Smartcard Off Peak Return Expired after One Day

I bought an off-peak return London Euston to Wigan recently from Southwestern website. The outward journey was for 1 September and being an off peak return the return was any day within the next month. However, I went through the normal itinerary process with Southwestern and selected 4 September for my return (which was the day I actually intended to return).

At the end of the process Load to Smartcard was one of the options, so I selected this, and loaded it via the National Rail Smartcard Manager app.

The outward journey to Wigan on 1 September went smoothly, and the smartcard opened the gates at Wigan without issue.

On the return today, however, I got a gate error at Wigan but gateline staff let me through without asking any questions. Before boarding the train, I checked the card on Smartcard Manager to see what the issue was surprised to see it listed under Expired Tickets. It had apparently "expired" on 2 September.

Luckily I had my itinerary and seat bookings with me, so was able to explain it all to the ticket inspector when he came round. He and a colleague both seemed baffled by the situation, as was I, but they didn't make an issue of it.

Can anyone explain what's happened here?

I can't explain what happened but my understanding is that period returns are unsuited to loading on smartcards, and staff letting you through a gate line without even verifying you have a ticket is a recipe for trouble.

Haywain said:

I can't explain what happened but my understanding is that period returns are unsuited to loading on smart arcs, and staff letting you through a gate line without even verifying you have a ticket is a recipe for trouble.

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To be honest I was a bit surprised when smartcard was offered as a fulfilment option, so I think this may be the issue.

I have another period return for future travel, again purchased from Southwestern, on the smartcard, so I'm going to try and get it reissued in another format.

I'm pretty sure that shouldn't be available on a Smartcard.

I've just spoken to Southwestern customer services who couldn't really explain it.

I have a similar ticket booked for future travel - Off Peak Return London - Leicester, again on the smartcard. I think it's almost certain I would experience the same issues on the return leg. Customer Services said they can't reissue it in another format, but I can cancel it free of charge and rebook, which is what I'll do.

themeone said:

I can cancel it free of charge and rebook, which is what I'll do.

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I think that's a very good idea.

Haywain said:

I can't explain what happened but my understanding is that period returns are unsuited to loading on smartcards, and staff letting you through a gate line without even verifying you have a ticket is a recipe for trouble.

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What's the reason why out of interest?

I've had period returns loaded to (ScotRail / SPT) smartcards in the past.

I wouldn't do it again though.

Naturally, there were problems. Particularly when more than one valid ticket was on the card for the gateline being used.

e.g. Entering Glasgow Central with both a Glasgow to Mount Florida off-peak day return and the unused return half of an Aberdeen to Glasgow off-Peak return loaded on the card resulted in the Glasgow to Aberdeen ticket being selected by the gate as the ticket in use...

So are we saying this is the fare setter's fault for enabling period returns for smartcard fulfilment?

We know pricing managers follow this forum - it'll be interesting to see if this issue is fixed as quickly as fare anomalies tend to be?

I just rebooked my St Pancras - Leicester super off-peak return for e-ticket fulfilment and it all looks fine, the return portion being marked for expiry a month after the outward leg, as it should be.

The now cancelled smartcard version had the outward correctly set to 17 September, and the return expiring on the 18th, despite me going through the itinerary process and choosing 22 September as my return date. Certainly as of today Southwestern is still offering this ticket for smartcard fulfilment.