Off peak return reservation times in peak?

[majaz]

I've just booked an Off-peak return from Liverpool to London with reservation times that are clearly in the peak times (depart Liverpool at 7:00, depart London at 18:30).

I'm confused.

I mean if there are restrictions on the times, why would the website allow me to buy an off peak ticket for those times? I wasn't really paying attention, I just chose the cheapest tickets, and after I'd purchased them read that the ticket was valid at only certain times.

Even more frustratingly, when I tried to figure out what the applicable times were, the terms and conditions state "Website journey planners can tell you when your ticket can be used - simply enter your outward and return journey times to see the trains you can travel on."

So its kind of a catch-22 really. Since the journey planer sold me the ticket, I'll claim it's valid. And according to the terms and conditions it is also valid, because it was sold to me. Even though it is in peak times? What am I missing here?

Thanks!

 

[SS4]

Did you put in a railcard when working out fares? Virgin allows (some) Railcard holders to travel in peak times using off-peak tickets

 

[ainsworth74]

When it comes to off-peak and anytime tickets it is the ticket that is restricted not the train, therefore it is perfectly possible to have an off-peak ticket be valid at a time that most people would consider to be peak time. As SS4 says there is an easement that means that with some railcards you can use off-peak tickets at any time (on Virgin priced tickets only) also you don't say what day you're travelling if its a Saturday or Sunday they are considered off-peak all day.

 

[majaz]

Thanks for the quick reply SS4!
Funny you should ask. The answer is yes, but the weird thing is that I was trying to book the ticket through Virgin and it was really expensive (only standard). , so I went to London Midland instead and that's where I got the off-peak ticket!

 

[SS4]

The end of the Off-Peak restrictions from Euston to Liverpool is from and including 1845
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
AFAIK they all use the same booking engine anyway. so unless it says London Midland only you're fine.

What I suspect happened is that your railcard is subject to the relaxation of the peak times

edit: the off peak single is ~£45 on both NRE and LM

 

[ainsworth74]

This comes from avantix:

Holders of Off-Peak ticket
types SVS/SVR, which are
discounted using 16-25, Senior
, Disabled Persons, HM Forces
and Family & Friends Railcards
, New Deal Photocards and
Inter-Rail (Code 70) Cards,
may use ANY Virgin_train
service, provided that the
route on the ticket is not
"Virgin Trains Only" and the
journey being made is priced
by Virgin Trains. If the
journey is not priced by
Virgin Trains then the stated
Off-Peak restictions apply.

The above is the easement that me and SS4 are referring to. In your case assuming you have the Off-peak return at £46.20 (discounted with a railcard) then you should be absolutely fine

 

[LexyBoy]

Alternatively the tickets could be Advance tickets. The ticket type should be mentioned in the confirmation email (and on the tickets).

If they are Advances, they are valid only on the booked trains; if the ticket is an Off-Peak Return (which will always be £46.20 with a Railcard, as it is a walk-up ticket) then it's valid on any* train.

Either way, if you get the trains you've booked, you will have no problems

*Only Virgin during peak restriction times, any operator and permitted route other times.

 

[majaz]

Thanks SS4 and ainsworth74! I guess it must be the railcard then! Good to know!

Just to elaborate (I tried to simplify my original post, I realise I shouldn't have!) the tickets are actually Liverpool to Stansted (through Euston). I found them on the NRE for 54.90, but as soon as I clicked "buy" it took me to the Virgin train site, which said "could not find your tickets" and there the cheapest one was about 121 or something similar. But on LM they were 54.90.

 

[LexyBoy]

Glad that's cleared up!

Although it won't affect you taking the direct route (e.g. on the trains you've booked), it's worth bearing in mind that the special validity of Railcard discounted Off-Peak tickets on any train only applies to Virgin Trains services (on routes priced by VT, of which this is one).

This means that the usual restrictions apply to other services - e.g. if you decided to get a London Midland train from Euston, or go from Paddington via Birmingham. (If you want to geek out, the restriction code for your ticket is 2C, and can be viewed here). There is no restriction on trains from Liverpool St.