Paper ticket vs eticket and connections query

[800Travel]

Does anyone know regarding the following itinerary:

07:53 Durham to York
08:58 York to Kings Cross
11:48 Paddington to Reading
Specified LNER journey and connections

1) Why the LNER app forces a paper ticket and doesn't allow etickets
2) If rather than going underground and GWR from Kings Cross to Reading if it is ok to use the Elizabeth line from Farringdon to Reading (and if Thameslink from St Pancras to Farringdon can be used) - if so, could you please link to how you found out (if publicly accessible, as it would be helpful for the future), if not permitted, does anyone know why please?

Thanks

 

[signed]

1) Because cross London validity tickets (with a Maltese Cross on them) can't be e-tickets. Only those wholly on the Thameslink core are

 

[MatthewE707]

2) I'm no expert on ticketing, and therefore I may be completely wrong - I would wait for another's advice as well, however:

• Having done some research, I don't believe that would be valid, however if the ticket is split at King's Cross (as Trainpal offered me when I put in this journey), the off-peak single from King's Cross to Reading is £30.90. This is the same as from Farringdon to Reading on the Elizbeth Line, and then a St Pancras to Farringdon single is £4.10
• Based on the current timetable, there is no 08:58 from York to King's Cross - the nearest train is 09:02
• Leaving Durham at roughly the same time, it appears to be about half the price to use a direct CrossCountry train from York to Reading (although this arrives at Reading an hour later, and I can understand not wanting to rely on CrossCountry or even be on one of their trains for 3 1/2 hours!)

 

[800Travel]

2) I'm no expert on ticketing, and therefore I may be completely wrong - I would wait for another's advice as well, however:

• Having done some research, I don't believe that would be valid, however if the ticket is split at King's Cross (as Trainpal offered me when I put in this journey), the off-peak single from King's Cross to Reading is £30.90. This is the same as from Farringdon to Reading on the Elizbeth Line, and then a St Pancras to Farringdon single is £4.10
• Based on the current timetable, there is no 08:58 from York to King's Cross - the nearest train is 09:02
• Leaving Durham at roughly the same time, it appears to be about half the price to use a direct CrossCountry train from York to Reading (although this arrives at Reading an hour later, and I can understand not wanting to rely on CrossCountry or even be on one of their trains for 3 1/2 hours!)

Thanks for looking at this
Forgot to mention the date, 19/07/2025 - the 0858 ex York is a Saturday only service.

I think this means that while it would be ok to go Kings Cross to St Pancras on foot, St Pancras to Farringdon with Thameslink, Farringdon to Paddington with Elizabeth Line, as Reading isn't a listed station we would need to stick with GWR from Paddington to Reading. Hopefully one of the forum's resident ticketing experts will know re this - but seems that it isn't possible to get Elizabeth line to reading as the ticket is an advance single

1) Because cross London validity tickets (with a Maltese Cross on them) can't be e-tickets. Only those wholly on the Thameslink core are

Thanks - is this because London Underground don't all have Aztec scanners? Think I read this on here before somewhere

 

[MatthewE707]

seems that it isn't possible to get Elizabeth line to reading as the ticket is an advance single

Having looked at that Saturday, I think you're right, but probably best to wait for an expert to give their advice

 

[Starmill]

If you reserve a train to Reading, you must travel on the train you've reserved. If you select the Elizabeth line when booking that's fine, you can use it, as you won't be reserved on another train.

 

[Edvid]

Thanks - is this because London Underground don't all have Aztec scanners? Think I read this on here before somewhere

Specifically, no gatelines in TfL-managed stations are equipped with Aztec barcode readers. That said Rail Delivery Group are planning to revise their barcode system with TfL's input.

 

[Starmill]

Specifically, no gatelines in TfL-managed stations are equipped with Aztec barcode readers. That said Rail Delivery Group are planning to revise their barcode system with TfL's input.

I think there are a tiny handful now. Taplow maybe? But it's insignificant still.

 

[Belperpete]

I think there are a tiny handful now. Taplow maybe? But it's insignificant still.

