Ticket validity advice: Car to Eus

[carlisle02]

Hi
Having received contrary advice from Avanti staff I would be grateful if you could please let me know the validity of a journey?
I have an Off Peak Return ticket with an Any Permissable route, with the intention to take a direct Avanti service. However, due to signalling issues that train now terminates at Preston , with the advice of picking up a service to EUS from there.
A Lumo service was due to depart a few minutes before the Avanti service and was through to Eus. Avanti staff on platform told me my ticket was not valid on the Lumo service, their comms team on X told me it was.
Grateful for any clarification

 

[jfollows]

“Any permited” tickets are valid on Lumo services.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This ticket is valid on Lumo.

 

[carlisle02]

“Any permited” tickets are valid on Lumo services.

Thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

“Any permited” tickets are valid on Lumo services.

This ticket is valid on Lumo.

Thank you, useful for next time there is disruption

 

[tutacre]

There is potentially a bit of confusion - Lumo definitely tries to encourage the perception of "mandatory" reservations more so than any other operator, and also has strict luggage limits, compared to Avanti. Once that route is fully up and running, it will be very difficult to get a seat without a reservation, difficult enough that another TOC would sensibly redirect you to an alternative operator, similar to the East Coast route.

Because of the luggage enforcement - it's not straightforward either to just say get on a Lumo train, if you originally planned to travel with Avanti, LNER etc.

Station staff are wrong to say a blanket "no" - but social media are also wrong to give a blanket "ok" - without the nuances above.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Lumo might shout about reservations being "mandatory" but their units do have half a coach of unreserved seats. The approach on the WCML is different from the ECML in line with the higher usage of walk up tickets on the WCML and the existence of returns.

 

[tutacre]

Lumo might shout about reservations being "mandatory" but their units do have half a coach of unreserved seats. The approach on the WCML is different from the ECML in line with the higher usage of walk up tickets on the WCML and the existence of returns.

I am thinking in the context of major signalling issues as described, half a carriage of unreserved seats (which will likely be at least partly or even fully occupied before it even gets to Carlisle in mass disruption) - to replace 9 or 11 carriage Avanti or 5 carriages of TransPennine passengers - it's not a sensible recommendation to travel on the one Lumo service that is running - not without some checking first. Ticket is obviously valid, but telling the whole of Carlisle station that they can/should travel on that train would be a gross error. As soon as you tell one person it's ok - you soon end up with chaos when everyone else wants to do the same thing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am thinking in the context of major signalling issues as described, half a carriage of unreserved seats (which will likely be at least partly or even fully occupied before it even gets to Carlisle in mass disruption) - to replace 9 or 11 carriage Avanti or 5 carriages of TransPennine passengers - it's not a sensible recommendation to travel on the one Lumo service that is running - not without some checking first. Ticket is obviously valid, but telling the whole of Carlisle station that they can/should travel on that train would be a gross error. As soon as you tell one person it's ok - you soon end up with chaos when everyone else wants to do the same thing.

I'd agree that announcing it to the whole station on the PA is probably not a good plan (similar to the way the Marston Vale isn't announced as a diversionary route during WCML disruption and I'm sure Oxford won't be either) but lying intentionally about ticket validity is probably not the right approach (though I suspect this member of staff just made an error and wasn't deliberately lying). The ticket is valid, end of. The best response might be something like "Yes, you can use it on Lumo but as they only run short trains it might be overcrowded, so you might want to wait for the next Avanti at xx:xx", with an added point about luggage if the passenger appears to have more than a carry on case.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is travelling from Carlisle, via Settle and Leeds (and then into Kings Cross) also a permitted route, with a Carlisle to London Terminals route "Any Permitted" Off Peak ticket? (If you can get onboard the three/four coach Class 158 unit at Carlisle, that is!)

 

[jfollows]

Is travelling from Carlisle, via Settle and Leeds (and then into Kings Cross) also a permitted route, with a Carlisle to London Terminals route "Any Permitted" Off Peak ticket? (If you can get onboard the three/four coach Class 158 unit at Carlisle, that is!)

No, but Saint Pancras via Leeds is.
I missed it, yes Leeds and then King’s Cross is also valid. GY+ER+ST at https://rgpp.iblocks.co.uk/maps

Full list of valid routes:

• BE+GC Marylebone
• TC Thames-Clyde
• GP+PR
• WG+PR
• GY+ER+ST King’s Cross
• WS+GC Marylebone
• LM WCML
• MG+PR Manchester & Saint Pancras
• PG Padington-Glasgow

 

[carlisle02]

Thanks all for the useful information. My ticket is specifically to EUS rather than London Terminals - would the Leeds/King's Cross route be valid then (not that I intend to use that route unless desperate)?

 

[blimmo]

I'd agree that announcing it to the whole station on the PA is probably not a good plan (similar to the way the Marston Vale isn't announced as a diversionary route during WCML disruption and I'm sure Oxford won't be either) but lying intentionally about ticket validity is probably not the right approach (though I suspect this member of staff just made an error and wasn't deliberately lying). The ticket is valid, end of. The best response might be something like "Yes, you can use it on Lumo but as they only run short trains it might be overcrowded, so you might want to wait for the next Avanti at xx:xx", with an added point about luggage if the passenger appears to have more than a carry on case.

