What does "AP" mean on a ticket?

[Steddenm]

I've seen on tickets that in the route field it states something like "AP NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY" or "AP SWR VIA WESTBURY" but can't figure out what the AP means?

Some ticket machines for Iarnrod Éireann now state "Route: AP ENTERPRISE" on Dublin-Belfast tickets, but can't figure out why when there is no other route available (except Bus Éireann or Translink Goldline).

 

[Qwerty133]

AP is Advanced Purchase. It's a route code used for Advance tickets only.

 

[XAM2175]

AP is Advanced Purchase. It's a route code used for Advance tickets only.

Advance Purchase.

 

[AlterEgo]

Advance Purchase.

Indeed, an Advance is the simplest ticket and not the most advanced!

 

[Steddenm]

Ah OK. Thanks for the info. I get it now.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

It's the Welsh for "son of". (Dafydd ap Gwilym, Elfan ap Rees etc.) "Ap Swr Via Westbury" is an ancient Welsh curse that condemns you and your descendants to a life of penury in Westbury.

 

[Class800]

The above post is clearly an attempt at humour. In ticketing, AP = an advance ticket (advance purchase)

 

[AlbertBeale]

Indeed, an Advance is the simplest ticket and not the most advanced!

In some people's view, a ticket tied to a particular train isn't at all "simple"; a simple ticket is one which just gets you from A to B as and when you choose!

 

[2192]

I've seen on tickets that in the route field it states something like "AP NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY" or "AP SWR VIA WESTBURY" but can't figure out what the AP means?

Some ticket machines for Iarnrod Éireann now state "Route: AP ENTERPRISE" on Dublin-Belfast tickets, but can't figure out why when there is no other route available (except Bus Éireann or Translink Goldline).

I think all the previous posts are wrong! As it's in the space for indicating the route it means "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) SWR (trains only) VIA WESTBURY"
and "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY". Such tickets may well be also be advanced purchase.

 

[Class800]

It's definitely advance purchase - see this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/what-does-this-route-mean.106993/

Any permitted is 'any permitted' or 'route dot' - which is marked just with a dot - usually more seen on booking systems

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The above post is clearly an attempt at humour. In ticketing, AP = an advance ticket (advance purchase)

But it's in the Route field so I for one thought it meant Any Permitted.
The railway does like to be devious at times.

 

[Class800]

I will now wait any senior expert input

 

[Haywain]

I think all the previous posts are wrong! As it's in the space for indicating the route it means "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) SWR (trains only) VIA WESTBURY"
and "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY". Such tickets may well be also be advanced purchase.

Completely and utterly wrong, unlike the previous posts.

 

[alistairlees]

AP has in fact been used to mean "Advance Purchase", in the context of route descriptions, since before privatisation. In other words, since before the term "Any Permitted" was created.

 

[Ralph Ayres]

Unless the route description applies to a part of the journey on which a specific train doesn't have to be used (unlikely I'd guess), a text string starting "AP..." is of no use to the buyer of the ticket who just has to travel on the booked train(s), or indeed to anyone checking the ticket en route. If it's printed on the ticket it's at best irrelevant and possibly confusing.

 

[island]

I think all the previous posts are wrong! As it's in the space for indicating the route it means "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) SWR (trains only) VIA WESTBURY"
and "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY". Such tickets may well be also be advanced purchase.

This is completely wrong.

 

[Starmill]

There are still some tickets out there on route 'AP Intercity' which is I think where the nomenclature comes from. Westbury to Penzance for example. Of course the conditions have changed a bit since the days of Intercity.

 

[Merseysider]

I think all the previous posts are wrong! As it's in the space for indicating the route it means "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) SWR (trains only) VIA WESTBURY"
and "ANY PERMITTED (route) (on) NORTHERN TRAINS ONLY". Such tickets may well be also be are normally only advance purchase.

FTFY

 

[yorkie]

It stands for "Advance Purchase"

For example:

Purchase flexible walk-up fares for any British train journey

Purchase flexible single/return tickets & Travelcards – in 3 clicks. Full details of all British rail fares shown, with built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

From​	PETERBOROUGH​	​	​
To​	PENZANCE​	​	​
Route​	✠AP LONDN READING​	​	​

It wouldn't make sense for the AP to mean Any Permitted in this context.

It's arguably redundant/irrelevant really anyway as the fact the ticket type is Advance is what really matters and any route restriction should be visible in the route field (though in reality the electronic data may differ, but that's another story)

 

[SargeNpton]

Route descriptions have to be unique and AP always refers to an Advance Purchase version of whichever description follows it, to differentiate it from the equivalent route used for walk-up tickets.

This is because the conditions and availability for the AP tickets will be different - usually more restrictive.

"Any Permitted" will never be abbreviated to AP.

 

[Hassocks5489]

Re. Alistairlees' comment on dates: the earliest ticket in my collection showing an AP routeing is dated June 1993 (Stowmarket to Glasgow BR route AP BERWICK, for those interested!). Dare I say it, I've even got a handful routed AP ANY PERMITTED