Cross Country/ SWT weekend first- valid upgrades?

[Zamracene749]

Hi, am back off on my regular jaunt Durham to Wool soon.

The last few times i've been, i've travelled on a weekend when possible and taken advantage of XC weekend first between Durham and Bournemouth, upgrading from a super off peak return.

On my last journey home I purchased the upgrade at Bournemouth on train as normal.
However, when the train reached Birmingham the new crew member (guard/train manager or whatever they are now) loudly refused to sell upgrades to a couple of boarding passengers, stating that "off peak and super peak tickets are not valid for weekend 1st upgrades, first you need to buy a standard open return."

After a bit of polite to and fro he told the couple he would get back to them, checked the rest of the coach then returned and offered to sell them the upgrade, stating " i'm not supposed to, but everybody else today seems to have upgraded from super off peak tickets, so this one time i'll let you off but I shouldn't".

Question is- was he right? I was under the impression that only advance tickets were barred on XC, or have the rules changed?

PS Don't want to mention the train or date because this is not a dig at the lad- other than this he was really charming and pleasant during the journey!

PPS on a slightly different note during the journey south (which I made via London) the guard on the SWT service stated that upgrades to first class are not company policy and that anyone caught (his words) in first class would be charged a full 1st single fare. Is this also correct? This was on a midweek journey.

Thanks in advance

 

[lyesbkz]

PPS on a slightly different note during the journey south (which I made via London) the guard on the SWT service stated that upgrades to first class are not company policy and that anyone caught (his words) in first class would be charged a full 1st single fare. Is this also correct? This was on a midweek journey.

Upgrades to 1st class should be allowed with the same rules as ticket sales (i.e. Penalty fares, where appropriate, will still apply if there was an opportunity to pay the upgrade at the station before departure).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Question is- was he right? I was under the impression that only advance tickets were barred on XC, or have the rules changed?

This page doesn't make it particularly clear, but suggests to me that the only tickets barred for the Weekend upgrades are Advance tickets.

 

[tony_mac]

Nationalrail also only says that Advance tickets are not upgradable.

The crosscountry website certainly sells upgrades with off-peak and super-off-peak tickets.

 

[wintonian]

PPS on a slightly different note during the journey south (which I made via London) the guard on the SWT service stated that upgrades to first class are not company policy and that anyone caught (his words) in first class would be charged a full 1st single fare. Is this also correct? This was on a midweek journey.

Thanks in advance

Well I don't know what company policy they were referring to but upgrades certainly are allowed on SWT at weekends and bank holidays unless the passenger holds an advance ticket.

Upgrade from Standard Class to First Class, at weekends and public holidays, for just £5.00 per person. Just take a seat in First Class and buy your upgrade from the Guard. (The upgrade is not available for Advance ticket holders.)

Source

 

[Anvil1984]

Hi, am back off on my regular jaunt Durham to Wool soon.

The last few times i've been, i've travelled on a weekend when possible and taken advantage of XC weekend first between Durham and Bournemouth, upgrading from a super off peak return.

On my last journey home I purchased the upgrade at Bournemouth on train as normal.
However, when the train reached Birmingham the new crew member (guard/train manager or whatever they are now) loudly refused to sell upgrades to a couple of boarding passengers, stating that "off peak and super peak tickets are not valid for weekend 1st upgrades, first you need to buy a standard open return."

After a bit of polite to and fro he told the couple he would get back to them, checked the rest of the coach then returned and offered to sell them the upgrade, stating " i'm not supposed to, but everybody else today seems to have upgraded from super off peak tickets, so this one time i'll let you off but I shouldn't".

Question is- was he right? I was under the impression that only advance tickets were barred on XC, or have the rules changed?

PS Don't want to mention the train or date because this is not a dig at the lad- other than this he was really charming and pleasant during the journey!

PPS on a slightly different note during the journey south (which I made via London) the guard on the SWT service stated that upgrades to first class are not company policy and that anyone caught (his words) in first class would be charged a full 1st single fare. Is this also correct? This was on a midweek journey.

Thanks in advance

Weekend First is available for any walk on ticket on XC, only restriction is on advance purchase tickets. I would report it as its a training issue that needs identified

 

[swt_passenger]

PPS on a slightly different note during the journey south (which I made via London) the guard on the SWT service stated that upgrades to first class are not company policy and that anyone caught (his words) in first class would be charged a full 1st single fare. Is this also correct? This was on a midweek journey.

Thanks in advance

Midweek, AIUI the only upgrade path is to the proper 'first' equivalent fare. But for many journeys within SWT's area the only First fares are Anytime Single and Return. Offpeak Day returns are available on some but definitely not all SWT flows.
So an excess to a first anytime may well have been the only option - and if you were on a Durham to Wool ticket I'm not sure how they'd do this anyway.

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Well I don't know what company policy they were referring to but upgrades certainly are allowed on SWT at weekends and bank holidays unless the passenger holds an advance ticket.

'This was on a midweek journey' is highly relevant here...

 

[wintonian]

Yep mised that bit hence why I mentiond 'weekend' in my reply to be clear that I was refering to weekends.

 

[Zamracene749]

Hi all, thanks for the replies.

Regarding the SWT section, I was safely ensconced in 2nd class for that journey but I was always under the impression that if you collared the guard as soon as he/she appears and asked for a 1st upgrade that would be ok?

I'd expect the fare to be the difference between an super off peak 2nd and an anytime single for the section of route travelled eg Waterloo to Wool?

The 'may be liable to a penalty fare' bit seems a bit vague...

 

[wintonian]

You can pay an excess, which is not the same as an upgrade and basically means you end up paying the same as the full anytime return fare for the whole journey which from Durham to Wool would be in the region of an extra £350 for route +london.

 

[Zamracene749]

Ah ok- so the excess (rather than upgrade) would be bigger than the 1st single anyway :-0

This one will definately remain theoretical then!

Cheers

 

[wintonian]

AFAIK if you have a return ticket you wish to excess to 1st class you have to excess to an anytime return (then to 1st class) regardless of whether you only wanted to excess 1 portion, however single tickets can still be excessed as singles.

Or they should sell you a new ticket appropriate for the journey being made if it's cheaper than the excess, which for Durham to Woll route London would be £249.50.

Standard to first excesses are rarely worth doing especially if traveling off peak as the anytime first fare is likely to be HUGE, plus not all staff are fully aware of how to do them, so IMO best to stick to weekend upgrades of advances.

For example the Supersaver return from Durham to Wool route London is £146 and the anytime first class fare is £499 so unless claiming it on expenses or traveling with Richard Branson just don't bother.