]

If you buy a Reading to Portsmouth ticket, it’s valid by “any permitted“ route and “not via London”.
If you buy split tickets you have validity via the splitting point only. If you buy Reading-Guildford and Guildford-Portsmouth tickets you can’t then use a route which avoids Guildford, no.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jun 2025 ==

For example, Reading-Portsmouth tickets allow routes RB or XS at https://rgpp.iblocks.co.uk/maps, Eastleigh/Southampton or Guildford. If you buy a pair of tickets via Guildford, you can’t go via Eastleigh. Make your choice!
Also, on a single “any permitted” ticket you can’t go via Woking. Split tickets, no problem.

 

[Thames99]

Thanks, that what I suspected. It's probably best to forget the saving and keep the flexibility I think.

 

[jfollows]

Thanks, that what I suspected. It's probably best to forget the saving and keep the flexibility I think.

That’s what I’d do, I agree.

 

[Watershed]

The only exception would be that if there is severe disruption (i.e. more than just one or two trains being cancelled) then they would often arrange ticket acceptance on alternative routes and/or operators. This may, for example, allow you to use a Portsmouth to Guildford ticket via Basingstoke.

Furthermore, if disruption means that you're expected to arrive more than an hour late (61+ minutes) then you can exercise the right to be "re-routed" at the earliest opportunity.

This means the responsible operator (SWR or GWR) would be obliged to arrange ticket acceptance, endorse your ticket for another route, or provide you with new tickets as necessary to allow the quickest alternative route.

The re-routing right arises under Article 16 of the Passenger Rights and Obligations Regulation (PRO). Unfortunately frontline staff are usually unaware of this regulation, as train companies don't seem to take their obligations under it very seriously. However it would give you the right to recover your expenses if you have to buy a new ticket to travel via an alternative route, for example (if the operator refuses to arrange ticket acceptance).

The above rights are unaffected by you having split tickets. As long as your split tickets 'meet up' to cover the whole journey and you allow enough time for any changes, it is still considered a through journey from Reading to Portsmouth with the associated PRO rights.

 

[jfollows]

Yes, there have been cases where people with split tickets at Coventry, say, have been allowed to travel via the Trent Valley on an Edinburgh-London itinerary during disruption, so it’s absolutely possible, but I’d still personally probably pay the extra £5 to avoid the worry in advance in this case. However it’s always good to know the details.

 

[Thames99]

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful.