LNER site selling off peak return when return train in peak?

[Graeme]

Hello

I am trying to check whether an off peak ticket i bought on the LNER website is actually valid for the return service. York to Manchester Airport, outward Saturday 4th May Sep 1321 so that's fine, but it gave me the return as my required option of departing Manchester Airport at 1819 on Thursday 9th May - but is that actually in the peak? Surely this would be classed as a peak service and therefore the return portion would be invalid? I'm somewhat confused as the tickets don't specify the train times but the website stated this was a cheaper alternative to two airport advance singles. TPE are presumably running both services.

I would welcome any clarification our resident experts can provide.... Thanks.

 

[Romilly]

If you have the £40.20 offpeak return, this is fine as the only time restrictions are (copied from BRfares):

Restriction Code: TO

Restricted Days: Monday-Friday

Outward Travel & Return Travel: Not valid on services timed to depart between 04:29 and 08:30

In essence, it is tickets that have time restrictions rather than trains: for example, although I haven't checked, an offpeak ticket from Manchester Airport as an origin might not be valid on the 1819, even though the return half of your offpeak ticket is.

 

[Graeme]

Thanks for that - yes it is the £40.20 off peak return and the tickets do mention TO at end of a website address.

So in essence my return portion from Manchester Airport is actually valid even though the departure time is in the peak period? Just trying to get my head around this you understand....

I wondered why I'd be able to buy an off peak return and specifying a service which turned out to be invalid - but I wanted to check before traveling.

 

[cuccir]

Yes; there's not actually any 'peak period' that's consistent across all tickets.

Each off-peak ticket has a restriction code which sets out the times and/or services on which it can't be used.

 

[Graeme]

That's great, thanks to both of you for taking the trouble to reply.

 

[alistairlees]

For most of the country, and most journeys, there are no evening peak restrictions, and never have been. There are a few notable exceptions, but this isn't one one of them. Hence your "Off-Peak" ticket is valid on the journey you want to do, at the times you want to travel. If a website that sells train tickets shows a ticket as valid, then you are safe to assume it is.

 

[Adlington]

For most of the country, and most journeys, there are no evening peak restrictions

Really??
Northern has a long list of evening restriction (usually between 16:01 and 18:29).
Virgin: off peak NOT valid for travel on any train departing London Euston between 15:01 and 18:44 Mon -Thu.

 

[alistairlees]

Really??
Northern has a long list of evening restriction (usually between 16:01 and 18:29).
Virgin: off peak NOT valid for travel on any train departing London Euston between 15:01 and 18:44 Mon -Thu.

I said most, not all. We all know there are many journeys where there are. Perhaps I should just have said "many".

 

[Hadders]

Really??
Northern has a long list of evening restriction (usually between 16:01 and 18:29).
Virgin: off peak NOT valid for travel on any train departing London Euston between 15:01 and 18:44 Mon -Thu.

Yes!

Your Virgin quote above is incorrect. Check out an Off Peak ticket from London Terminals to Carlisle or Glasgow for example. No evening restrictions.

Remember restrictions apply to tickets not to trains.

 

[Haywain]

Really??

Yes, really. Large areas of the country do not have evening peak restrictions. Long distance operators only have them for (some) journeys starting in London, generally speaking, and only a few areas around major cities have them for local services.

 

[supervalkoinen]

Yes, really. Large areas of the country do not have evening peak restrictions. Long distance operators only have them for (some) journeys starting in London, generally speaking, and only a few areas around major cities have them for local services.

Plus Transport for Wales on many local routes nowhere near major cities - e.g. Ruabon - Chirk.