Bedford to Ryde Off Peak Return

[prd101]

I'm a little confused about peak time trains out of St Pancras.

The East Midlands Trains timetable clearly shows that I'd need an Anytime ticket to travel from St Pancras to Bedford before 7pm or so, as I would usually expect.

However, I've looked up fares on the trainline.com for Bedford to Ryde Pier Head, returning within one month and on an afternoon and it says that, for example: 1345 and 1445 departures from Ryde Pier Head, with the necessary connections through London, can be used on the 1700 and 1800 departures from St Pancras to Bedford and this is an OFF PEAK return ticket.

If the trainline.com says that this ticket is valid and I purchase it, I can't help but think I will actually have problems travelling out of St Pancras in the afternoon peak.

Any suggestions?

 

[John @ home]

I'm a little confused about peak time trains out of St Pancras.

The East Midlands Trains timetable clearly shows that I'd need an Anytime ticket to travel from St Pancras to Bedford before 7pm or so, as I would usually expect.

However, I've looked up fares on the trainline.com for Bedford to Ryde Pier Head, returning within one month and on an afternoon and it says that, for example: 1345 and 1445 departures from Ryde Pier Head, with the necessary connections through London, can be used on the 1700 and 1800 departures from St Pancras to Bedford and this is an OFF PEAK return ticket.

If the trainline.com says that this ticket is valid and I purchase it, I can't help but think I will actually have problems travelling out of St Pancras in the afternoon peak.

Any suggestions?

trainline.com seems to be correct. The details from the NFM (National Fares Manual) 03 CD are:

Origin: BEDFORD
Destination: RYDE PIER HEAD
Route: + ANY PERMITTED
CDR: OFF PEAK DAY RETURN
Price: £47.90 B2 SWT
Non-standard discounts apply
Restriction: B2
OUTWARD TRAVEL By any train except those timed to depart Mondays to Fridays before 0915
RETURN TRAVEL By any train

Note that SWT set the fare (and also the restrictions) for this fare.

John

 

[yorkie]

From Avantix Traveller:

Restriction : 4J
Restrictions Applies:
Monday to Friday only.
No travel restrictions on
other days.

OUTWARD TRAVEL
By any train scheduled to
depart at or after 0930.
Also, at or after 0915 from
Bedford.

RETURN TRAVEL
By any train scheduled to
to depart at or after 0930,
but also allowed on:
Axminster 0857
Crewkerne 0910
Exeter Central 0830
Exeter St Davids 0825
Fratton 0920
Honiton 0846
Portsmouth Harbour 0912 & 0929
Portsmouth and Southsea 0916
Salisbury 0920
Sherborne 0926
Southampton Central 0910
Swanwick 0928
Yeovil Junction 0920
BVS/BVR/SVS/SVR OFF-PEAK
FSR/FSS/SFR/BFR/BFS
OFF-PEAK (First Class)

The barriers should accept it, as should the guard. If anyone questions it, ask them to look up the validity code on their Avantix machine, and ask what that code means. They will see what I have posted above and accept the ticket.

Any problems at all and get the name of the person and later on you can write a polite, but firm, letter to Customer Services naming that person and what they said, outline the situation and ask that they be given additional training. If someone is obstructing you and refusing to look up the code then ask for the station supervisor or their manager and you can report that person later. It's best not to get into long arguments with badly trained barrier staff as it gets you nowhere.

You could also take a printout of the restriction codes but really it's their job to look them up if they have any doubt about the validity of any ticket.

 

[prd101]

thanks. i'll take a copy of the trainline webpage and this discussion as well. where would I get more detailed restriction code information, and also the avantix software?

 

[yorkie]

I also recommend booking seat reservations on EMT with thetrainline (there are not many trains to St Pancras during the evening peak anyway) that does not mean you are compelled to get that train but it does further back up your claim.

It's not just tickets from Ryde that are valid out of STP in the evening peak but many others too.

Also Off Peak tickets from London (and beyond) to ECML destinations are valid from St Pancras, Kings Cross and Liverpool St throughout the evening peak. As are Off Peak tickets to places like Gretna.

In fact if someone wanted to take a train to Sheffield at about 5pm it is cheaper to buy a ticket to Gretna and cut short at Sheffield than buy a ticket to Sheffield. The shortest route is always valid so no-one can question the route.

Ignore any claims that a TOC can set a blanket ban on off peak tickets on a particular train - the system does not work like that!