What happens if I miss my last connection home ? (split tickets)

I bought an advance purchase ticket on Trainsplit for September 25th from Ayr to Worcester. I have two separate tickets, Ayr-Crewe (Scotrail/Avanti) and Crewe-Worcester (LNW/WMR). Although I have two tickets, I actually booked from Ayr to Worcester in one transaction (the emailed itinerary / Trainsplit app shows this).

I leave Glasgow Central at 17.30, have approximately a 35-minute wait at Crewe, then travel from Crewe at 21.19 and change at Smethwick Galton Bridge. This 21.19 from Crewe is the last train of the day that will get me back to Worcester.

It turns out that if I had done this journey on Monday this week, the train arriving into Crewe from Glasgow was approaching an hour late, and missed that vital connection at Crewe. For that reason, I think it could happen on the day I do the journey.

So, what do I do, exactly, if the train into Crewe arrives massively late and I miss the connection and therefore can't get back to Worcester before end of service that night?

If it's obvious that the train will be massively delayed before departure whilst I'm still at Glasgow Central, should I do something then? I suppose I'd have to, if the train were outright cancelled. Or, do I have to wait until the train arrives at Crewe, has definitely missed the connection, and then hope there are staff at Crewe station at that time to assist me?

What would happen, anyway, in that scenario? Do railway staff advise I get on the next available train to Birmingham (missing the last train to Worcester) and then I have to sort the problem out with staff at Birmingham?

Also, I know two split tickets are allowed, providing I allow at least the minimum connection time, and either way I'm backed up with a complete itinerary Ayr-Worcester. Can somebody please provide me with concrete evidence, a link if possible, to show this is allowed, proof railway staff can't deny. This is to prevent them saying something like "You missed the train at Crewe because of Avanti's fault. We at WMR are not obligated to get you home", or "You have split tickets, they are two separate journeys. We cannot get you home".

National Rail Conditions of Travel, see https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e...ional_Rail_Conditions_of_Travel_July_2026.pdf or https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/nrcot/

jfollows said:

National Rail Conditions of Travel, see https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e...ional_Rail_Conditions_of_Travel_July_2026.pdf or https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/nrcot/

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Thanks, is 14.2 the relevant part?

If so, that isn't as clear as what I was hoping for. I want something like "If you use split tickets and you miss the connection, it will be treated as if you bought one ticket and we will honour our duty to get you to your destination".

jednick said:

Thanks, is 14.2 the relevant part?

If so, that isn't as clear as what I was hoping for. I want something like "If you use split tickets and you miss the connection, it will be treated as if you bought one ticket and we will honour our duty to get you to your destination".

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The absence of a Condition saying "if you buy split tickets you forfeit your right to onward travel or accommodation" is sufficient as it would be a particularly onerous and disadvantageous term.

14.2 shows that using a valid combination of split tickets still constitutes one 'journey', which can be pointed to when interpreting any of the provisions for delayed 'journeys', such as 28.2 'Where disruption prevents you from completing the journey for which your Ticket is valid and is being used, any Train Company will, where it reasonably can, provide you with alternative means of travel to your destination, or if necessary, provide overnight accommodation for you.' (Emphasis mine).

The relevant parts are clauses 28.2-28.4

28.2 Where disruption prevents you from completing the journey for which your Ticket is valid and is being used, any Train Company will, where it reasonably can, provide you with alternative means of travel to your destination, or if necessary, provide overnight accommodation for you.
28.3 Where a train service is cancelled after you have purchased your Ticket(s), we will advise you what your alternative options for travel are. In addition to the validity that your Ticket automatically entitles you to, you will normally in such circumstances be permitted to travel up to either two trains prior or two trains after the affected service, using the same operator that you are booked onto. Where services are significantly less frequent and this is not a suitable option, we will provide you with an appropriate alternative. Otherwise, you can request a full refund in accordance with Condition 30.
28.4 Where your train is likely to be delayed for more than 60 minutes, you may use your Ticket to make your journey at a later date subject to comparable restrictions on your Ticket. Please refer to your Train Company’s website or contact them directly for details on how to obtain a replacement Ticket.

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The railway is supposed to get you to your destination, or provide accommodation if that is not possible.

Whether or not the railway/TOCs actually do this is a bit more up in the air.


On a previous occasion, my mother endured 5 hours in a taxi from Preston to Glasgow, as Avanti cancelled her train halfway through the journey. She arrived in Glasgow at about 4am.

jednick said:

I bought an advance purchase ticket on Trainsplit for September 25th from Ayr to Worcester. I have two separate tickets, Ayr-Crewe (Scotrail/Avanti) and Crewe-Worcester (LNW/WMR). Although I have two tickets, I actually booked from Ayr to Worcester in one transaction (the emailed itinerary / Trainsplit app shows this).

