Greater Anglia Weekend returns / restriction codes 4W and 7W

[bananas]

Greater Anglia seem to have made a silly mistake with the restrictions on Weekend Return tickets.
There are two ticket types: for leaving on Friday, with restriction code 4W; and for leaving on Saturday, with restriction code 7W. In the summary of the restrictions, 4W says "GA Weekend Rtn Fridays", and 7W says "GA Weekend Rtn Saturdays"
BRFares:

But the restriction details, in BRFares and on https://nationalrail.co.uk, contradict this!
4W says "Valid for outward travel on Saturday only" and 7W says "Valid for outward travel on Fridays only"
BRFares screenshots of the above:



The underlying data in BRFares and as used by journey planners allows 4W on Fridays and 7W on Saturdays. But this means you get tickets with itineraries explicitly disallowed by the accompanying restrictions!

I'm pretty sure these used to be right. How did they mess this up?!

 

[saismee]

I believe I made a thread about these before. They weren't correct before, they just said "Text here" !!! They're a massive pain on the ground because passengers select open return, travel on the cheapest available ticket (this one) and then attempt to invalidly return on the same day.

 

[blimmo]

I'm pretty sure these used to be right. How did they mess this up?!

For at least a few months they have just said "Text here" (with correct electronic restrictions). The recently changed to being the wrong way around as you have noticed.

then attempt to invalidly return on the same day

If they are doing this with a Saturday return (and the return portion is dated with validity starting on the Saturday) I don't think there's any way it can be invalid (even if that is obviously the intention).

Tbh I've never really understood why they want to restrict same day returns. On many routes same day returns are cheaper after all.

 

[saismee]

If they are doing this with a Saturday return (and the return portion is dated with validity starting on the Saturday) I don't think there's any way it can be invalid (even if that is obviously the intention).

The return is dated for the next day.

 

[blimmo]

The return is dated for the next day.

Interesting, all these tickets I have bought have shown the return valid starting on the outbound day.

 

[saismee]

Interesting, all these tickets I have bought have shown the return valid starting on the outbound day.

Online or at a ticket office?

 

[blimmo]

ToD, likely fulfilled by either Avanti or LNWR TVM, I don't recall the retailer maybe railsmartr?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 May 2026 ==

Ah, the e-ticket I bought more recently did have the correct return only starting the day after outbound.

 

[saismee]

ToD, likely fulfilled by either Avanti or LNWR TVM, I don't recall the retailer maybe railsmartr?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 May 2026 ==

Ah, the e-ticket I bought more recently did have the correct return only starting the day after outbound.

In my experience, paper tickets tend to have the incorrect date on the returns, but E-tickets are correct, but not always.