An Awkward Journey

[jayjay]

Hello guys, long post ahead, but bear with me.

I've booked tickets for a journey I'm making this Friday between Winsford and Cambridge, but in short, I've found ticket restrictions confusing, ambiguous and I've found websites useless.

Basically, the original plan was this:

Winsford - Crewe - Euston - King's X - Cambridge between 8.08 and 11.31
then going back,
Cambridge - Nuneaton - Crewe - Winsford between 17.00 and 20.40

I booked tickets through thetrainline.com and on the ticket selection screen,"off-peak ticket" was highlighted for both of those journeys. Now really, this is where I should have used common sense (seeing the 8.08 train was during rush hour but still highlighted), but I booked the tickets anyway.

So, since booking the tickets, it turns out that due to needing to be in Cambridge by 1.30, I can't go from Winsford. The only way I could do it without buying a new anytime ticket ( £100? :-x) is to go from Crewe starting at 9.29 on a Virgin service (which on their website says is off-peak hurray).

Now there's also the problem of the return. Both thetrainline and nationalrail.co.uk claim that the 17.00 train out of cambridge is valid for off-peak, but I'm guessing it's not. The problem is I've never found any definate indication of when off-peak services start and end, and I don't want to have to cough up the extra money for a full price anytime ticket.

Summary

Just to clarify, I'm travelling with a return ticket between Winsford and cambridge valid on any permitted route through London.

I just need these 2 questions answering (and any other advice you have)

1. Is there any way of finding out for definite which trains are rush hour and which are off peak, because it seems to be up to the individual TOC's and they don't provide any useful information on their websites.

2. Is it valid to start and end my journey at Crewe instead of Winsford? On the restrictions it says that "in general the outward portion of your journey may not be broken but the return may be."

Sorry for the long post, but I've got myself into a complicated situation as you can tell. Hope you can help,

Jayjay.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I can't help much.

As your original plan was to change at Crewe on the outbound leg anyway, I don't see any problem in beginning your journey there in the first place.

I'm also under the impression "offpeak" is anytime after 9:30am, but I may be wrong, I'm sure someone will clarify

 

[Max]

Welcome to the forums Jayjay!

Firstly, it is permitted to start and end your journey at Crewe:

BREAK OF JOURNEY
Break of journey is allowed on Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket's validity code.

The fact that there is no restriction shown for the code in question (2C) confirms this is okay! The 0929 train is fine too. You may also wish to note:

2) Holders of 16-25, Senior, Disabled Persons, HM Forces and Family & Friends Railcards, New Deal Photocards and Inter-Rail (Code 70) Cards
travelling with Off-Peak tickets may use ANY Virgin train service, as long as the journey being made is priced by Virgin Trains. If the journey is not priced by Virgin Trains then the stated Off-Peak restrictions apply.

So if you had a railcard, your ticket would be valid on any service!

Your ticket is also valid on the 1700 out of Cambridge just to confirm. Regarding finding out restrictions for all tickets, the best way to do this is to download the Advantix Traveller software, which is basically the national fares manual in an electronic form. It gives individual restriction codes and their details for all tickets. Not all off peak tickets take the 'valid after 0930' restriction, they vary quite a bit! It can be downloaded here:

http://southtpe.co.uk/avantix/NFM03.zip

Courtesy of Jordy from this very forum, who is very kindly hosting it!

 

[mathmo]

I believe the off-peak return is valid on the 08:08 if you go via Birmingham New Street and not London. You can get the 08:08 to arrive in New Street at 09:18, then either the 09:22 or the 10:22 to Stansted, arriving at Cambridge at 12:08 or 13:08. The return portion seems to be valid on any train not via London.

 

[Max]

I believe the off-peak return is valid on the 08:08 if you go via Birmingham New Street and not London. You can get the 08:08 to arrive in New Street at 09:18, then either the 09:22 or the 10:22 to Stansted, arriving at Cambridge at 12:08 or 13:08. The return portion seems to be valid on any train not via London.

The OP wouldn't be advised to take the 0922, it allows less than the minimum connection time! Looking at the proximity of Winsford to Crewe by road, it would probably be a lot easier to take the 0929 from Crewe as it sets off so much later and arrives before 1308!

 

[jayjay]

Well, I guess it's lucky that I stumbled upon this forum then. Thanks so much for the replies, and thanks also to Jordy for hosting the Avantix database. I'll be sure to try it out when I have the time.

 

[metrocammel]

Also, just to note, it's not advisable to buy tickets via 'The Trainline'. They charge a credit / debit card booking fee, whereas if you book via other booking sites, there are no such fees, for example, try : http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

 

[ikorodu]

Also, just to note, it's not advisable to buy tickets via 'The Trainline'. They charge a credit / debit card booking fee, whereas if you book via other booking sites, there are no such fees, for example, try : http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

This is generally good advice unless you need travel on national express services and want to reserve seats. At the moment the trainline system does not (indeed can not) charge for reservations on the NX services, hence if you were to book a journey for two from Newark to Bury St Edmunds and back (which uses two NX services) and wish to reserve seats it will cost you £9 more to book through the National Express site compared with the trainline. I'm sure that this anomoly will be corrected eventually.

ikorodu

 

[clagmonster]

Try booking through a different Traninline operated website, for example www.tpexpress.co.uk This works in exactly the same way as the Trainline, but doesn't charge any booking fees.