Ticket Help - To/ From Lytham

[Southern Beau]

Looking for a little help…..

I’m going to be moving to Lytham in a few months and will be making several journeys a month to Salford Crescent/Manchester.

I always presumed off-peak tickets were valid after 0930, but I get offered off-peak tickets on various permutations leaving/arriving Lytham pre-0930.

is there a simple rule to adhere to, or is it more complex?

many thanks

 

[alistairlees]

There is no such thing as an off peak train or specific time, despite what is commonly thought. When Off-peak starts, and whether any restrictions apply in the evenings, depends on the journey being made, and the ticket held. It is often determined by the arrival time in a major conurbation, rather than the departure time from an outlying station. That is probably true in your case.

 

[Watershed]

See this thread - there is no consistent meaning to the term Off-Peak. It varies depending on the restriction code of the ticket you hold.

From Lytham (LTM) to Manchester (MAN), the Off-Peak Return (SVR, £20.70) has restriction code B6, so is valid from 08:15, and the Off-Peak Day Return (CDR, £19.30) has restriction code B3, so is valid from 09:00.

However if you buy your ticket in the opposite direction - i.e. MAN to LTM - the SVR (still £20.70) has restriction code 8A, and is therefore valid at any time.

If you will be regularly making this journey, it would therefore make sense to buy a single ticket to MAN for your first journey (Anytime/Off-Peak depending on when you travel, or possibly an Advance).

You would then make all subsequent journeys by buying an SVR from MAN to LTM. You would use the outward portion of your MAN-LTM SVR when returning from MAN, and the return portion for your next trip.

So long as you make at least one return journey a month, this would be the cheapest flexible option to travel before 08:15/09:00.

Note that it may be cheaper to use Advance tickets, which can now often be found at very cheap prices even close to the date/time of travel. But this would tie you to one specific itinerary, so might not be suitable if you need flexibility on your way home.

 

[30907]

Trying to formulate a rule:
1. Off-peak returns are (always?) valid to leave after 0930 and sometimes a bit earlier.
2. They are quite often valid to arrive at the Big City from 1000-ish, even if that means an earlier start than 0930 (this often applies on longer distance commuter routes).
3. There is the third sort which Watershed has just mentioned, valid to start as early as you like but not to break your journey on the outward leg (usually because this would undercut shorter distance fares); these used to be quite common, but seem to be much rarer now.

I'm sure this is over simplified, but all 3 of these have existed in much the same form since I was dealing with train enquiries over 40 years ago.

Unfortunately, train operators have tended to tweak the basic pattern - not always to the passenger's advantage - and more routes have evening restrictions now.

 

[Hadders]

Trying to formulate a rule:
1. Off-peak returns are (always?) valid to leave after 0930 and sometimes a bit earlier.
2. They are quite often valid to arrive at the Big City from 1000-ish, even if that means an earlier start than 0930 (this often applies on longer distance commuter routes).
3. There is the third sort which Watershed has just mentioned, valid to start as early as you like but not to break your journey on the outward leg (usually because this would undercut shorter distance fares); these used to be quite common, but seem to be much rarer now.

I'm sure this is over simplified, but all 3 of these have existed in much the same form since I was dealing with train enquiries over 40 years ago.

Unfortunately, train operators have tended to tweak the basic pattern - not always to the passenger's advantage - and more routes have evening restrictions now.

There is no need to formulate rules. Every off peak ticket says 'see restrictions at nre.co.uk/xx' where xx is the restriction code specific to that ticket. Simply look up the restriction code up on line and you will see the restrictions applicable to that ticket. Nothing could be simpler!

 

[Watershed]

Off-peak returns are (always?) valid to leave after 0930 and sometimes a bit earlier.

Unfortunately not even this is true.

There are quite few Off-Peak tickets that aren't valid until 10:30, which is the latest time that regulated fares can be valid.

And for Super Off-Peak tickets it can be later still - sometimes even midday!

 

[30907]

There is no need to formulate rules. Every off peak ticket says 'see restrictions at nre.co.uk/xx' where xx is the restriction code specific to that ticket. Simply look up the restriction code up on line and you will see the restrictions applicable to that ticket. Nothing could be simpler!

Agree. My aim was just to point out that there is still some sort of system to it!

Unfortunately not even this is true.

There are quite few Off-Peak tickets that aren't valid until 10:30, which is the latest time that regulated fares can be valid.

I've missed those - have you an example?
There are loads of "Intercity" ones that have an earliest arrival of 11.15 or soh.

 

[Watershed]

I've missed those - have you an example?
There are loads of "Intercity" ones that have an earliest arrival of 11.15 or soh.

Avanti's 2C/9I has that effect for stations nearer London (forbidding arrival into Euston before 11:30).

GWR's 2W is a plain 'not before 10:30' for several stations (Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Didcot, Pewsey and Swindon), albeit this is usually associated with Super Off-Peak tickets (which are the regulated fare on most such flows).

Anyway I think we are veering off topic as far as the OP's question is concerned.

 

[30907]

Avanti's 2C/9I has that effect for stations nearer London (forbidding arrival into Euston before 11:30).

GWR's 2W is a plain 'not before 10:30' for several stations (Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Didcot, Pewsey and Swindon), albeit this is usually associated with Super Off-Peak tickets (which are the regulated fare on most such flows).

Thanks. I only knew about the 2C/9I type.