Breaking a journey

[Trainfan344]

I am a fairly regular user of the Norwich to Lowestoft line to go trainspotting, but am i allowed to break my journey between Lowestoft and norwich and vice versa if i buy a simple return ticket?

 

[SS4]

Yep
Break of Journey is allowed on walk up tickets unless it's explicitly forbidden which it's not in this case.

 

[maniacmartin]

Yep
Break of Journey is allowed on walk up tickets unless it's explicitly forbidden which it's not in this case.

This is assuming the ticket is a Norwich - Lowestoft OfffPk Day return. If you have a ticket with a different origin or destination, or iis a different type, you should check the validity of that ticket, as it may have a different validity code which forbids break of journey.

 

[Trainfan344]

This is assuming the ticket is a Norwich - Lowestoft OfffPk Day return. If you have a ticket with a different origin or destination, or iis a different type, you should check the validity of that ticket, as it may have a different validity code which forbids break of journey.

well i generally get off peak day returns.

 

[calc7]

Off-Peak Day Returns should never forbid BoJ in either direction IIRC.

 

[island]

Off-Peak Day Returns should never forbid BoJ in either direction IIRC.

There are a few which have an outbound break of journey restriction, such as Milton Keynes C to London Terminals route LDN MIDLAND ONLY.

 

[yorkie]

Inter-available Day returns should never prohibit BOJ. We got assurances from someone at ATOC that when the rules were changed at "Simplification" it was not going to reduce our rights in this regard.

Before "simplification" it was simple: Day returns never had a BOJ restriction.

The prohibition on BOJ for Day tickets routed LM Only may not be enforceable and a senior LM employee has previously advised us that we can ignore those restrictions anyway!

 

[John @ home]

The terms and conditions of Off-Peak Day and Super Off-Peak Day tickets are here. The only restriction on break of journey is:

Other than to change trains, a break of journey at intermediate London Underground or DLR stations is NOT permitted

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/offpeak_day_conditions.html

 

[beeza1]

I asked the same question last week regarding break of journey on Hudds to Wolves via Sheffield and was advised it was not allowed, when I got my ticket though there was no mention of this on the ticket, and the booking office clerk never mentioned it either, it seems to be yet another example of "lack of information" which seems commonplace, I have only been on this forum a week and have learned a lot about ticketing requirements, restrictions, etc, information I feel should be displayed at all stations but, which sadly isn't.

 

[maniacmartin]

when I got my ticket though there was no mention of this on the ticket, and the booking office clerk never mentioned it either, (cut)

The information is out there, but it isn't obvious to a normal passenger where to find it. The NRCoC (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) is referred to on the back of all (?) tickets, which you can download or get in paper form at manned stations. This refers to restrictions as advertised, where advertised means buried on a hard to find page on National Rail Enquiries' website and only if you specifically ask a member of staff to look up the validity code.

I think the rail industry like it this way, as people think they have less flexibility than they actually have, so end up purchasing more tickets than they would otherwise, bringing in more revenue.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

.... and the booking office clerk never mentioned it either, it seems to be yet another example of "lack of information" which seems commonplace,....

How long would you want to be standing in a queue if clerks had to tell everyone about information they don't appear to need?

As a ticket office, clerk the look I get, when I begin to tell people the additional conditions of the Advance ticket, is one of "okay yeah whatever just give me the ticket", I don't believe that will change for the better with more information thrust their way.

Most people ask for a ticket from A-B, those who don't know about BoJ and want to do so will either try to buy split tickets or ask if it is allowed, so telling everyone "actually you can stop off at C on the way" is kind of needless in my opinion.

 

[calc7]

Leeds ticket office has a little ticket-sized leaflet they staple to Advance tickets purchased or collected at the counter which probably has some merit.

 

[maniacmartin]

Leeds ticket office has a little ticket-sized leaflet they staple to Advance tickets purchased or collected at the counter which probably has some merit.

Leaflet: good idea, but stapling sounds like it'll stop the ticket being used at gatelines.

 

[beeza1]

As a ticket office, clerk the look I get, when I begin to tell people the additional conditions of the Advance ticket, is one of "okay yeah whatever just give me the ticket", I don't believe that will change for the better with more information thrust their way.


The last time I bought an advance ticket at the station, (Hudds), the clerk went to great length to explain the terms of this ticket, even though I said I had used them before, I then had to sign a declaration, on the back of the seat reservation I think it was. confirming the terms had been explained to me and I fully understood, the travel ticket and seat reservations were then stapled together, I had to do this for both the outbound and return tickets, and can imagine the problems this would cause at busy times, both for the ticket ofice staff and the rail users.

On the subject of "advance tickets", have the numbers available been greatly reduced? I ask this as a couple of years ago I could get advance tickets for almost all the journeys I made, now though making the same journeys, at the same time of day advance tickets never seem to be available, the routes are operated by XC if that helps.

 

[bb21]

On the subject of "advance tickets", have the numbers available been greatly reduced? I ask this as a couple of years ago I could get advance tickets for almost all the journeys I made, now though making the same journeys, at the same time of day advance tickets never seem to be available, the routes are operated by XC if that helps.

If XC no longer feel the need to fill seats on those services with "discounted" fares, due to perhaps the increase in patronage on those services, then they would reduce quota for those services, or even not offering them at all. Unfortunately Advance quotas are not protected in any way and can vary wildly from one week to the next.

 

[LexyBoy]

Leaflet: good idea, but stapling sounds like it'll stop the ticket being used at gatelines.

Automatic barriers shouldn't accept Advance tickets anyway IMO, as they can't check the reservations. So another way of ensuring the customer doesn't get fined for being on the wrong train.

 

[Deerfold]

If XC no longer feel the need to fill seats on those services with "discounted" fares, due to perhaps the increase in patronage on those services, then they would reduce quota for those services, or even not offering them at all. Unfortunately Advance quotas are not protected in any way and can vary wildly from one week to the next.

Indeed - GNER and then NXEC used to have a very small number of very cheap advances available even on peak morning trains into London - and being quick off the mark I travelled many times for just over a tenner from Yorkshire to London, arriving just after 9am. At some point they must have realised they didn't need to do this and now, whilst advances are still available on these trains, they start at over 40 pounds.

 

[wintonian]

The information is out there, but it isn't obvious to a normal passenger where to find it. The NRCoC (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) is referred to on the back of all (?) tickets, which you can download or get in paper form at manned stations. This refers to restrictions as advertised, where advertised means buried on a hard to find page on National Rail Enquiries' website and only if you specifically ask a member of staff to look up the validity code.

Ticket offices are no longer required to have the NCoC in paper form, they may however print off a copy for passengers if the passenger does not have or has limited access to the internet. They are however still required to inform the passengers of where to obtain the NCoC, so giving out the website address would fulfil this requirement.