Is that because it already had them before TfL took over the station?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jun 2025 ==

I think this means that while it would be ok to go Kings Cross to St Pancras on foot, St Pancras to Farringdon with Thameslink, Farringdon to Paddington with Elizabeth Line, as Reading isn't a listed station we would need to stick with GWR from Paddington to Reading. Hopefully one of the forum's resident ticketing experts will know re this - but seems that it isn't possible to get Elizabeth line to reading as the ticket is an advance single

The cross-london travel arrangements that you found allow you to use any reasonable route to travel between London terminals, including using the Elizabeth line. However, Paddington to Reading isn't a cross-London transfer, so isn't covered by that.

If you buy a flexible ticket, such as an off-peak single or return, you can usually buy a version that allows you to travel by "any reasonable route". But if you buy a cut-price advance ticket, you don't get the same flexibility - you are supposed to travel on the trains that you are booked on. As the saying goes, you gets what you pay for. Unfortunately LNER have "simplified" their ticketing, and no longer offer the flexible off-peak tickets on some routes.

The important thing is to check if your ticket specifies on it which train you are required to travel on between Paddington and Reading. If it does, then that is the train you are supposed to catch. Likewise if the ticket specifies a particular company, e.g. GWR connection, then you should use that company. However, if the ticket itself doesn't specify a particular train or company, then you may have some flexibility. Having a card ticket may actually help, as there is only so much that can be printed on them.

You could try asking the app for a route via Farringdon, and seeing if it offers you a ticket valid via that route. Not much help I'm afraid if you have already bought your ticket, but might be for future journeys.

What I am not sure about is if you have one of LNER's higher-priced semi-flexible advances. Perhaps others with more experience with these could advise if the holder of such a ticket could choose to travel between Paddington and Reading on a Lizzy line train rather than a GWR train, within the time constraints of that ticket.

 

[Wallsendmag]

As the person who would enable this for eTickets I certainly haven't as there is a very likely tube leg.

 

[800Travel]

Is that because it already had them before TfL took over the station?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jun 2025 ==


The cross-london travel arrangements that you found allow you to use any reasonable route to travel between London terminals, including using the Elizabeth line. However, Paddington to Reading isn't a cross-London transfer, so isn't covered by that.

If you buy a flexible ticket, such as an off-peak single or return, you can usually buy a version that allows you to travel by "any reasonable route". But if you buy a cut-price advance ticket, you don't get the same flexibility - you are supposed to travel on the trains that you are booked on. As the saying goes, you gets what you pay for. Unfortunately LNER have "simplified" their ticketing, and no longer offer the flexible off-peak tickets on some routes.

The important thing is to check if your ticket specifies on it which train you are required to travel on between Paddington and Reading. If it does, then that is the train you are supposed to catch. Likewise if the ticket specifies a particular company, e.g. GWR connection, then you should use that company. However, if the ticket itself doesn't specify a particular train or company, then you may have some flexibility. Having a card ticket may actually help, as there is only so much that can be printed on them.

You could try asking the app for a route via Farringdon, and seeing if it offers you a ticket valid via that route. Not much help I'm afraid if you have already bought your ticket, but might be for future journeys.

What I am not sure about is if you have one of LNER's higher-priced semi-flexible advances. Perhaps others with more experience with these could advise if the holder of such a ticket could choose to travel between Paddington and Reading on a Lizzy line train rather than a GWR train, within the time constraints of that ticket.

Thank you - it’s just an ‘advance single’ and the listed GWR is on one of the many bits of paper stating ‘mandatory reservations’. I don’t believe it is semi flexi

 

[Hadders]

Does anyone know regarding the following itinerary:

07:53 Durham to York
08:58 York to Kings Cross
11:48 Paddington to Reading
Specified LNER journey and connections

1) Why the LNER app forces a paper ticket and doesn't allow etickets
2) If rather than going underground and GWR from Kings Cross to Reading if it is ok to use the Elizabeth line from Farringdon to Reading (and if Thameslink from St Pancras to Farringdon can be used) - if so, could you please link to how you found out (if publicly accessible, as it would be helpful for the future), if not permitted, does anyone know why please?

Thanks

You have to take the specified train from Paddington. You can use the Elizabeth Line to cross London if you want.

If you want to try and force a routeing via the Elizabeth Line all the way to Reading then you could try using a booking engine where you can specify a call at somewhere like Taplow.

As stated this ticket is only available as a paper ticket due to TfL not accepting e-tickets for the cross London part of the journey.

