Liverpool - halifax, starting late query

[daniel78]

Hello,

This weekend I'll be going to the North-West, travelling from London to Liverpool by London Midland to make it affordable.

On Sunday 16th, I will be waking up in Wigan, I am considering going to Halifax in the morning, before heading back to Liverpool to get the train home later.

If a buy a ticket from Liverpool Lime St - Halifax, off-peak return at £21.50, would I be allowed to start my journey in Wigan? Therefore travelling Wigan to Halifax in the morning, and Halifax - Liverpool in the afternoon. Liverpool - Halifax and Wigan - Halifax both involve changing at Manchester Victoria, but the Liverpool - Manchester train only stops at Newton-le-Willows so I don't think it goes through Wigan.

I have some flexibility in where I can stay on Saturday so if not I can look at other options, but if someone can confirm my first query for starters I'd be grateful.

Thanks.

 

[button_boxer]

If a buy a ticket from Liverpool Lime St - Halifax, off-peak return at £21.50, would I be allowed to start my journey in Wigan?

£21.50 is the Off-Peak Day Return. It takes restriction I1 which does not restrict break of journey, so you are fine to start short at Wigan. There are routeing guide map combinations that permit travel via Wigan (or in your case starting short at Wigan) on a Liverpool to Halifax ticket, for example maps ML+LY which would allow Wigan to Manchester via Atherton, Bolton or Earlestown and then Manchester to Halifax direct. Alternatively maps ML+MS would allow Wigan to Manchester via Atherton or Bolton followed by Manchester to Halifax via Huddersfield.

 

[daniel78]

Thanks for the advice. In the end I worked out that with the rugby league match in Halifax kicking off at 1.30 I'd realistically be getting the 4.30 train to Liverpool, then a LM train to London arriving after midnight. I enjoy a leisurely train ride (particularly the views crossing the pennines) but that's a bit of a mission even for me!

I also worked out that going LM only to Crewe then onto Wigan was a fair bit easier and only a few quid more than via Liverpool. No monthly returns Liverpool to Wigan.

 

[island]

Be careful with other tickets, as many LM off-peak returns (i. e. tickets valid to return within a month rather than same day) prohibit break of journey on the outbound portion so would not be valid to start late.