I leave Glasgow Central at 17.30, have approximately a 35-minute wait at Crewe, then travel from Crewe at 21.19 and change at Smethwick Galton Bridge. This 21.19 from Crewe is the last train of the day that will get me back to Worcester.

It turns out that if I had done this journey on Monday this week, the train arriving into Crewe from Glasgow was approaching an hour late, and missed that vital connection at Crewe. For that reason, I think it could happen on the day I do the journey.

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An hour's delay is quite uncommon but I can understand your concern. Looking at the records over the past 6 months (see here), the 17:30 from Glasgow is a poor performer and has been cancelled 15% of the time. That said, when it has run, the average arrival time was 21:02 so you would still make the connection onto the 21:19.

jednick said:

So, what do I do, exactly, if the train into Crewe arrives massively late and I miss the connection and therefore can't get back to Worcester before end of service that night?

If it's obvious that the train will be massively delayed before departure whilst I'm still at Glasgow Central, should I do something then?

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There's not a huge amount you can do at that point unless there's a delayed earlier train you could make. If you have time, there's no harm going to speak to some of the station staff or the Avanti ticket office if it's still open at that time. They might be able to make arrangements beforehand for you, but more likely they'll say that you should wait until you've actually missed the connection (just in case, by some miracle, you do make it).

If you're on the train then it's certainly worth making sure you speak to the Train Manager as they will be able to contact Avanti's control team and make arrangements that way. Again, many would just refer you to station staff (which is frustrating when they could be helping you making alternative plans) but it is something they're able to do.

You could also contact Avanti customer services, e.g. by phone or social media. My experiences of such contacts are very mixed but occasionally you might get someone helpful.

jednick said:

I suppose I'd have to, if the train were outright cancelled.

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Yes if it's cancelled then I think speaking to station staff or Avanti customer services is definitely the way to go.

jednick said:

Or, do I have to wait until the train arrives at Crewe, has definitely missed the connection, and then hope there are staff at Crewe station at that time to assist me?

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Crewe station is staffed at all times that it is open. All trains there get dispatched so as a minimum you could find a dispatcher and ask them to help you.

jednick said:

What would happen, anyway, in that scenario? Do railway staff advise I get on the next available train to Birmingham (missing the last train to Worcester) and then I have to sort the problem out with staff at Birmingham?

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That's a possibility, yes. Usually the railway likes to get people as near as possible to their destination before arranging alternative transport for the rest.

jednick said:

Also, I know two split tickets are allowed, providing I allow at least the minimum connection time, and either way I'm backed up with a complete itinerary Ayr-Worcester. Can somebody please provide me with concrete evidence, a link if possible, to show this is allowed, proof railway staff can't deny. This is to prevent them saying something like "You missed the train at Crewe because of Avanti's fault. We at WMR are not obligated to get you home", or "You have split tickets, they are two separate journeys. We cannot get you home".

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Conditions 14.2 and 28.2 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel apply; the former specifies that multiple tickets can be used to make one journey. The latter specifies that any operator which can help you, must do so if you're stranded.

Split tickets are now so commonplace that I doubt many staff will be surprised or try to claim they're not one journey. But ultimately if you get a member of staff who makes things up, it's unlikely that showing them documents is going to get you anywhere; in my experience this just leads to the usual refrains of "I've been doing this job X years, don't try and tell me what to do" etc.

If you've asked for assistance and it's refused, I would try and take a note of the time and location, as well as the name and description of the member of staff in question. That way it should be relatively easy for them to be identified should anyone question the fact that you tried to get help. You could then make your own arrangements (e.g. a bus, coach or taxi) and claim the cost back from the relevant company. This would be in addition to Delay Repay of course.

jamietw said:

14.2 shows that using a valid combination of split tickets still constitutes one 'journey', which can be pointed to when interpreting any of the provisions for delayed 'journeys', such as 28.2 'Where disruption prevents you from completing the journey for which your Ticket is valid and is being used, any Train Company will, where it reasonably can, provide you with alternative means of travel to your destination, or if necessary, provide overnight accommodation for you.' (Emphasis mine).

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Thanks. In my scenario, would LNW likely have to get me to Birmingham at least (despite the thoretical delay being Avanti's fault)....then what happens at Birmingham? It would be 11 to 11.30pm? What likely should I do?

jednick said:

Thanks. In my scenario, would LNW likely have to get me to Birmingham at least (despite the thoretical delay being Avanti's fault)....then what happens at Birmingham? It would be 11 to 11.30pm? What likely should I do?

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Any operator in a position to assist you (e.g. that has staff at the station in question) is obliged to help you get to your destination. If you've missed the last train that generally means arranging alternative transport, e.g. a taxi.

