Is this a valid option? Ely to King's Lynn to Cambridge

[saismee]

I have an oddly specific journey. I need to start at ELY, travel to KLN, and then return to CBG. I have what I assume to be a correct estimate (and correct procedure) for getting the cheapest possible ticket (it's all just for fun and games, it barely saves anything). This travel is on Saturday (tomorrow), so is eligible for super off-peak fares. Prices won't have pound signs as my keyboard doesn't have the symbol. I also have a 16-25 railcard.

I plan to buy an ELY <> KLN super off-peak return ticket (7.15 with railcard), and then extend the return portion to CBG at a ticket office. I have worked out the difference to be 95p as CBG -> KLN super off-peak single is 10.70, and ELY -> KLN super off-peak single is 8.80, and the return portion should be 50% off. These two tickets are not using railcard prices. This would save me a grand total of 30p, with a final price of 6.85... incredible, I know.

My main questions and concerns are:
Is this a valid method of extending the journey?
I am unsure how the railcard factors into the difference of pricing. When calculating the difference, is the railcard applied before, after, or not at all on the singles?
Although this is a Great Northern service, I am planning to extend the journey at Ipswich (a Greater Anglia station). Will they do this, or will I have to go to a GN ticket office?
Are there any oddities this may cause when my ticket is inspected?
Is this the cheapest possible way? I am not actually all that fussed about a few pounds, but I'm attempting to expand my knowledge surrounding the rules with ticketing, and this will be a great opportunity for me to learn.

Legend:
ELY - Ely Station, KLN - King's Lynn Station, CBG - Cambridge Station, GN - Great Northern
Side note - thank you to the forum staff for reminding me to explain abbreviations in some of my posts. It is a real pain when you come across a post that has lots of abbreviations and I end up understanding about 10% of the post.

 

[Haywain]

I have worked out the difference to be 95p as CBG -> KLN super off-peak single is 10.70, and ELY -> KLN super off-peak single is 8.80, and the return portion should be 50% off.

That's not how it works - an overdistance excess, to which there is no entitlement, is charged at the full difference. Just buy a Cambridge to King's Lynn ticket and start short on the outward journey.

 

[saismee]

That's not how it works - an overdistance excess, to which there is no entitlement, is charged at the full difference. Just buy a Cambridge to King's Lynn ticket and start short on the outward journey.

From what I have seen on the forum, this should be possible as long as I haven't started my return journey.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...e-an-incorrect-change-of-route-excess.283119/
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/change-of-route-excess-fares-clarification-of-the-rules.184617/
Important section in bold

Change of Route

National Rail Conditions of Carriage, Condition 13, permits customers to travel by a different route, from the one stated on the ticket or allowed by conditions of the National Routeing Guide, to make their journey on payment of an Excess fare. The Excess fare is calculated as follows:

Single tickets

The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Single ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice

Return tickets - change of route in both directions

The difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel, that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

Return tickets - change of route in one direction only

Half the difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

After recalculating based on returns with railcards, it should actually be 6.53 (or 6.55 when rounded) - I had assumed it would be based on singles. Are you certain this isn't possible? It doesn't track with what others are saying.

 

[bcarmicle]

A change of route excess is not the same as an overdistance excess.

 

[saismee]

A change of route excess is not the same as an overdistance excess.

So is my thinking correct and my terminology incorrect? Edit: or is that in response to Haywain?

 

[Haywain]

You cannot have a change of route excess for Ely to King's Lynn as there is only one possible route. Changing the origin or destination station would require an overdistance excess.

 

[Watershed]

A change of route excess involves purely changing your ticket's fare route, from something like "via X" to "Any Permitted". Extending your journey is a completely different concept known as an 'overdistance' excess.

Firstly, there is no contractual tight to an overdistance excess (unlike a change of route excess), and it would likely be refused in this instance. Overdistance excesses are intended for extending your journey beyond the point you were travelling to (e.g. extending a Cambridge-Ely ticket to Kings Lynn). They are not intended for extending your return journey to somewhere different than where you started your journey.

Moreover, if you were able to get an overdistance excess, it would be calculated as the full difference in fares. That would remain the case even if you only wanted to extend the journey in one direction. As such, you may as well buy your intended fare from the get-go.

As to your other questions, in theory it should be possible to obtain excesses at any ticket office regardless of where you originally bought your ticket. However I have had occasions where ticket office staff have refused me an excess I am either entitled to, or which I know they could have issued. So I wouldn't bank on success.

The cost of any excrss is calculated based on the difference between the Railcard discounted fares.

 

[saismee]

@Watershed thank you for the detailed response! I hadn't realised these were different, so I will be getting a return to Cambridge and starting early.