Cambridge or Cambridge North to London

[tivoli]

I have a ticket Cambridge to Kings Cross for next week. I should have bought ticket from Cambridge North (the price is the same). Is it likely I will be able to use it from North?

 

[rmHawk765]

I have a ticket Cambridge to Kings Cross for next week. I should have bought ticket from Cambridge North (the price is the same). Is it likely I will be able to use it from North?

I'm not an expert but online journey planners tend to show 'Cambridge or Cambridge North' as a destination - so I think it'd be unreasonable to not allow Cambridge tickets to Cambridge North. If it's a physical ticket, I'm assuming it says only 'Cambridge'?

 

[MikeWM]

There's an 'easement' for this:

700714 - Tickets to/from Cambridge are also valid at Cambridge North and tickets to/from Cambridge North are also valid at Cambridge. This easement covers all tickets, including season tickets, except Advance tickets.
(see the 'Easements' section at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/routeing-guide/)

so unless it is an Advance it should be ok.

 

[tivoli]

I'm not an expert but online journey planners tend to show 'Cambridge or Cambridge North' as a destination - so I think it'd be unreasonable to not allow Cambridge tickets to Cambridge North. If it's a physical ticket, I'm assuming it says only 'Cambridge'?

Yes it does say Cambridge. I am sure I clicked on 'Cambridge or Cambridge North' but I may have been wrong. Will double check another time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2026 ==

There's an 'easement' for this:

700714 - Tickets to/from Cambridge are also valid at Cambridge North and tickets to/from Cambridge North are also valid at Cambridge. This easement covers all tickets, including season tickets, except Advance tickets.
(see the 'Easements' section at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/routeing-guide/)

so unless it is an Advance it should be ok.

Thank you. that makes sense.

 

[Farigiraf]

There's an 'easement' for this:

700714 - Tickets to/from Cambridge are also valid at Cambridge North and tickets to/from Cambridge North are also valid at Cambridge. This easement covers all tickets, including season tickets, except Advance tickets.
(see the 'Easements' section at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/routeing-guide/)

so unless it is an Advance it should be ok.

Is this likely to be altered to include Cambridge South too from June?

 

[MikeWM]

Is this likely to be altered to include Cambridge South too from June?

I don't know, but I'd suspect not - as I understand it this easement was added because many services weren't calling at Cambridge North when it was opened, indeed not everything calls even now.

Conversely all services are due to call at Cambridge South from day 1.

 

[Farigiraf]

I don't know, but I'd suspect not - as I understand it this easement was added because many services weren't calling at Cambridge North when it was opened, indeed not everything calls even now.

Conversely all services are due to call at Cambridge South from day 1.

If travelling on a London - Cambridge South ticket, and deciding that you actually want to get off at Cambridge main station, I wonder what'll be the best option?
Could buy a CMS-CBG single, but you can't buy tickets for a train you're already on.
Do Over-distance excesses still exist?

 

[mmh]

Could buy a CMS-CBG single, but you can't buy tickets for a train you're already on.

Why not? I have plenty of times. If it's bought before you arrive at the station I don't see why there could be an issue.

 

[Farigiraf]

Why not? I have plenty of times. If it's bought before you arrive at the station I don't see why there could be an issue.

If you're already on the train and halfway to Cambridge South, and purchasing a ticket to extend the journey 1 stop further to Cambridge, you technically wouldn't be buying before boarding.

Admittedly in practice there'll be no problem, as you'd have to be really unlucky to be in a situation where you both A: decide last minute, once you're already on the train, that you want to get off 1 stop later, and B: have a ticket check between CMS and CBG with a pedantic guard.