AP ticket question

[tom1649]

I am travelling to London tomorrow. As it is for my birthday, I'm going regardless of the weather warnings and will just have to take the risk of having trouble getting home. Unfortunately, this may mean I have to leave the train home one stop early. As I'm on an advanced purchase first class ticket and not allowed to leave the train early it looks like I'm going to have to buy a standard single and put up with standard class. Can anyone see a way around this? Would a guard/gateline staff use their discretion in times of bad weather? I'm pretty annoyed about this, but I guess rules are rules eh?

 

[island]

You could ask the guard to endorse your ticket (he may or may not do), or you could excess your ticket to a walk-up at the booking office (essentially the cost of a walk-up ticket is reduced by what you've already paid with a £10 admin fee).

 

[ainsworth74]

(essentially the cost of a walk-up ticket is reduced by what you've already paid with a £6 admin fee).

I thought the admin fee was £10?

 

[tom1649]

You could ask the guard to endorse your ticket (he may or may not do), or you could excess your ticket to a walk-up at the booking office (essentially the cost of a walk-up ticket is reduced by what you've already paid with a £6 admin fee).

If I left it until I was on the train and the guard refused to endorse the ticket, I would then be liable to pay the full standard single without railcard discount wouldn't I? Whereas if I bought it from the ticket office beforehand I could buy the super off peak single with railcard discount. This is quite a difference in price.

 

[Urban Gateline]

I thought the admin fee was £10?

As did I!

As for the OP, what station are you travelling from to get to London and what station do you intend to break your journey at on the return leg?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I left it until I was on the train and the guard refused to endorse the ticket, I would then be liable to pay the full standard single without railcard discount wouldn't I? Whereas if I bought it from the ticket office beforehand I could buy the super off peak single with railcard discount. This is quite a difference in price.

Strictly speaking yes, as your Advance ticket is invalidated if you break your journey on it, it really depends on the staff member and their discretion.

Of course you have the less moral option of just getting off the train anyway and walking away if it isn't barriered!

 

[SS4]

Rules are rules but how well enforced they are is an entirely different question. I would hope the guard would use his or her discretion if poor* weather caused problems but one never knows

* poor for the railways.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I left it until I was on the train and the guard refused to endorse the ticket, I would then be liable to pay the full standard single without railcard discount wouldn't I? Whereas if I bought it from the ticket office beforehand I could buy the super off peak single with railcard discount. This is quite a difference in price.

Surely your ticket would still be valid to it's original destination so you'll only be charged if you broke your journey en route?

You could get a single from your destination to the stop before and double back if services are frequent enough. If there are barriers putting this ticket through would work them, obviously whether this is worth the cost is up to you

eg: the route is A-B-C and you hold an AP from A-C.

Say you get the train to C as per the ticket and then buy a single from C-B and come back alighting at B using the C-B ticket if there are any barriers

 

[tom1649]

My ticket is for Chesterfield, but if the weather was really bad I'd have to change at Derby for the Matlock service. Now I wouldn't have to pass through the barriers at Derby provided I already had the Derby - Matlock ticket, but I would still morally be doing the wrong thing by getting off the train from London at Derby.

Unfortunately there would a 2 hour wait at Chesterfield to return south to Derby (yes there is a long gap after 22.00) and by the time I got back to Derby the last Matlock train would be long gone.

Knowing EMT I'm sure that there are a few guards who would use their discretion, but I'm equally sure that there are a few that stick rigidly to the rule book.

 

[SS4]

My ticket is for Chesterfield, but if the weather was really bad I'd have to change at Derby for the Matlock service. Now I wouldn't have to pass through the barriers at Derby provided I already had the Derby - Matlock ticket, but I would still morally be doing the wrong thing by getting off the train from London at Derby.

Unfortunately there would a 2 hour wait at Chesterfield to return south to Derby (yes there is a long gap after 22.00) and by the time I got back the Derby the last Matlock train would be long gone.

Knowing EMT I'm sure that there are a few guards who would use their discretion, but I'm equally sure that there are a few that stick rigidly to the rule book.

Ah I see, I wasn't sure what stations were in question and hence if it were practical.

You might be able to swap your advance ticket for one to Derby for the difference in cost plus £10 admin fee. Alternatively there are still some advance tickets left for tomorrow evening on NRE if you wanted to hedge your bets the downside being that it would be wasted money if the guard were to let you off at Derby or if they didn't notice of course.

Using station facilities is not considered break of journey if you want to try that one

 

[tom1649]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will just buy the standard off peak London - Matlock ticket. To be honest I quite like standard class on the HSTs. I will just have to pay for my cup of tea. At least then I can enjoy my day travelling around the LUL network without worrying about my journey home.

 

[island]

I thought the admin fee was £10?

Why on earth did I write £6? *slaps self*
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I left it until I was on the train and the guard refused to endorse the ticket, I would then be liable to pay the full standard single without railcard discount wouldn't I? Whereas if I bought it from the ticket office beforehand I could buy the super off peak single with railcard discount. This is quite a difference in price.

You would have to either pay the full standard single or travel as booked.

 

[LexyBoy]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will just buy the standard off peak London - Matlock ticket.

As island and SS4 have said, you can exchange your existing AP ticket for a flexible ticket, at the difference in cost between the flexible (presumably Super Off Peak) and AP ticket, plus £10 admin fee. I think it's permissible to excess a 1st AP to a STD flexible ticket. Whether or not this is worthwhile will depend on the price paid for the AP, bearing in mind you'll still need a Derby-Matlock single.