Refund on unused ticket?

[Malton Seadog]

Hi all,

I feel a bit daft really, but I thought I might have chance to redeem myself (and some cash) somewhat...

So the story goes that I booked heavily discounted advance tickets with my 16-25 railcard to pick up at Liverpool Lime Street to travel to Sheffield (two singles, returning next week).

I go to the machine with 15 minutes until my train, get the ticket, reach into my pocket to put them in my railcard wallet, which wasn't there. No railcard.

It's too late for me to go home to see if I've left it there, and I have to be on the booked train for many reasons.

So - in a wild panic - I run to the ticket office to see if I can excess my advances, which I can't, so I end up purchasing a £34.30 open return from Liverpool to Sheffield.

Now - I've been on the train 10 minutes - when I reach into my rucksack to get my phone charger out. You all know what I found.

So here I am - sat on the train - with effectively two valid tickets for the same journey.

The advance tickets were stamped with my newly found railcard, which left me with this 'white elephant' open return of £34.30 which I simply didn't use or need anymore.

If I go back to Liverpool Lime Street after the return leg next week, what are the chances that I may be able to get a refund (minus a possible admin fee) if I explain the story?

Feel a bit of a numpty - but glad I found my railcard!

Edit: does it also HAVE to be Liverpool (station of purchase) for the possible refund, or could I go to any staffed station to ask?

 

[maniacmartin]

You can get the new open return refunded at the ticket office, minus a 10 pound admin fee, so you should get 24.30 back.

It can in theory be any staffed ticket office by any Train Company, however it will be less hassle if you go to a ticket office operated by the same Train Company. It's covered in section 26a of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.

I'd advice you to retain the Advanve tickets, to back up your story that the open return is unused

 

[bb21]

If you haven't used it, you can get it refunded.

 

[Malton Seadog]

Many thanks.

You say operated by the same TOC, but according to our friends Wikipedia, Lime Street is Network Rail managed?

I'll be visiting Doncaster and York stations before heading back. Worth a try there?

 

[455driver]

Should be fine at either, just explain exactly what happened.

Oh and well done for buying a valid ticket before boarding and not just jumping on the train and trying it on.

 

[island]

You can get the new ticket refunded with a £10 deduction. And I also echo 455driver's kudos for doing the right thing.

 

[brompton rail]

Many thanks.

You say operated by the same TOC, but according to our friends Wikipedia, Lime Street is Network Rail managed?

I'll be visiting Doncaster and York stations before heading back. Worth a try there?

isn't Liverpool Lime Street ticket office run by Northern? Anyone confirm?

Nearest Northern run station ticket offices to Sheffield and Doncaster are Meadowhall (up on the over bridge) or, further away, Barnsley. Nearest to York is Harrogate, and Leeds

 

[maniacmartin]

deleted

 

[Haywain]

Any ticket office will NOT refund your unused ticket, but they will take in your refund request and forward it to the TOC responsible (presumably Northern) for them to process the refund. Even at Liverpool, the refund is not going to be paid instantly but be processed, taking around a couple of weeks.

 

[furlong]

If you hand or send in all the tickets with your explanation and request a full refund of the unused ticket, you might be lucky and find that they don't deduct an admin fee in circumstances such as these. For future reference, it can be helpful to ask if the guard would endorse the unused ticket to confirm/ensure it is unused.

 

[Hassocks5489]

isn't Liverpool Lime Street ticket office run by Northern? Anyone confirm?

I'm pretty sure it is, even though Network Rail manage the station overall. The Low Level platforms t/office is Merseyrail.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Northern Rail operate the main ticket office at Liverpool Lime Street station. Any Northern Rail ticket office can process the refund, other train company offices will send a refund application to Northern head office or Lime Street ticket office.

 

[Malton Seadog]

Many thanks for the advice everyone.

I think I'll wait until I'm back in Liverpool next Wednesday to speak to them.

I will let you know how I get on.

 

[island]

Don't wait too long as the refund must be claimed within 28 days of the outbound date.

 

[Muzer]

I assume LU don't have a similar deal? I thought I'd lost my ticket on a (failed ) tube challenge attempt, and so bought a new zone 1-6 travelcard which I ended up not using because I found my other one right after I bought it.

 

[Haywain]

I assume LU don't have a similar deal? I thought I'd lost my ticket on a (failed ) tube challenge attempt, and so bought a new zone 1-6 travelcard which I ended up not using because I found my other one right after I bought it.

As mentioned above, National Rail stations have a £10 admin fee. I would imagine that LU do the same.