Plusbus unavailability with CDR to DYCE

[PG]

Next week I'm traveling to Aberdeen from the North and wish to add plusbus to my off-peak day return. This ticket has restriction H8 which prohibits joining the return journey after 1659 and before 1731. This prevents use of the 1725 from Aberdeen, however this train departs Dyce at 1734 so my ticket would be valid.

Unfortunately even though Dyce is within the Aberdeen plusbus area it doesn't appear to be available in conjunction with tickets having Dyce as the destination.

In order to get the plusbus add-on am I forced into booking with Aberdeen as the destination?

 

[Watershed]

Next week I'm traveling to Aberdeen from the North and wish to add plusbus to my off-peak day return. This ticket has restriction H8 which prohibits joining the return journey after 1659 and before 1731. This prevents use of the 1725 from Aberdeen, however this train departs Dyce at 1734 so my ticket would be valid.

Unfortunately even though Dyce is within the Aberdeen plusbus area it doesn't appear to be available in conjunction with tickets having Dyce as the destination.

In order to get the plusbus add-on am I forced into booking with Aberdeen as the destination?

Quite a lot of the larger PlusBus schemes limit the choice of PlusBus-eligible origins/destinations to the 'main' station(s), so this isn't uncommon.

You could of course buy the CDR to Aberdeen and then join the train at Dyce, recommencing your journey there.

 

[PG]

You could of course buy the CDR to Aberdeen and then join the train at Dyce, recommencing your journey there.

Thanks for your advice. I think that is what I'll do if I'm ready to leave in time to board the 1725 ex Aberdeen.

 

[TUC]

It is frustrating and puzzling why some Plusbus schemes limit availability to certain stations when there are other stations within the validity area of the same Plusbus ticket.

 

[CyrusWuff]

It is frustrating and puzzling why some Plusbus schemes limit availability to certain stations when there are other stations within the validity area of the same Plusbus ticket.

The short answer is that it avoids having dozens of otherwise duplicate locations taking up limited National Location Codes, given the convention is to have an entry of <Station>+BUS for each individual station. As some schemes (e.g. Greater Manchester, West Midlands and West Yorkshire) cover an entire PTE area, that would be a lot of entries.

The obvious solution would be to have just one +BUS location for those areas and create a cluster (if one doesn't already exist) to set fares for all the relevant stations to that location.

 

[DeverseSam]

Could it be that the guard would be unaware / unbothered by a 32 minute restriction anyway, and in Scotland they wouldn’t prosecute?

 

[PG]

Could it be that the guard would be unaware / unbothered by a 32 minute restriction anyway, and in Scotland they wouldn’t prosecute?

Given that it is one of the few restriction codes specifically mentioning Aberdeen, I'd imagine that it  is known. Before we even consider the guard, however, you've got to get through the barrier which I'd have thought would reject an off-peak ticket at peak time?

Unsure about prosecution or absence of in Scotland, and I'm not going to be the guinea pig!!

 

[Vexed]

I'd stay there's a good chance a ticket office would issue an Aberdeen one anyway. I've had St Albans Abbey ones issued when they couldn't find St Albans City before... Also I am never/very rarely asked to show my ticket when buying then at a ticket office out of the area so use that information as you wish.

A ticket office being unable to find what I asked for and finding a (questionable) replacement is different to explicitly asking for something that's a grey area/not allowed.

 

[Skymonster]

I’ve always found that ticket office staff take a pragmatic view (yes, I know ticket offices are going out of fashion, but they are useful). Faced with a request for a rail ticket to a station within a PlusBus area but one which doesn’t have a designated add-on, they will issue the required rail ticket and then a separate PlusBus for the main station in the area.

 

[Wolfie]

I’ve always found that ticket office staff take a pragmatic view (yes, I know ticket offices are going out of fashion, but they are useful). Faced with a request for a rail ticket to a station within a PlusBus area but one which doesn’t have a designated add-on, they will issue the required rail ticket and then a separate PlusBus for the main station in the area.

Interesting and not my experience. I've had issuing of Plusbus refused a few times.

 

[redreni]

It's worth a try at a ticket office, isn't it?

Forum users have reported some success buying PlusBus tickets from ticket offices in conjunction with Rovers and Rangers (which is a grey area at best - the PlusBus website says you must have a ticket that has an interchange station as the origin or destination).

Personally I think it's unduly restrictive not to have all the train stations within the zone designated as interchange stations for that zone, and also not to allow PlusBus tickets to be issued to anyone holding any train ticket that is valid to travel to one or more of those stations. These are all perfectly reasonable use cases.