So speak to the guard, station staff, customer services - anyone you can, who might be able to help you out.

jednick said:

Thanks. In my scenario, would LNW likely have to get me to Birmingham at least (despite the thoretical delay being Avanti's fault)....then what happens at Birmingham? It would be 11 to 11.30pm? What likely should I do?

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As I understand it, they will probably arrange for a taxi, or potentially a minibus/coach depending on how many of you are stranded and trying to go to Worcester.

Watershed said:

An hour's delay is quite uncommon but I can understand your concern. Looking at the records over the past 6 months (see here), the 17:30 from Glasgow is a poor performer and has been cancelled 15% of the time. That said, when it has run, the average arrival time was 21:02 so you would still make the connection onto the 21:19.


There's not a huge amount you can do at that point unless there's a delayed earlier train you could make. If you have time, there's no harm going to speak to some of the station staff or the Avanti ticket office if it's still open at that time. They might be able to make arrangements beforehand for you, but more likely they'll say that you should wait until you've actually missed the connection (just in case, by some miracle, you do make it).

If you're on the train then it's certainly worth making sure you speak to the Train Manager as they will be able to contact Avanti's control team and make arrangements that way. Again, many would just refer you to station staff (which is frustrating when they could be helping you making alternative plans) but it is something they're able to do.

You could also contact Avanti customer services, e.g. by phone or social media. My experiences of such contacts are very mixed but occasionally you might get someone helpful.


Yes if it's cancelled then I think speaking to station staff or Avanti customer services is definitely the way to go.


Crewe station is staffed at all times that it is open. All trains there get dispatched so as a minimum you could find a dispatcher and ask them to help you.


That's a possibility, yes. Usually the railway likes to get people as near as possible to their destination before arranging alternative transport for the rest.


Conditions 14.2 and 28.2 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel apply; the former specifies that multiple tickets can be used to make one journey. The latter specifies that any operator which can help you, must do so if you're stranded.

Split tickets are now so commonplace that I doubt many staff will be surprised or try to claim they're not one journey. But ultimately if you get a member of staff who makes things up, it's unlikely that showing them documents is going to get you anywhere; in my experience this just leads to the usual refrains of "I've been doing this job X years, don't try and tell me what to do" etc.

If you've asked for assistance and it's refused, I would try and take a note of the time and location, as well as the name and description of the member of staff in question. That way it should be relatively easy for them to be identified should anyone question the fact that you tried to get help. You could then make your own arrangements (e.g. a bus, coach or taxi) and claim the cost back from the relevant company. This would be in addition to Delay Repay of course.

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Thanks for the superb reply to my question.

Yes, I agree, if I see my train is outright cancelled at Glasgow, and I have enough notice, I could ask if I can get an earlier Avanti train, saying it's a certainty I won't make the connection at Crewe. If I can see it's inevitable that I will miss the connection at Crewe, I'll try speaking to on-board staff before I arrive at Crewe.

I'm just worried that staffing at Crewe around 9.30 pm will be limited. As you say, there will be at least somebody there. I hope they'll be able to give correct advice. I think it would mean getting the LNW train to Birmingham an hour later than booked. Is there a chance they'll say my ticket's not valid on that later train, as my ticket's an advance purchase specific to the missed train and it's Avanti's fault? Is there any chance LNW/WMR will simply say the fault lies with Avanti and refuse to help?

Also, in what I think is likely to happen in this scenario is I get to Birmingham about 11.20pm - 11.30pm. Who will be there at that time, who specifically should I try to find, and what do I say, "Avanti were late into Crewe, I missed the connection and missed my last train to Worcester - please tell me if you will provide alternative transport home, or accommodation for the night" ?

in the case of Delay Repay, and I get home by taxi an hour or two late, do I claim for Ayr-Worcester, or just the relevant portion of the split ticket, Crewe-Worcester?

In the event of a serious delay or cancellation in my experience you will not be the only passenger affected and you will have no issues with ticket acceptance on lnw/wmr particularly later in the day. The last trains into Birmingham from the north do arrive upto midnight, and I would suggest if you arrive there after missing your connection you head to the network rail reception on the concourse. They probably deal with missed connections most nights and whenever I have had to use them they have been helpful and understanding once you have explained your predicament.

jednick said:

Thanks for the superb reply to my question.

Yes, I agree, if I see my train is outright cancelled at Glasgow, and I have enough notice, I could ask if I can get an earlier Avanti train, saying it's a certainty I won't make the connection at Crewe. If I can see it's inevitable that I will miss the connection at Crewe, I'll try speaking to on-board staff before I arrive at Crewe.

