1st Class Excess from Fareham [FRM] -> Basingstoke [BSK]

[rwuk]

Hi,

I have an annual season ticket from BSK to FRM and recently asked the guard on the return leg how much it would cost to excess (apologies if I'm using the wrong term here!) from standard class to first class. The answer was a bit shocking as he told me it would be the cost of a Standard Class single and then the difference between that and a 1st class ticket. Could someone clarify if this is actually the case, or if not, what it should be?

I don't want/need to upgrade my entire season ticket as on the BSK to FRM leg in the morning the train(s) I catch have tables (SWT white electric trains) but the return journey from FRM (SWT blue electric train) doesn't except in first class, so is the only bit where I need to get First Class....

Thanks for your time!

Rob

 

[transportphoto]

It should just be the difference between the standard class single and the first class single AFAIAA.

TP

 

[yorkie]

The rule, where you buy at the first opportunity (ie, from the ticket office if it's open - if not, then on board):

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1185793&postcount=4

• For Season Tickets, Rovers, Rangers & BritRail the FULL difference between the appropriate Standard Class and First Class (Single or Return) fares for the journey being made is charged.

As far as I can determine, you should be able to upgrade just the portion that you are actually using (a Season, Ranger or Rover is, after all, valid for any number of journeys between any intermediate points during the period of validity). We do have some SWT guards on this forum and I'm sure SWTs policy can be confirmed either way shortly.

If it is the entire journey from Fareham to Basingstoke you wish to upgrade, but one-way only, that should be straightforward and cost £9.80

With a single or return point-to-point ticket, with most excess fares the whole ticket has to be upgraded (but some Train Companies, e.g. TransPennine Express, will upgrade for just the part you wish to upgrade from Standard to 1st Class).

 

[island]

The passenger did not buy at the first opportunity in this instance however.

 

[rwuk]

The passenger did not buy at the first opportunity in this instance however.

asked the guard on the return leg how much it would cost to excess (apologies if I'm using the wrong term here!) from standard class to first class

(emphasis mine)

I didn't attempt to buy, I made an enquiry as to how much it would cost (for future reference). I made it quite clear to the guard at the time that I was asking for future reference, rather than for purchase at that point.

For the avoidance of doubt, I did this whilst sitting in standard class when the guard was finally freed up from the legging it up and down the train s/he has to do between Fareham and Eastleigh because of the different length platforms - or in other words, I waited until they weren't busy running up and down the train so I wouldn't catch them at a bad time!

 

[Be3G]

I'd also add to this that when I asked at an SWT ticket office to do this a few years ago, I was actually told to buy the excess on the train anyway!