London to Reading Off Peak

[96tommy]

Travelling from paddington to Reading in the rush hour time tomorrow evening (5-6), does anybody know what trains around this time are off peak? I seem to remember that some were peak at this time but don't know which ones?

Thank You
Tommy

 

[Quakkerillo]

As I understood it from my experience on this forum, it's not per train, or per time. Your ticket will determine whether or not a train is peak or off-peak, as some off-peak tickets can be valid at 'peak-time'.

So if you could tell what type of ticket & price you hold, I 'm sure someone will be able to give you clear information.

If you want a look yourself, you can start at http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=PAD&dest=RDG and select the approrpirate ticket and read all restrictions below it.

 

[bb21]

What ticket do you have, in which direction?

 

[me123]

I'm quite surprised that this is the case, but there are indeed Off-Peak fares from London in this time frame!

Assuming you're going out on an Off Peak Day Single or Off Peak Return (Day or otherwise, either portion), you can apparently catch the following trains from Paddington for travel to Reading.

17:06 to Westbury
17:18 to Oxford
17:24 to Banbury
17:36 to Oxford
17:57 to Reading (*Overtaken by a later train that allows Off-Peak ticket holder to travel)
18:05 to Frome
18:18 to Oxford

This is confirmed by VTEC website and the BR Fares website (Restriction Code 5K is in force).

As above, it would be worth confirming which ticket you hold to clarify which of these services are definitely valid for you.

 

[96tommy]

Thank you all, not bought a ticket yet but just looking at an off peak day return with 16-25 as it is £17 cheaper tHan the anytime day return of £30

 

[maniacmartin]

As I understood it from my experience on this forum, it's not per train, or per time. Your ticket will determine whether or not a train is peak or off-peak, as some off-peak tickets can be valid at 'peak-time'.

GWR are the exception though, because the restriction codes on tickets they price out of London do refer to specific trains. As a rule of thumb (that you shouldn't rely on), the uncomfy stopping Turbos are allowed but longer-distance HSTs are not.

 

[maniacmartin]

Thank you all, not bought a ticket yet but just looking at an off peak day return with 16-25 as it is £17 cheaper tHan the anytime day return of £30

Check out the left hand column of this page on BRFares then, which will tell you everything you need to know for the J9 restriction code that applies to the £12.35 London Terminals to Reading Off-Peak Day Return [CDR] with 16-25 discount

 

[96tommy]

Thanks for the help everyone, looks like a ride on a turbo it is!

 

[Paul Kelly]

The 1706 and 1805 are HSTs.

 

[Mag_seven]

Thanks for the help everyone, looks like a ride on a turbo it is!

The following trains which your ticket is valid on should be operated by HST's

17:06 to Westbury
17:36 to Oxford
18:05 to Frome

 

[Quakkerillo]

GWR are the exception though, because the restriction codes on tickets they price out of London do refer to specific trains. As a rule of thumb (that you shouldn't rely on), the uncomfy stopping Turbos are allowed but longer-distance HSTs are not.

I see I sort of muddled what I meant with a slight contradiction in both halves of my sentence. I meant to say it's not necessarily a certain train/destination (i.e. Paddington - Oxford), nor always a specific time (in case of a slow and fast train departing simultaneously), but that it is decided on a specific train at a specific time (to a specific destination).
After a member's frequent encounters with a certain validity code at Paddington, I've learnt a lot about the system here! I just worded it a bit vague.

 

[96tommy]

The following trains which your ticket is valid on should be operated by HST's

17:06 to Westbury
17:36 to Oxford
18:05 to Frome

That's grand! Only done this journey after 20:00 before so expecting these to be jam packed especially being a few of the only off peak fares.

 

[FenMan]

That's grand! Only done this journey after 20:00 before so expecting these to be jam packed especially being a few of the only off peak fares.

All trains to Reading in the evening peak are jam-packed!

 

[cactustwirly]

That's grand! Only done this journey after 20:00 before so expecting these to be jam packed especially being a few of the only off peak fares.

From experience the 1706 is probably the best (its not too busy, about 75% full)