I mostly agree with this but it really annoys me when reasonable diversionary routes (or even ticket acceptance) aren't announced because they are worried about overcrowding. Tell me about the routes and I will decide whether I'm willing to stand! Sometimes that'll be worth it (e.g. I'm going to miss a flight) and sometimes I'd rather wait but only I can make that decision and I really want to be equipped with the information necessary. Your proposed staff response is perfect but I don't want to have to ask staff in a situation when they are obviously going to be very busy.

 

[tutacre]

Thanks all for the useful information. My ticket is specifically to EUS rather than London Terminals - would the Leeds/King's Cross route be valid then (not that I intend to use that route unless desperate)?

If your ticket is to EUS specifically, then it probably is NOT an Any Permitted ticket, or you are reading it incorrectly (or looking at the reservation).

 

[blimmo]

Thanks all for the useful information. My ticket is specifically to EUS rather than London Terminals - would the Leeds/King's Cross route be valid then (not that I intend to use that route unless desperate)?

Where did you buy the ticket from?

 

[jfollows]

Thanks all for the useful information. My ticket is specifically to EUS rather than London Terminals - would the Leeds/King's Cross route be valid then (not that I intend to use that route unless desperate)?

Yes, the “any permitted” fare is to London Terminals.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If your ticket is to EUS specifically, then it probably is NOT an Any Permitted ticket, or you are reading it incorrectly (or looking at the reservation).

There are no walk up fares from Carlisle to London that are issued to EUS rather than to London Terminals, other than the Lumo dedicated ones. So if the original ticket is to EUS then that's an issuing error, though that would likely cause issues with staff/gatelines if using to other terminals.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

I mostly agree with this but it really annoys me when reasonable diversionary routes (or even ticket acceptance) aren't announced because they are worried about overcrowding. Tell me about the routes and I will decide whether I'm willing to stand!

It's not just about whether you are willing to stand, but also takes into account others who may have no other option but to use that train (e.g. those with Lumo dedicated tickets) and may be unable to board as a result. If you are interested in using it you can enquire.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Thanks all for the useful information. My ticket is specifically to EUS rather than London Terminals - would the Leeds/King's Cross route be valid then (not that I intend to use that route unless desperate)?

What was the actual ticket price, ignoring any fees? = £158.40? Or was there some railcard discount applied, so maybe £105.45?

 

[carlisle02]

What was the actual ticket price, ignoring any fees? = £158.40? Or was there some railcard discount applied, so maybe £105.45?

Yes, with a discount £105.45. Its a ticket bought through a portal used by my employer. It is definitely CAR to EUS and "Any Permitted" . Will try to add a cropped screen grab

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, with a discount £105.45. Its a ticket bought through a portal used by my employer. It is definitely CAR to EUS and "Any Permitted" . Will try to add a cropped screen grab

It's an issuing error, then. Not sure I would try to use it to terminals other than Euston as hassle with staff is likely, but I would report it back to the portal operator as an issuing error because they might be able to prevent that happening in future.

 

[Watershed]

I've seen Avanti issued eTickets wrongly shown EUS as the fare location instead of London Terminals (LON).

 

[carlisle02]

What was the actual ticket price, ignoring any fees? = £158.40? Or was there some railcard discount applied, so maybe £105.45?

It was £105.45 using a Railcard. Cropped screen grab attached

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've seen Avanti issued eTickets wrongly shown EUS as the fare location instead of London Terminals (LON).

Wouldn't surprise me - does anything work properly on their site?

This is 100% an issuing error.

 

[alistairlees]

What are the first two letters on the code below the barcode? Then we can know who issued it

 

[carlisle02]

What are the first two letters on the code below the barcode? Then we can know who issued it

Its VE

 

[jfollows]

Its VE

That’s Evolvi, usually meaning ticket bought from a corporate booking service, or perhaps Chiltern?

 

[OscarH]

That’s Evolvi, usually meaning ticket bought from a corporate booking service, or perhaps Chiltern?

Its a ticket bought through a portal used by my employer.

Yeah, corporate site. That's incredibly poor to have gotten through accreditation - the downside of it being Evolvi is there's no public site to reproduce it and report it

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That's incredibly poor to have gotten through accreditation...

What exactly should the accreditation have already sorted?

 

[OscarH]

What exactly should the accreditation have already sorted?

It should have picked up basic issues like eTickets displaying the itinerary destination instead of the fare group when the fare is issued to a group

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yeah, corporate site. That's incredibly poor to have gotten through accreditation - the downside of it being Evolvi is there's no public site to reproduce it and report it

For a bit my employer required us to use Evolvi (also branded Agiito) and it was absolute junk - the worst user interface I have ever known on a sales site. Fortunately we've now dropped it with tickets able to be purchased from any retailer and reclaimed.

For those seeking to avoid them they supposedly now trade under the brand Clarity Travel.

Edit: it appears it was owned by Capita. Make of that what you wish