Changing from Off Peak to Peak

[Grendel]

A friend of mine was trying to travel from Edinburgh to Glasgow last week. Due to a change of plans he asked ticketing staff at the station if he could upgrade his previously purchased an off peak ticket to peak travel, to be told no. He then had to wait until the peak had finished to use his ticket.

A few days later he boarded at an unmanned station. The ticket machine was not working and he attempted to buy an off peak ticket on the train. The Ticket Examiner told him that his machine did not allow him to sell off peak tickets.

Could anyone enlighten me on the above, and recommend suitable action for my disgruntled friend?

 

[yorkie]

A friend of mine was trying to travel from Edinburgh to Glasgow last week. Due to a change of plans he asked ticketing staff at the station if he could upgrade his previously purchased an off peak ticket to peak travel, to be told no. He then had to wait until the peak had finished to use his ticket.

This is incorrect. The full difference is charged. Excess: change of ticket type

A few days later he boarded at an unmanned station. The ticket machine was not working and he attempted to buy an off peak ticket on the train. The Ticket Examiner told him that his machine did not allow him to sell off peak tickets.

If an off peak ticket was valid for that journey then that is what he should be sold. What actually happened?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Both are incorrect. You can excess Off Peak to Anytime by payment of the difference in fare for the full ticket, while if you board at an unstaffed station with no ticketing facilities you are entitled to purchase the full range of discounts onboard or at the destination.

 

[Grendel]

This is incorrect. The full difference is charged. Excess: change of ticket type

If an off peak ticket was valid for that journey then that is what he should be sold. What actually happened?

He bought the ticket as he felt he had no option.

 

[reb0118]

I find this odd. Who exactly did the OPs friend talk to at Edinburgh? Are they sure it was "ticketing staff" or just some random uniformed presence? The reason I state this is that issuing off peak to peak excesses have been going on at Edinburgh for at least 17 years that I can personally swear to (and obviously for a lot longer that that). Odd indeed. A further point: I assume travel was with ScotRail but as many other TOCs use the station this might not be the case?......

Re. boarding at an unstaffed station it has, again in my personal experience, been custom & practice to issue the cheapest ticket applicable to the time of day as standard. More info. is required - what station & at what time did this happen?

 

[Bletchleyite]

He bought the ticket as he felt he had no option.

He should send it (the original Off Peak one) in for a refund, then, explaining what happened; that will leave him having paid the same as he would had an excess been issued as it should have been.

FWIW I've had off-peak->Anytime excesses issued at the ticket office at Waverley without any explanation or argument.

 

[island]

What station was the "unmanned station", referred to in the second question?

 

[Grendel]

I find this odd. Who exactly did the OPs friend talk to at Edinburgh? Are they sure it was "ticketing staff" or just some random uniformed presence? The reason I state this is that issuing off peak to peak excesses have been going on at Edinburgh for at least 17 years that I can personally swear to (and obviously for a lot longer that that). Odd indeed. A further point: I assume travel was with ScotRail but as many other TOCs use the station this might not be the case?......

Re. boarding at an unstaffed station it has, again in my personal experience, been custom & practice to issue the cheapest ticket applicable to the time of day as standard. More info. is required - what station & at what time did this happen?

I'll pass on your advice. I have advised him to contact Scotrail regarding this with appropriate information (dates, time, staff details if aware of them, etc).

 

[miami]

In situations like this - situations worse than fare evasion - there needs to be far more comeback. Either compensation for the wronged passenger or large fines for the wronging company.

At the moment of a passenger makes a mistake they get charged a lot (full fare, penalty fare, or even get threatened further). If a rail company employee makes a mistake the passenger gets fined, charged full fare, or threatened with court, and has to fight it. After the time and expense of fighting it the best they can hope for is to have been charged what they should have been in the first place.

 

[furlong]

Something like Tesco perhaps?

What shall I do if I've been overcharged?
In the unlikely event that we charge you more than what is advertised on the shelf edge or on the product, please visit our Customer Service Desk with your receipt for a double the difference refund.

 

[island]

That doesn't happen either though in my experience.

 

[furlong]

Tesco has applied this every time I've discovered a pricing error on my receipt, and I've never had to remind the staff of the policy.