 

[MrJeeves]

Forum users have reported some success buying PlusBus tickets from ticket offices in conjunction with Rovers and Rangers

I've even had success in conjunction with an Interrail pass!

 

[PG]

It's worth a try at a ticket office, isn't it?

I’ve always found that ticket office staff take a pragmatic view (yes, I know ticket offices are going out of fashion, but they are useful). Faced with a request for a rail ticket to a station within a PlusBus area but one which doesn’t have a designated add-on, they will issue the required rail ticket and then a separate PlusBus for the main station in the area.

Indeed it was worth trying. Ticket office couldn't find a DYCE Plusnet add on but once I mentioned that it was within the Aberdeen plusbus zone they promptly issued that instead. Happy days

 

[Ziggiesden]

I think it is just the language used, “interchange” and interpretation of the scheme.

On looking at the National Rail Manual, "PlusBus - General Information” and the PlusBus website I see they are actually trying to improve the language as it is “open to interpretation”.

The Scheme does allow “unlimited travel” on the operators as listed, including the Dyce area:

PLUSBUS | Aberdeen PlusBus

I would see no issue in selling a PlusBus ticket for a ticket issued for Dyce as it is valid in that area.

Yes, I absolutely agree that stations within an area should be “grouped” as Aberdeen Area if you are buying a ticket for travel outside that area and then a PlusBus, to make it obvious that you indeed do qualify.

 

[MrJeeves]

On looking at the National Rail Manual, "PlusBus - General Information” and the PlusBus website I see they are actually trying to improve the language as it is “open to interpretation”.

And it even addresses a comment made a few posts ago:

It’s usually bought at the same time as a rail ticket, but can be issued to a customer who already has a valid rail ticket (e.g. bought in advance, bought online) or authority to travel (validated smartcard, staff travel pass).

PlusBus can be issued with all Advance & 'walk-up' train fares, including Rovers & Rangers, [...]

 

[redreni]

And it even addresses a comment made a few posts ago:

That's really helpful to know, thank you!

Perhaps it would help sales of Rover, Ranger and Plusbus tickets if the Plusbus website could be amended to make this clear.

Yes, I absolutely agree that stations within an area should be “grouped” as Aberdeen Area if you are buying a ticket for travel outside that area and then a PlusBus, to make it obvious that you indeed do qualify.

That's an excellent point - at the moment the system has the potential to confuse bus drivers, because the drivers in Birmingham have to know that a Solihull etc Plusbuses are is valid there and vice versa. If all WM Plusbus looked the same, it might help!

 

[MrJeeves]

because the drivers in Birmingham have to know that a Solihull etc Plusbuses are is valid there and vice versa.

Birmingham effectively solved this with +BUSWM, like Brighton with +B&HBUS.

 

[OscarH]

The short answer is that it avoids having dozens of otherwise duplicate locations taking up limited National Location Codes, given the convention is to have an entry of <Station>+BUS for each individual station. As some schemes (e.g. Greater Manchester, West Midlands and West Yorkshire) cover an entire PTE area, that would be a lot of entries.

The obvious solution would be to have just one +BUS location for those areas and create a cluster (if one doesn't already exist) to set fares for all the relevant stations to that location.

It's always seemed ridiculous they don't just do the latter for every area with multiple stations. It would be less confusing for the bus drivers too, not having to know that Coventry+Bus is valid WM wide, because you can just name the location sensibly

 

[Starmill]

Given that it is one of the few restriction codes specifically mentioning Aberdeen, I'd imagine that it  is known. Before we even consider the guard, however, you've got to get through the barrier which I'd have thought would reject an off-peak ticket at peak time?

Unsure about prosecution or absence of in Scotland, and I'm not going to be the guinea pig!!

The conductor would, as you have already guessed, be very likely to know about this specific restriction code. I'm not saying they'd charge or not, but the ones working through Aberdeen would be likely to know the handful of Aberdeen-specific codes that are in circulation. The gateline staff would know too. I don't know what'd happen if you tried to open the gate with it, but they would definitely be aware.

 

[Mainline421]

I've even had success in conjunction with an Interrail pass!

As long you've filled in the travel diary then the origin/destination is on the ticket in that case! But I've had success with other rovers a couple times (never refused or even queried)

 

[MrJeeves]

As long you've filled in the travel diary then the origin/destination is on the ticket in that case! But I've had success with other rovers a couple times (never refused or even queried)

Well it's not if it's an intermediary stop between my origin and destination

I always use the mobile pass anyway, so the stop is on there at least!