Weymouth to Welwyn Garden City advance single

[gaj2002]

Hi everyone, I've just bought an Advance single from the Great Northern website to travel from Weymouth to Welwyn Garden City, departing at 1600 on a Monday. After buying the ticket, I noted the itinerary from Great Northern included me getting the 1954 from Kings Cross to Welwyn North and then doubling back to Welwyn Garden City, which surprised me.

1) I thought typically it was not valid to use a paper ticket from London to Welwyn Garden City and go via Welwyn North, or have I missed something somewhere? For normal commuting to London, I use the carnet tickets to go back to Welwyn Garden City but activate a flexi-season day pass for the Welwyn Garden City to Welwyn North section if I want to travel via that route, but if I can save that expense then so much the better.

2) Is it normal for Advance tickets to be routed that way? Or should I carry a paper copy of the itinerary as proof that was the itinerary sold to me by Great Northern.

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[30907]

The connection at North is valid (5min) but you risk being stranded there for an hour if the 1954 is a bit late.
I'd be inclined to wait for the direct train at 2006 though technically you should ask permission as your Advance specifies the fast.

 

[gaj2002]

The connection at North is valid (5min) but you risk being stranded there for an hour if the 1954 is a bit late.
I'd be inclined to wait for the direct train at 2006 though technically you should ask permission as your Advance specifies the fast.

Thanks - I’m not too worried about getting stuck at Welwyn North as I could either just walk back from there (which might technically be a breach but I can’t imagine anyone caring if I’m looking at being delayed an hour) or go for a couple of pints in the pub.

So would normal walk-up ticket London Terminals to Welwyn Garden City be valid via Welwyn North? I had always thought not

 

[MrJeeves]

So would normal walk-up ticket London Terminals to Welwyn Garden City be valid via Welwyn North? I had always thought not

I don't see why it would be, and can't get itineraries for it from GTR.

Are you willing to share your travel date? It may be an easement applying where it shouldn't do, for example.

Of course, if you get an itinerary against your ticket, you are entitled -- and in the case of an advance, required -- to follow it.

 

[pieswick]

For what it's worth, I have been able to replicate this itinerary on the Great Northern website, an advance departing Weymouth at 15:58 next Monday, arriving 20:20 at WGC, with the aforementioned change at Welwyn North

 

[Haywain]

For what it's worth, I have been able to replicate this itinerary on the Great Northern website, an advance departing Weymouth at 15:58 next Monday, arriving 20:20 at WGC, with the aforementioned change at Welwyn North

I think it's just because of the time of day when there is, unusually, a train from King's Cross that has its first stop at Welwyn North.