Can I do this?

[Tomp94]

Going from Worthing to London Victoria on a day return ticket is much cheaper than going from Victoria to Worthing on day return.

I've noted that only the more expensive ticket is sold at ticket machines in London.

So as I need to go to Worthing from Victoria, what's stopping me from going to the southern website and buying a Worthing to Victoria, using the return portion as the outbound, and outbound as the return?

 

[Watershed]

Whilst you would be fine on your outward journey from Victoria to Worthing (using the Worthing to Victoria ticket's return portion), you can't use the outward portion of a ticket after having started use of the return portion.

So your outward portion (which you were intending to use to get back to Victoria) would have expired and wouldn't be valid for your return journey. You'd need to buy a new single.

There are situations where buying a return, throwing away the outward portion, and then buying another single can be cheaper. But that seems unlikely to be the case here.

It's fairly unlikely that anyone would "catch" you misusing a ticket in this manner (particularly if using a paper ticket, as it's vanishingly rare to be asked for the unused return portion when using the outward portion).

But the consequences, if caught, could be severe - ranging from having to pay for a new ticket (likely Anytime and without any Railcard discount), to being issued with a Penalty Fare (£100, or £50 if paid within 14 days, plus the fare), to being prosecuted and then likely fined and convicted under the Railway Byelaws or Regulation of Railways Act (or being forced to pay an inflated "settlement" to avoid this).

 

[JonathanH]

It's fairly unlikely that anyone would "catch" you misusing a ticket in this manner (particularly if using a paper ticket, as it's vanishingly rare to be asked for the unused return portion when using the outward portion).

The time stamp on the ticket might be a fairly obvious sign that it is potentially being used this way, and trigger questions.

 

[skyhigh]

It's fairly unlikely that anyone would "catch" you misusing a ticket in this manner (particularly if using a paper ticket, as it's vanishingly rare to be asked for the unused return portion when using the outward portion).

Though a paper ticket will show where it was printed and the time, so if you were to (hypothetically) present the outwards portion of a Worthing to Victoria return in the afternoon which was printed that morning from a machine at Victoria it would obviously raise suspicions.

If it's an e-ticket when scanned it should alert the inspector to the fact the return leg has already been used - as far as I'm aware it's part of the spec and I know at least one brand of scanners will do this.

 

[The exile]

Though a paper ticket will show where it was printed and the time, so if you were to (hypothetically) present the outwards portion of a Worthing to Victoria return in the afternoon which was printed that morning from a machine at Victoria it would obviously raise

Not if you buy it in advance (if possible)

 

[skyhigh]

Not if you buy it in advance (if possible)

Even if you buy online for ToD it will show the location and time the ticket was collected - so even if you collected it from a random location at a random time before you travelled it could still raise questions if noticed.

 

[Tomp94]

Thanks all.

So using the return portion is fine from vic to worthing. but not the outward from worthing. damn.

How and why is it more expensive from Londonz rather than same price?
it's the same journey, covering the same track and distance.

Nothing more than money grabbing from GTR, with the DfT complicit!

 

[390046]

Wouldn't a Southern Daysave work for this, as long as only Southern's trains are used and it is purchased in advance? I think it's cheaper than the off-peak day return if a railcard isn't being used.

 

[JonathanH]

How and why is it more expensive from Londonz rather than same price?
it's the same journey, covering the same track and distance.

Market forces. Connex introduced 'pricebuster' tickets over 20 years ago towards London to promote travel later in the day but not the other direction. The fare structure hasn't changed since.

Nothing more than money grabbing from GTR, with the DfT complicit!

They obviously think it is worth continuing to offer the discounted tickets for London-bound passengers.

 

[30907]

Wouldn't a Southern Daysave work for this, as long as only Southern's trains are used and it is purchased in advance? I think it's cheaper than the off-peak day return if a railcard isn't being used.

I think the OP wants to use the Daysave or Pricebuster - the difference in the CDR fares favours starting in London.

 

[JonathanH]

I think the OP wants to use the Daysave or Pricebuster - the difference in the CDR fares favours starting in London.

The fare that has presumably attracted the attention of the original poster is the super-off-peak day return from Worthing to London Victoria, which is priced at £22.50 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=WRH&dest=VIC&rte=500&tkt=PDR

As you say, the off-peak day return is cheaper coastbound at £36.50 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=VIC&dest=WRH&grpo=1072&tkt=CDR, than its London-bound equivalent, which is £39.90 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=WRH&dest=VIC&grpd=1072&tkt=CDR.

 

[30907]

The fare that has presumably attracted the attention of the original poster is the super-off-peak day return from Worthing to London Victoria, which is priced at £22.50 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=WRH&dest=VIC&rte=500&tkt=PDR

As you say, the off-peak day return is cheaper coastbound at £36.50 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=VIC&dest=WRH&grpo=1072&tkt=CDR, than its London-bound equivalent, which is £39.90 - https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=WRH&dest=VIC&grpd=1072&tkt=CDR.

And indeed the unrestricted Anytime Day Return from Victoria is only £40 - an imbalance that has existed for at least 45 years!