Off Peak Return + Break of Journey

[emjass]

Dear all,

When I was reading through the terms and conditions of off-peak return ticket, I happened to come across a question that it seems correct but illogical for that to be possible.

It is only mentioned in the terms and conditions on the National Rail website that:

"Off-Peak Singles and the outward portion of Off-Peak Returns are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 the following morning. If the journey cannot be completed in this time, the ticket may be used to continue the journey on the following day. Unless otherwise indicated in the relevant restriction code, time restrictions apply as from the initial origin station on both days. The appropriate restrictions for the actual day on which travel is being undertaken apply (for example, it may be that if day 1 is on Sunday, no restrictions apply, but on day 2, the Monday-Friday restrictions apply). All travel must be completed by 04:29 in the morning after this second day. Please note that break of journey is not permitted on some journeys, as detailed in the ticket restrictions.

Return portions of Off-Peak Return tickets are valid for travel until 04:29 on the day following the last day of validity (i.e. one calendar month from outward journey). All travel must be completed by this time.

Break of journey
Break of journey is allowed on the outward portion of Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket's validity code and in all cases on the return portion of Off-Peak return tickets.
You may start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel on Off-Peak tickets unless the ticket restriction for the journey you are making does not allow it. If you intend to start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station, please call 08457 48 49 50 to check if it is available on your specific journey."

I know that I have to use the outward part of the ticket on the valid date. However, there seems to have no problem if I do break of journey and travel for a month from B back to A as long as the ticket is still valid. For example, if I brought a return ticket from Penzance to Edinburgh, I can travel on the train to Edinburgh for the first day and I can choose to leave on the second day to Durham as a break of journey and then leave on the third day to another city as long as it is permitted on the routeing guide. All I need to make sure is I have to get back to Penzance within the validity of my ticket. It seems to be this sounds a bit "incorrect", but there is no wording on the terms and conditions not allowing me to do so. Am I correct? Or is there any other documents that suggest such act is impossible?

Thanks

 

[Haywain]

That is absolutely correct.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I know that I have to use the outward part of the ticket on the valid date.

Not quite correct - you may also continue the journey on the day following the date on the ticket (up to and including 04:29 on the third day).

The only exception to this is if break of journey is prohibited (not very common; check by reading the detailed restriction text on brfares.com), in which case you can only continue on day 2 if you cannot reasonably complete your journey on the first day (in practice this applies to very long journeys). Otherwise there is no restriction on when and where you stop overnight apart from that you must commence your journey on day 1.

However, there seems to have no problem if I do break of journey and travel for a month from B back to A as long as the ticket is still valid.

Yes, as Haywain says that is totally fine. You can break and resume your journey as many times as you wish within the one month validity.

 

[emjass]

Just let me confirm if my understanding is correct. For the return part of my trip. Let's say my ticket is for Penzance to Edinburgh. After traveling to Edinburgh on the first day, I have decided to began my travel back toward Penzance on the third day. I could stop by York on the third day and continue my journey on the 5th day with the same ticket as long as I'm permitted by the routeing guide and the restrictions? I don't have to finish my journey by 04:29 of the fourth day?

 

[najaB]

Just let me confirm if my understanding is correct... ...I don't have to finish my journey by 04:29 of the fourth day?

That is correct.