Return ticket, but coming back from different station. Allowed?

[jamboree7123]

If I bought a return (i.e. round-trip) ticket from London Bridge to Rochester, but on the way home I boarded the train at Strood (instead of Rochester), would the fare gate let me through? And if not, would an agent let me through if I showed him my ticket?

The key detail here is that Strood is CLOSER to London Bridge than is Rochester, and on the same line, so all I would be doing is taking the exact same train, but getting on one station further down the line, so I'd be taking a shorter/cheaper journey.

I presume it is allowed, but I just want to make sure, as I have never done this before.

(In case you're curious, I'll be debarking at Rochester, going on a hike, and ending up at Strood station instead of returning to Rochester.)

I also have the option of instead taking a hike that leaves me at Chatham, one station further AWAY than Rochester. In that case obviously the return portion of the ticket would not be valid for the Chatham-Rochester part of the journey (all one minute of it), but how would I pay for that one-stop journey? Buy a whole separate ticket for it?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I also have the option of instead taking a hike that leaves me at Chatham, one station further AWAY than Rochester. In that case obviously the return portion of the ticket would not be valid for the Chatham-Rochester part of the journey (all one minute of it), but how would I pay for that one-stop journey? Buy a whole separate ticket for it?

In that instance, I'd just buy a return to Chatham. If it's not an Advance ticket but an ordinary day return or whatever, it'll be valid to stop short or start short...

...which would also be the case with a Rochester ticket at Strood.

I don't know if the barriers would be set to take it, though, but I can't see you being refused early exit or late entry.

 

[PG]

Does the specific return ticket that you intend to use permit Break-of-Journey on the return portion?
If the answer to that question is yes then you can indeed use it to commence your return journey from Strood.

 

[Mainline421]

If I bought a return (i.e. round-trip) ticket from London Bridge to Rochester, but on the way home I boarded the train at Strood (instead of Rochester), would the fare gate let me through? And if not, would an agent let me through if I showed him my ticket?

The staff will definitely let you through. In most cases, the gate should open automatically, but not always when starting short. As with most return tickets, starting short is allowed on all return tickets from London Bridge to Rochester, as long as you follow the same time restrictions (if it's an Off-Peak ticket).

 

[jamboree7123]

OK, great! Thanks for the replies, everyone.

As for whether the ticket "permits Break-of-Journey on the return portion" -- I don't yet know. On the day, I'm just going to buy a generic off-peak return ticket at the ticket machine in London Bridge station and not specify anything special. The odds of me ending up at Chatham are pretty slim, so I'll just takea chance on a Rochester return, and if the gate won't let me through at Strood, the staff will.

 

[DelW]

OK, great! Thanks for the replies, everyone.

As for whether the ticket "permits Break-of-Journey on the return portion" -- I don't yet know. On the day, I'm just going to buy a generic off-peak return ticket at the ticket machine in London Bridge station and not specify anything special. The odds of me ending up at Chatham are pretty slim, so I'll just takea chance on a Rochester return, and if the gate won't let me through at Strood, the staff will.

A generic off-peak return will allow you to return from any other station as long as it's within the route covered by your ticket. It's only advance tickets (valid on one specific train only) which have rules restricting their use from other stations.

If you did end up walking to Chatham with only a London - Rochester return, you'd be required to buy an additional Chatham to Rochester single ticket.

 

[talldave]

The Super Off Peak return gives best value, but you’re restricted to leaving London Bridge after 10am on weekdays.

If there's any uncertainty about which hike you might take, just buy the Chatham ticket as that'll work for both options.

 

[jfollows]

OK, great! Thanks for the replies, everyone.

As for whether the ticket "permits Break-of-Journey on the return portion" -- I don't yet know. On the day, I'm just going to buy a generic off-peak return ticket at the ticket machine in London Bridge station and not specify anything special. The odds of me ending up at Chatham are pretty slim, so I'll just takea chance on a Rochester return, and if the gate won't let me through at Strood, the staff will.

See https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-and-offers/buying-a-ticket/breaking-your-journey/

Many tickets allow you to break your journey – getting off the train at a station somewhere on the route between your start and end stations before continuing your travel. Breaking your journey means you do not have to make the whole of your journey at the same time or, where allowed, on the same day.

For instance, if you have a permitted route of

Station A > Station B > Station C

and you have an Anytime Single ticket from Station A to Station C, you could travel from Station A to Station B, stop off, and complete your journey from Station B to Station C later in the day. If you have an Off-Peak Return ticket, in some cases you can break the return journey overnight.

This is explained in detail in Section 16 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel (PDF, 1.1MB).

Advance tickets​

With an Advance ticket you are not allowed to break your journey, except to change between trains.

Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets​

With an Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket, in most cases you can break your journey at any point, or more than once if you wish. Where this is not the case it will be stated in the restrictions shown on your ticket.

Anytime tickets​

With an Anytime ticket, you may need to travel by a specific route or train company but your ticket will state this. You are allowed to break your journey at any point, or more than once if you wish. This means that you do not have to make the whole of your journey at the same time or, where allowed, on the same day.

Restrictions​

When you buy an Advance, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak train ticket, it will have a restriction code. This tells you any times or routes that your ticket is not valid. Permitted routes cover all reasonable routes available for making your journey, including direct services and suitable connecting services. You can check your ticket with our Ticket Validity Finder tool.

In general, break of journey is allowed unless the restriction code explicitly forbids it, or if you have an advance ticket.