Help with response to Letter from GTR

[carmichea1]

I recently received a letter from Gatwick Express that i was caught with an invalid ticket which I was, at that time I needed to work, I was a uni student and had no money, i just really needed to get to work. Can anyone help me respond with a reply in a way that i’m sincere and it can be an out of court settlement? I was advised to come here for help

short, concise reply explaining that i’m sorry for what has happened, what I've learned from it, and that I am willing to settle the matter outside of court and are willing to pay any costs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Sep 2025 ==

I recently received a letter from Gatwick Express that i was caught with an invalid ticket which I was, at that time I needed to work, I was a uni student and had no money, i just really needed to get to work. Can anyone help me respond with a reply in a way that i’m sincere and it can be an out of court settlement? I was advised to come here for help

short, concise reply explaining that i’m sorry for what has happened, what I've learned from it, and that I am willing to settle the matter outside of court and are willing to pay any costs.

I received the same letter 2 weeks ago about the same thing. These are the only instances where i’ve been in this sort of trouble. I always pay for my tickets and fares. I never had any problems with trains before this. In this time i just couldn’t afford the train ticket. This will be the last time i will be in a predicament like this

 

[Titfield]

Please can you upload a copy of the letter with personal details and reference numbers obscured?

Did you have an ticket at all ? If so what was it?

Where were you travelling to and from?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

It would help if you could upload a copy of the letter (with personal details obscured) so that we know exactly what they are asking. This will help the experts here tailor specific advice.

Also, what stations did you board/get off?

Is this a first time offence or will the train company be likely to find other instances of invalid tickets?

Are there any mitigating circumstances where you were unable to purchase a ticket (e.g., ticket office closed)?

 

[Hadders]

It would be helpful to know exactly what ticket you did have, and why it was invalid.

 

[carmichea1]

It would be helpful to know exactly what ticket you did have, and why it was invalid.

I

It would help if you could upload a copy of the letter (with personal details obscured) so that we know exactly what they are asking. This will help the experts here tailor specific advice.

Also, what stations did you board/get off?

Is this a first time offence or will the train company be likely to find other instances of invalid tickets?

Are there any mitigating circumstances where you were unable to purchase a ticket (e.g., ticket office closed)?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Sep 2025 ==

I

It would help if you could upload a copy of the letter (with personal details obscured) so that we know exactly what they are asking. This will help the experts here tailor specific advice.

Also, what stations did you board/get off?

Is this a first time offence or will the train company be likely to find other instances of invalid tickets?

Are there any mitigating circumstances where you were unable to purchase a ticket (e.g., ticket office closed)?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Sep 2025 ==

It would help if you could upload a copy of the letter (with personal details obscured) so that we know exactly what they are asking. This will help the experts here tailor specific advice.

Also, what stations did you board/get off?

Is this a first time offence or will the train company be likely to find other instances of invalid tickets?

Are there any mitigating circumstances where you were unable to purchase a ticket (e.g., ticket office closed)?

This only happened twice before i always buy tickets and always obey but the first time bought the wrong ticket in which i thought was going the right way and the 2nd time i just couldn’t afford one which is bad but i needed to get to work to be able fund for tickets. I’m a uni student.

 

[MotCO]

For journey 1 what was your ticket, and did you catch the wrong train taking you further away from your destination?

For journey 2, what journey were you making, and what ticket(s) did you hold (i.e. what was your start and finish station)?

 

[carmichea1]

For journey 1 what was your ticket, and did you catch the wrong train taking you further away from your destination?

For journey 2, what journey were you making, and what ticket(s) did you hold (i.e. what was your start and finish station)?

Journey 1, I had a Leagrave to St Pancras but I thought that could take me to Biggleswade in which I read wrong and told the inspector. I got all the destinations wrong.

Journey 2, i made the same journey but instead of buying a ticket i tapped my card through the gate thinking i already paid for my travel not knowing it was o my for underground.

It’s all confusing I know but i genuinely tried to figure it out before these two incidents i never had any problems with trains and inspectors and paid fines on time if i needed to

 

[Haywain]

I


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Sep 2025 ==



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Sep 2025 ==


This only happened twice before i always buy tickets and always obey but the first time bought the wrong ticket in which i thought was going the right way and the 2nd time i just couldn’t afford one which is bad but i needed to get to work to be able fund for tickets. I’m a uni student.

You have posted the same letter twice, which doesn't help make things clear. And, as you were stopped at New Barnet it isn't obvious why Gatwick Express are mentioned in your first post - the company is GTR, and Gatwick Express is just one of the brands they use for their services.

