Advance Tickets Advice

[Edward101]

Further to the thread on Scottish rural routes, just wanted some clarification on official policy. What happens if you are travelling on an advance ticket, and either deliberately or accidentally travel further than the destination named on your ticket, or start at a point earlier than that named on the ticket? This does not just apply to Scottish rural routes, but anywhere on the network. This was the cause of much confusion and worry for me when travelling in Scotland earlier this year, after I boarded a Mallaig line train at Morar with an advance ticket from Arisaig to Fort William. Imagine you had an advance ticket from Liverpool Street to Ipswich but travelled to Stowmarket, or an advance ticket from Ipswich to Liverpool Street but got on at Stowmarket? What would a conductor or revenue protection officer do, or what should they do (official policy) in this situation? I presume a penalty fare would be charged if it is a penalty fares area, but what else? What happens on routes in Scotland (or other routes) which do not have a penalty fares policy? Is an excess simply charged or will you be required to buy a completely new ticket?

Could doing so be interpreted as an attempt to defraud the company? Would it lead to prosecution?

 

[dzug2]

Provided you buy a separate ticket (bought before boarding where facilities exist) for the part not covered by your advance ticket and the train is scheduled to stop at the changeover point then it's perfectly legitimate and is permitted by official policy.

 

[bb21]

Yes, if boarding without a valid ticket (or travelling beyond your destination) then a Penalty Fare could be charged if applicable, otherwise it is the full single fare for the additional distance, provided that ticket-issuing facilities exist at the station where you joined the train. One could also be reported for prosecution if the member of staff suspects deliberate foul-play.

If one accidentally misses his stop, proactively seek out the guard where appropriate and discretion is usually exercised where appropriate.