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If the train you're intending to take is cancelled, there are now industry-wide rules which mean you can automatically take the 2 trains before or afterwards, including connections either side. So you don't need to ask for permission as your ticket will automatically be valid on the 2 trains before.

jednick said:

I'm just worried that staffing at Crewe around 9.30 pm will be limited. As you say, there will be at least somebody there.

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The ticket office will be shut and the gateline will probably be unstaffed but there will still be quite a few staff around the platforms.

jednick said:

I hope they'll be able to give correct advice. I think it would mean getting the LNW train to Birmingham an hour later than booked. Is there a chance they'll say my ticket's not valid on that later train, as my ticket's an advance purchase specific to the missed train and it's Avanti's fault?

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They would be wrong, you are making a through journey with multiple tickets as per condition 14.2 of the NRCoT. Condition 9.4 explicitly states you can take the next train on an Advance if you miss your booked train due to earlier disruption.

I think split ticketing is common enough that it's unlikely this will be an issue. The chance of having any ticket check at all on WMT, let alone late at night, is very low in my experience!

jednick said:

Is there any chance LNW/WMR will simply say the fault lies with Avanti and refuse to help?

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That's slightly more likely in my experience, as it's common for staff right across the industry to try and palm off responsibility onto someone else. But ultimately if they refuse to help, you just pay what you need to and then claim it back afterwards.

jednick said:

Also, in what I think is likely to happen in this scenario is I get to Birmingham about 11.20pm - 11.30pm. Who will be there at that time, who specifically should I try to find, and what do I say, "Avanti were late into Crewe, I missed the connection and missed my last train to Worcester - please tell me if you will provide alternative transport home, or accommodation for the night" ?

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There will be some staff around the station, Birmingham New Street is a major station which is similarly staffed at all times that it's open. What you suggested sounds fine - I would have tried speaking to the guard on the way into Birmingham first though.

jednick said:

in the case of Delay Repay, and I get home by taxi an hour or two late, do I claim for Ayr-Worcester, or just the relevant portion of the split ticket, Crewe-Worcester?

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Ayr-Worcester - it is one journey you are making under condition 14.2, so the fact you have two tickets doesn't change anything.

Watershed said:

If the train you're intending to take is cancelled, there are now industry-wide rules which mean you can automatically take the 2 trains before or afterwards, including connections either side. So you don't need to ask for permission as your ticket will automatically be valid on the 2 trains before.


The ticket office will be shut and the gateline will probably be unstaffed but there will still be quite a few staff around the platforms.


They would be wrong, you are making a through journey with multiple tickets as per condition 14.2 of the NRCoT. Condition 9.4 explicitly states you can take the next train on an Advance if you miss your booked train due to earlier disruption.

I think split ticketing is common enough that it's unlikely this will be an issue. The chance of having any ticket check at all on WMT, let alone late at night, is very low in my experience!


That's slightly more likely in my experience, as it's common for staff right across the industry to try and palm off responsibility onto someone else. But ultimately if they refuse to help, you just pay what you need to and then claim it back afterwards.


There will be some staff around the station, Birmingham New Street is a major station which is similarly staffed at all times that it's open. What you suggested sounds fine - I would have tried speaking to the guard on the way into Birmingham first though.


Ayr-Worcester - it is one journey you are making under condition 14.2, so the fact you have two tickets doesn't change anything.

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Thanks. I will be referring back to this should I have difficulties. Hopefully not but I always fear the worst.

Thanks for your detailed, brilliant reply.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 17:40 ==

Does anybody know, please, if the railway staff don't help, and I'm stranded in Crewe/Birmingham - how exactly do I claim back money for a taxi or hotel which I've paid for myself?

Get a receipt of course and then how do I put in a claim (in this case, hypothetically, to Avanti)?

jednick said:

Does anybody know, please, if the railway staff don't help, and I'm stranded in Crewe/Birmingham - how exactly do I claim back money for a taxi or hotel which I've paid for myself?

Get a receipt of course and then how do I put in a claim (in this case, hypothetically, to Avanti)?

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You would contact their customer services and submit a complaint asking for reimbursement of your expenses due to their failure to comply with condition 28.2 of the NRCoT.

While I wouldn’t rely on it as my main option, the 2157 from Crewe would probably also get you back to Worcester that night as a backup, either via a nine minute connection in New Street, or 14 and 5 minute connections at Wolverhampton and Smethwick Galton Bridge.

Try not to over-think things, it’s far too easy to let worrying get out of hand and the chances are your journey will run as scheduled - most do. And if not, you’re making a long journey, so there are plenty of places at which you can get help. The general advice is usually to get as far as you can and figure it out from there. Crewe and Birmingham will have staff available as long as trains are running, and Avanti TMs are helpful in this area, from my experience. Also you can often find better/later routings if you’re smart about it, e.g. don’t forget you can change at Smethwick as well as New St.