 

[Starmill]

Is that because it already had them before TfL took over the station?

No. TfL were doing a trial.

 

[Belperpete]

You have to take the specified train from Paddington. You can use the Elizabeth Line to cross London if you want.

If the ticket itself doesn't specify the train, does that apply? If I understand the OP correctly, it is only specified on some other bit of paper, not on the ticket itself.

As I understand it, if the OP had instead bought an advance that included an Elizabeth line train, he wouldn't have got a reservation for that train as there are no reservations on Elizabeth line trains. So if a TTI on the Elizabeth line were presented with a ticket for travel to Reading, and that ticket did not explicitly specify a GWR train, why would the TTI reject the ticket?

 

[Hadders]

If the ticket itself doesn't specify the train, does that apply? If I understand the OP correctly, it is only specified on some other bit of paper, not on the ticket itself.

The 11:48 from Paddington is a reservable train so it will be shown on the ticket.

As I understand it, if the OP had instead bought an advance that included an Elizabeth line train, he wouldn't have got a reservation for that train as there are no reservations on Elizabeth line trains.

Correct. But you'd only avoid an itinerary involving a reservable GWR train from Paddington by specifying something like 'stop at Taplow'. This is because using the EL to Reading is slower than changing at Paddington to GWR and booking sites will normally look for the fastest way of making the journey.

So if a TTI on the Elizabeth line were presented with a ticket for travel to Reading, and that ticket did not explicitly specify a GWR train, why would the TTI reject the ticket?

I've no idea, but if you're travelling on a different train to that specified on your mandatory reservation then you can't assume the journey will be hassle free (disruption etc excepted)

 

[redreni]

While specifying a call at Taplow would work, it would also rule out quite a few Elizabeth Line services that skip Taplow from showing up in the results (though, of course, you'd be able to take any Elizabeth Line service towards Reading as they're not reservable).

If using the forum's site you can tell it to avoid GWR, which would also work.

 

[Starmill]

While specifying a call at Taplow would work, it would also rule out quite a few Elizabeth Line services that skip Taplow from showing up in the results (though, of course, you'd be able to take any Elizabeth Line service towards Reading as they're not reservable).

If using the forum's site you can tell it to avoid GWR, which would also work.

Yes. The latter is a good idea. Hayes & Harlington may work too.

 

[Belperpete]

The 11:48 from Paddington is a reservable train so it will be shown on the ticket.

Yet the OP appears to be saying that it isn't shown on the ticket. As I say, what is shown on the ticket is critical.

If the OP's ticket has the + symbol on it, he should be able to use it to travel on the Elizabeth line towards Paddington. With a destination Reading, he should be able to use it to exit at Reading. As I see it, his only problem is going to be if a TTI examines his ticket between Paddington and Reading, and can see from the ticket that it is not valid on an Elizabeth line train. Again, what is actually shown on the ticket itself is critical.

 

[redreni]

I think the OP said it was on a mandatory reservation coupon. Which the ticket inspector could legitimately ask to see, particularly if the ticket says it is valid only with the reservation coupon.

It would almost certainly be fine - I'd rate the chances of the ticket being inspected at all at about 1 in 10 at most, and even then the chances of the ticket not being accepted would be pretty remote imho, but I couldn't guarantee it. And as I understand the rules, if it's an Advance and there is a reservable service on the itinerary, in normal circumstances the ticket is only valid on that service.

 

[Hadders]

Yet the OP appears to be saying that it isn't shown on the ticket. As I say, what is shown on the ticket is critical.

They're not saying that at all!

Thank you - it’s just an ‘advance single’ and the listed GWR is on one of the many bits of paper stating ‘mandatory reservations’. I don’t believe it is semi flexi

If the OP's ticket has the + symbol on it, he should be able to use it to travel on the Elizabeth line towards Paddington.

Agreed. Elizabeth Line via Farringdon to Paddington is absolutely fine.

With a destination Reading, he should be able to use it to exit at Reading. As I see it, his only problem is going to be if a TTI examines his ticket between Paddington and Reading, and can see from the ticket that it is not valid on an Elizabeth line train. Again, what is actually shown on the ticket itself is critical.

The ticket will open the barriers at Reading but officially it is not valid on the Elizabeth Line beyond Paddington. @800Travel says they have a mandatory reservation for the GWR train.