Is this a stupid question? - VIA LONDON (again)

[boultonmark]

I know there are a lot of threads about what LONDON refers to but I'm not referring to that aspect. But my question, which may be totally stupid is:
1. does the VIA only refer to any change station. i.e if the train in question passed through a LONDON station (but I didn't change) is that not relevant.
2. Does it just refer to the origin or destination station being a LONDON station
3. Or does it refer to passing through any LONDON station

Does that make sense?

 

[[.n]]

From your list it is number 3 (based on the correct definition of London)

 

[Hadders]

It would be helpful if you gave us details of a ticket you had in mind. Consider a ticket routed 'via High Wycombe':

- the train must pass through High Wycombe but there is no requirement for the train to call there or for you to change trains there (although there is nothing to stop you doing either)
- I don't understand your 2nd point

A ticket routed 'via London' means that you need to travel via London Terminals (note that London Terminals is not the same as 'any station within Greater London/Zones 1-6/or any other definition of London that people sometimes like to use).

 

[Paul Kelly]

If I understand correctly, London is irrelevant to your question, i.e. you're just asking what restriction it imposes on the route you may take, to have a station listed in the route description of a fare? The answer is it can be all three, and it can also mean the train you are on stops there but you stay on it, which I think you missed from your list of options! Fares where the via station is the origin or destination come up on the forum from time to time, and the conclusion always is that they're valid and usable.