Virgin East Coast

[dr_novell]

Hi

Purchase a STD Off-Peak Return ticket £172.50 to travel from Kings Cross to Wakefield Westgate. Took the 6:30 train from Kings Cross. I was stopped by ticket inspector who said I was only allowed to use this ticket after 8:30. She charged me an extra £71.50. Virgin East Coast train web site says I am allowed to travel. Is this correct?

Dr

 

[Bletchleyite]

Restriction Code: 1T

Applicable days

Mondays to Fridays

OUTWARD TRAVEL

Not valid on trains timed to
depart:

LONDON TERMINALS (except as
shown below, Mondays to
Thursdays after 0644 and
before 0759_or after 1557 and
before 1746 - or Fridays after
0644 and before 0759;

LONDON LIVERPOOL STREET after
0429 and before 0930 or after
1629 and before 1859;

LONDON ST PANCRAS after 0429
and before 0901 or after 1629
and before 1859;

LONDON EUSTON after 0429 and
before 0926 or after 1500 and
before 1845;

STEVENAGE Mondays to Thursdays
after 0714 and before 0815 or
after 1617 and before 1758 -
Fridays after 0714 and before
0815;

LUTON/LUTON AIRPORT PARKWAY
after 0429 and before 0901 or
after 1629 and before 1859;

BEDFORD after 0429 and before
0902;

WATFORD JUNCTION after 0429
and before 0938 or after 1438
and before 1838;

MILTON KEYNES CENTRAL after
0429 and before 0951.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looks to me like you were valid. Complain and ask for a refund of the excess.

 

[cuccir]

Yes, your ticket was valid. It has restriction code 1T, which shows that it is valid to depart London before 06:44.

You should complain to Virgin Trains East Coast as a matter of some urgency. They owe you a full refund and an apology for rejecting a valid ticket. We all make mistakes so I shall hold back on indignation mode for now, but this needs following up as clearly at least one member of staff is at best misinformed about these tickets.
--
Posted at pretty much the same time as Bletchleyite but worth keeping multiple response to emphasize that ticket was totally valid!

 

[gordonthemoron]

that is appalling, did you not have a reservation or copy of your itinerary?

 

[dr_novell]

that is appalling, did you not have a reservation or copy of your itinerary?

You are guilty until proven innocent when you travel by trains.

I did try to explain it. I explained to the Wakefield ticket office and he said it wasn't valid and then his colleague said it was. Told me to talk to customer services. Rang customer services then and they said didn't I read the terms and conditions before I brought the ticket. Told me to talk to the web team. They want to make it as difficult as possible to return my money.

Dr

 

[cuccir]

Rang customer services then and they said didn't I read the terms and conditions before I brought the ticket. Told me to talk to the web team. They want to make it as difficult as possible to return my money.

Dr

Don't call anyone. Phone calls can be subject to misinterpretation.

Write, to customer services, ideally via email. State the ticket you had, that you were told it was not valid, and that you were instructed on board to buy an excess to an Anytime fare. State that you now believe that the ticket's validity code, 1T, made it valid. Keep the letter succinct and factual.

I think Virgin have a 21 day response policy. If the response is not followed up, either (or both): complain direct to the Twitter team; write directly to the managing director (David Horne).

 

[sheff1]

Purchase a STD Off-Peak Return ticket £172.50 to travel from Kings Cross to Wakefield Westgate. Took the 6:30 train from Kings Cross. I was stopped by ticket inspector who said I was only allowed to use this ticket after 8:30. She charged me an extra £71.50.

0830 is not quoted anywhere in the ticket restriction so she has obviously made it up. These Virgin shysters seem very keen to make up 'rules' with a view to extracting more money from people than the amount due.

They want to make it as difficult as possible to return my money.

Of course they do. They hope people will give up.

The best bet if you are already en route when they try and extract the money is to refuse to pay. More difficult, of course, if they refuse to let you board the train in the first place, which seems to be Virgin's favourite party trick at Euston.

 

[bb21]

Rang customer services then and they said didn't I read the terms and conditions before I brought the ticket. Told me to talk to the web team. They want to make it as difficult as possible to return my money.

Is that what Customer Services told you? I would be disappointed by such a response if it were one of ours.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I would take your web ticket and DORIS ticket into Kings Cross and get them to refund the latter.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I would take your web ticket and DORIS ticket into Kings Cross and get them to refund the latter.

Good idea in that its fairly obvious that 0630 is valid Off Peak train on Code IT when you put it in Journey Planner on STAR, get the clerk to replicate the journey and the Conductors mistake will be obvious.

There is no generic definition of Off Peak it varies from TOC to TOC and by destination/origin. Its shorthand for "refer to restriction code for validity" . Conductors / Customer Service staff should not be guessing based on seeing the phrase "Off Peak" it really means nothing.

I have Off Peak fares where there the only return fare to destinations and sell Off Peak tickets that are valid leaving Euston in the evening peak.

 

[ainsworth74]

Is that what Customer Services told you? I would be disappointed by such a response if it were one of ours.

Sounds about right. I got some hilarious clangers out of VTEC customer services a couple of years ago. Something along the lines of 'a permitted route is the straightest possible line between two stations'...

 

[falcon]

Virgin Trains East Coast have recently taken on new revenue protection staff.

 

[175mph]

0830 is not quoted anywhere in the ticket restriction so she has obviously made it up. These Virgin shysters seem very keen to make up 'rules' with a view to extracting more money from people than the amount due.



Of course they do. They hope people will give up.

The best bet if you are already en route when they try and extract the money is to refuse to pay. More difficult, of course, if they refuse to let you board the train in the first place, which seems to be Virgin's favourite party trick at Euston.

And have the BTP waiting for you at the next stop! :roll:

 

[sheff1]

And have the BTP waiting for you at the next stop! :roll:

Fine by me.

 

[175mph]

Fine by me.

Even if it potentially means you being lead away from the station wearing handcuffs because they don't side with your explanation?

 

[Merseysider]

And have the BTP waiting for you at the next stop! :roll:

Less likely than you'd believe. BTP (from anecdotal evidence) aren't particularly arsed about ticketing disputes; their resources are concentrated on antisocial passengers.

 

[sheff1]

Even if it potentially means you being lead away from the station wearing handcuffs because they don't side with your explanation?

I suggest you read up on relevant legislation. I will not be wasting my time responding to any more similarly ludicrous posts.

 

[markindurham]

Virgin Trains East Coast have recently taken on new revenue protection staff.

They need to - I understand that the barriers are being removed at some stations?

 

[cuccir]

They need to - I understand that the barriers are being removed at some stations?

Yes, at many of their smaller/medium sized stations: see thread here.

 

[markindurham]

Yes, at many of their smaller/medium sized stations: see thread here.

Cheers

 

[Antman]

I would take your web ticket and DORIS ticket into Kings Cross and get them to refund the latter.

They should make a better apology than simply putting the customer back in the position they should have been in before their poorly trained staff made an error.