Super Off-Peak Single not showing as valid on Grand Central

[TUC]

Searching for journeys from Oxford to Brighouse via London early evening I noticed that, whilst the Super Off-Peak Single fare shows as valid on all LNER services ex-Kings Cross after 1859, it does not show as valid on the 2000 Grand Central service to Brighouse, resulting in the cheapest flexible fare being the £192.00 Anytime Single rather than £91.50.

Out of curiosity, I also searched for Brighton-Brighouse via Kings Cross, and the same can be seen (Coincidentally, precisely the same fares-£192.00 vs £91.50.) The same issue can be seen on multiple ticket retailer sites.

I cannot see any reason why the Super Off-Peak Single would not be valid on the Grand Central service. Can anyone else?

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's valid. It is because they are set to fake compulsory reservation (which GC, Hull and Lumo really have to do as LNER do and otherwise they could as a result end up severely overcrowded) and Grand Central have not correctly set up the reservation quota for them. I've seen that in a few places, it can happen with Hull as well if I recall in some cases.

With single fare pricing in place on the ECML, though, I can't see many people wanting to buy a more expensive interavailable ticket specifically for use on a Grand Central service, you might as well buy their cheaper dedicated fare* if you're going to use them, same with Lumo. They might buy one planning to use LNER and then end up using it on GC, but the reservation then isn't as important.

* With a split for this specific journey.

 

[TUC]

It's valid. It is because they are set to fake compulsory reservation (which GC, Hull and Lumo really have to do as LNER do and otherwise they could as a result end up severely overcrowded) and Grand Central have not correctly set up the reservation quota for them. I've seen that in a few places, it can happen with Hull as well if I recall in some cases.

If the fake compulsory reservations was the issue, would that also block the Anytime Single fare from showing as valid?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Mar 2026 ==

With single fare pricing in place on the ECML, though, I can't see many people wanting to buy a more expensive interavailable ticket specifically for use on a Grand Central service, you might as well buy their cheaper dedicated fare* if you're going to use them, same with Lumo. They might buy one planning to use LNER and then end up using it on GC, but the reservation then isn't as important.

* With a split for this specific journey.

The reason why it can be more attractive for some to choose the Super Off-Peak Single fare is, such in my case, when I wasn't sure what time my Oxford meeting would end, and so whether I would go home via London or on Cross Country.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the fake compulsory reservations was the issue, would that also block the Anytime Single fare from showing as valid?

Only if they didn't have the quota set up for it, which they clearly do if it's showing. The quotas are by ticket type. It's almost certainly a mistake, but as with all mistakes that are in the railway's favour it tends to drag its heels on fixing them.

 

[TUC]

Only if they didn't have the quota set up for it, which they clearly do if it's showing. The quotas are by ticket type. It's almost certainly a mistake, but as with all mistakes that are in the railway's favour it tends to drag its heels on fixing them.

Wouldn't that show the ticket type as being sold out, whereas this is not showing the ticket as valid at all?

 

[Starmill]

Wouldn't that show the ticket type as being sold out, whereas this is not showing the ticket as valid at all?

I don't think there's any other way to show it? It doesn't get a separate message for sold out vs blocked completely.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wouldn't that show the ticket type as being sold out, whereas this is not showing the ticket as valid at all?

I've never seen a ticket type show as sold out. The whole train does if there are no valid tickets on sale.