 

[MotCO]

Journey 1, I had a Leagrave to St Pancras but I thought that could take me to Biggleswade in which I read wrong and told the inspector. I got all the destinations wrong.

Journey 2, i made the same journey but instead of buying a ticket i tapped my card through the gate thinking i already paid for my travel not knowing it was o my for underground.

It’s all confusing I know but i genuinely tried to figure it out before these two incidents i never had any problems with trains and inspectors and paid fines on time if i needed to

For Journey 1, did you leave Leagrave to go to St Pancras, and then for the return, wanted to go from St Pancras to Biggleswade thinking you could use the return part of the ticket? If not, why did you not get a St Pancras to Biggleswade ticket if you wanted to go to Biggleswade?

 

[Haywain]

If you wanted to go to Biggleswade from Leagrave it would be far cheaper, and not take much more time, to either go to Bedford and get a bus or get a bus from Luton to Hitchin and then get a train. Going through London looks mad.

 

[30907]

Could I politely suggest looking at a map? It shows
Biggleswade as 19 miles North of Leagrave, not between Leagrave and London. It's about 10miles further from London by train too. I mention this because your story isn't going to sound plausible to someone from GTR, so in your reply I would simply say "I mistakenly though my ticket was valid on this route". The complication is that you did exactly the same AFTER being told you had an invalid ticket, so even that may seem an unlikely story.

Anyway, it is still very likely that GTR will agree to settle out of court; you must expect to pay the full fare for the journeys from London to Biggleswade plus an admin fee; they may also check your purchase history and ask for more if they discover other times you have cheated the railway. They will add at least £60 in admin charges.

Now to your reply:
Have a look at posts on this forum by member  Hadders (use the search icon, then Advanced Search. This one will do https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gtr-short-fare-advice.287078/#post-7439408.
Then reply with your apology. I would put both case references in one letter but possibly send separate replies - others may have views on this.

Anyway, feel free to post a draft for our comments.

 

[carmichea1]

You have posted the same letter twice, which doesn't help make things clear. And, as you were stopped at New Barnet it isn't obvious why Gatwick Express are mentioned in your first post - the company is GTR, and Gatwick Express is just one of the brands they use for their services.

Should i send the 1st letter i got? and i dont understand, Gatwick Express sent me the letter that’s what it shows at the top of the letter

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Sep 2025 ==

For Journey 1, did you leave Leagrave to go to St Pancras, and then for the return, wanted to go from St Pancras to Biggleswade thinking you could use the return part of the ticket? If not, why did you not get a St Pancras to Biggleswade ticket if you wanted to go to Biggleswade?

Because I thought Biggleswade was on the way to St. Pancras

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Sep 2025 ==

If you wanted to go to Biggleswade from Leagrave it would be far cheaper, and not take much more time, to either go to Bedford and get a bus or get a bus from Luton to Hitchin and then get a train. Going through London looks mad.

I used a bike to get to work, they don’t take bikes on buses. So after I got off the train at biggleswade i then cycled to work

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Sep 2025 ==

Could I politely suggest looking at a map? It shows
Biggleswade as 19 miles North of Leagrave, not between Leagrave and London. It's about 10miles further from London by train too. I mention this because your story isn't going to sound plausible to someone from GTR, so in your reply I would simply say "I mistakenly though my ticket was valid on this route". The complication is that you did exactly the same AFTER being told you had an invalid ticket, so even that may seem an unlikely story.

Anyway, it is still very likely that GTR will agree to settle out of court; you must expect to pay the full fare for the journeys from London to Biggleswade plus an admin fee; they may also check your purchase history and ask for more if they discover other times you have cheated the railway. They will add at least £60 in admin charges.

Now to your reply:
Have a look at posts on this forum by member  Hadders (use the search icon, then Advanced Search. This one will do https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gtr-short-fare-advice.287078/#post-7439408.
Then reply with your apology. I would put both case references in one letter but possibly send separate replies - others may have views on this.

Anyway, feel free to post a draft for our comments.

where do i send the letter to them?

 

[notmyrealname]

where do i send the letter to them?

I would imagine you send it to the prosecutions department.

 

[Richardr]

It’s all confusing I know but i genuinely tried to figure it out before these two incidents i never had any problems with trains and inspectors and paid fines on time if i needed to

What does this sentence mean? Does it mean you have had penalty fares previously?

 

[Haywain]

Because I thought Biggleswade was on the way to St. Pancras

Really? Have you heard of maps? And you had, apparently, figured out that you needed to change trains in London and head out again.

I used a bike to get to work, they don’t take bikes on buses. So after I got off the train at biggleswade i then cycled to work

Given the price of travelling by train, that only stands up to scrutiny if you intended on avoiding paying from London to Biggleswade.