Upgrade off-peak to anytime

[Mizzitrain]

My first post to the site - and not a railway expert - so please forgive any blunders. I travel quite often from Norwich to Liverpool Street on an off-peak return with senior railcard (£29.70). Some time ago NXEA changed the validity of these so that the last pre-peak service back from LST is now 16.00. If I get delayed and miss this, I have to wait until 19.00 - or cough up. The question is "how much". I have been told by ticket office staff at LST that my saver ticket has no value and they can only sell me an Anytime single (£36.55 with railcard). The difference in price between an anytime return and an off-peak return is £31.75 - so why can't I pay this to upgrade the ticket? Any thoughts??? Thanks

 

[island]

You are correct, you should be allowed to pay the difference between the ticket you have and the cheapest ticket available that is valid for your journey. This is called an Excess fare, and as you correctly pointed out it is £31.75 for this journey. It can theoretically be bought on board the train as well as at the booking office, although your SVR may not work the gates in the evening peak.

NXEA has been giving some forum posters duff information lately so I am disappointed, but not surprised, to see this here.

You may find Advance fares cheaper for the journeys you make, at the cost of course of flexibility.

 

[CliveJones]

so why can't I pay this to upgrade the ticket? Any thoughts??? Thanks

They are talking BS. So long as you upgrade BEFORE you board the return train you would be able to pay the difference between your existing ticket and the anytime return WITH discount.

Tell them you want an excess or a manager.

 

[LexyBoy]

You can pay the difference - £31.75 - as you said. This is known as an "excess fare" - the same applies if travelling by a different route to that specified on the ticket.

I'm disappointed that you've been told by ticket office staff that you cannot do this, as it is simply incorrect and always has been.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

They are talking BS. So long as you upgrade BEFORE you board the return train you would be able to pay the difference between your existing ticket and the anytime return WITH discount.

Tell them you want an excess or a manager.

The excess would be the same on the train, though it's better to do it before boarding if possible. Liverpool Street is barriered anyway so they'd have to do it at the ticket office.

 

[Mizzitrain]

Many thanks everyone. Very helpful.

 

[island]

You can pay the difference - £31.75 - as you said. This is known as an "excess fare" - the same applies if travelling by a different route to that specified on the ticket.

[splithairs] If travelling by a different route for one leg of a return journey then only half the difference is charged. If you want an overdistance or change of ticket type excess it is the full difference, even for just one leg.[/splithairs]

 

[LexyBoy]

[splithairs] If travelling by a different route for one leg of a return journey then only half the difference is charged. If you want an overdistance or change of ticket type excess it is the full difference, even for just one leg.[/splithairs]

True true. I meant that an excess is payable, rather than the ticket being "worthless".

NB: overdistance excesses must be bought before travel (or at least before travelling beyond the ticket's validity), whereas change of route/ticket type can be done at any time.

 

[yorkie]

I agree that the OP should be charged an excess, of the full difference to the "appropriate" fare (with Railcard discount) and that the excess is the same price regardless of whether purchased at the ticket office or on board. If a ticket clerk says the off peak has "no value" and that a "new ticket" is required, well I could say the same about their brain and that a new brain is required, however that would, of course, be harsh So, I won't. Just as an excess should be issued, the staff should be given some extra training/knowledge.

You could consider writing to the company asking them why you were refused this excess and what steps will they take to ensure this does not happen again? You could mention that to refuse the excess is a contravention of ATOC's rules and that if a satisfactory response is not provided you will be contacting both ATOC and Passenger Focus.

I am not going to comment on the other excess scenarios as they are not of relevance to the OP, and I don't want to complicate the thread further by disagreeing.

 

[LexyBoy]

Mizzitrain - if you want some backup next time you need to do this, the relevant part of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage is section 12.

Unhelpfully, the T&Cs for Off Peak tickets make no mention of travelling outside the times specified by the ticket restriction.