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Title: Super Off Peak validity Post by: grahame on July 04, 2012, 19:46:20 Can I check something ...
I had understood a Super Off Peak ticket, return half, Cambridge to Melksham to be restricted to the 19:30 or later trains off Paddington in the evening, but valid on any Cambridge -> London (KX or Liverpool Street) service during the afternoon to connect into those evening trains. Also to include a cross London Connection. Have I got that wrong / has it changed? Very offensive ticket gate operative at Liverpool Street thought otherwise, and I want to be sure of myself for next time. Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: EBrown on July 04, 2012, 20:14:54 Can I check something ... Yes, you are correct, the restriction code is XC, the ticket is set by FGW.I had understood a Super Off Peak ticket, return half, Cambridge to Melksham to be restricted to the 19:30 or later trains off Paddington in the evening, but valid on any Cambridge -> London (KX or Liverpool Street) service during the afternoon to connect into those evening trains. Also to include a cross London Connection. Have I got that wrong / has it changed? Very offensive ticket gate operative at Liverpool Street thought otherwise, and I want to be sure of myself for next time. Quote JOURNEYS TO/FROM/VIA LONDON/ READING Available as listed below MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS (by any train on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays). OUTWARD TRAVEL: Available on the following trains and all later services: From: Avoncliff 0940 (if travel is via Bath Spa, see notes below) Bath Spa 1000 Bradford on Avon 0935 (if travel is via Bath Spa, see notes below) Bridgewater 0840 Bristol Parkway 1015 (also valid between 0200 and 0530) Bristol Temple Meads 0945 (also valid between 0200 and 0510) Castle Cary 0945 (if travel is via Bath Spa, see notes below) Cheltenham Spa 0930 (if travel is via Bristol Parkway, see notes below) Chippenham 1010 Dawlish 0840 Exeter St Davids 0910 Freshford 0940 (if travel is via Bath Spa, see notes below) Frome 0955 Gloucester 0930 (if travel is via Bristol Parkway, see notes below) Highbridge 0845 Ivybridge 0900 Kemble 1015 Nailsea & Backwell 0930 Pewsey 0930 Stonehouse 0955 Stroud 1000 Swindon 1030 (also valid between 0200 and 0545) Taunton 0940 Teignmouth 0840 Tiverton Parkway 0925 Trowbridge 0930 Westbury 1003 (if travel is via Bath Spa, see notes below) Weston Milton 0905 Weston-Super-Mare 0920 Worle 0910 Yatton 0925 RETURN TRAVEL: See notes below. NOTES: TRAVEL VIA BRISTOL PARKWAY (EASTBOUND) FROM CHELTENHAM SPA/GLOUCESTER: The restriction time shown above for Bristol Parkway also applies for journeys from these stations when travelling via Bristol Parkway. TRAVEL VIA BATH SPA (EASTBOUND) FROM CASTLE CARY, WESTBURY, TROWBRIDGE, BRADFORD -ON-AVON, FRESHFORD AND AVONCLIFF: The restriction time shown above for Bath Spa also applies for journeys from these stations when travelling via Bath Spa. OUTWARD TRAVEL TO OR VIA LONDON WATERLOO is permitted on all trains timed to arrive at Waterloo at or later than 1148. RETURN TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS apply_from the stations listed below. Tickets are valid: On services timed to depart London Paddington between 1010 and 1501, and from 1901. On services timed to depart Reading between 1030 and 1530, and from 1901. On services timed to depart Slough from 0955. On the 1506 departure from London Paddington / 1532 from Reading (Penzance service) with tickets to/from PEWSEY only. On services timed to depart London Waterloo between 0815 and 1559, and from 1901. On services timed to arrive at Salisbury between 0930 and 1740, and from 1901. TRAVEL FROM STATIONS NOT LISTED ABOVE: Super Off-Peak_tickets from stations not listed are valid for connections into trains departing as shown above. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS APPLY FOR THE FOLLOWING JOURNEYS: Validity Codes 2C/9I (restrictions listed as From/via Euston) apply from Swindon, Pewsey, Westbury and Castle Cary for travel via London Euston to destinations destinations beyond_Milton Keynes. Validity Codes CI/CJ_apply for all journeys via London St Pancras International. Validity code Q8 applies to all journeys via Fareham/ Southampton/Salisbury. Validity code WO applies to journeys via Didcot Parkway/ Newbury, not passing through Reading. Overnight Break of Journey (See Break of Journey notes at start of this section) - restarting journey from an intermediate station: On day 2, restrictions as above apply and journey must recommence before 1200. Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: Southern Stag on July 04, 2012, 21:10:12 This statement in the restriction code probably covers travel from Cambridge-London Liverpool Street:
Travel from stations not listed above: Super Off-Peak tickets from stations not listed are valid for connections into trains departing as shown above. So valid on services which connect with the 19:30 off London Paddington, but if you want extra connection time across London that should still be valid. Unfortunately it's a common problem I've encountered with barrier staff, they believe that Off-Peak is a blanket restriction, rather than dependant on the journey being undertaken. If you haven't already it might be worth dropping an email to Greater Anglia so that maybe they'll train the staff at Liverpool Street some more. Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: grahame on July 04, 2012, 22:20:31 Thanks for those confirmations.
As it happens, I caught the 16:51 slow train from Cambridge which when I look back this evening *is* the right one to connect to the 19:30. I didn't get the name of the guy ... probably won't write. But if he didn't know, he shouldn't have acted like he did, nor told me he thought I was trying to travel without a valid ticket. He *did* back down - or rather shugged and waved me on - when I quoted my understanding (with agrees with both of the replies here), that I had bever been challenged before, and asked him when and how the rules had changed. Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: bobm on July 04, 2012, 22:39:34 Just a shame that a Super Off Peak return to Melksham effectively means you have to leave London Paddington before 15:01 - after 19:01 there is nothing to get you home the same day (at the moment!).
Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: grahame on July 04, 2012, 23:08:59 Just a shame that a Super Off Peak return to Melksham effectively means you have to leave London Paddington before 15:01 - after 19:01 there is nothing to get you home the same day (at the moment!). Indeed you're correct. The booking sites do offer the 21:45 from Cambridge, change at KX, PAD and SWI and getting to Melksham at 06:37. That's the only return on a weekday currently offered on the 60 pound fare .. "at the moment" as you say. By the way .. I travelled up to Cambridge from Melksham on Sunday, using the train from Melksham, and I was using the Melksham ticket as it was the best deal in all my circumstances - splitting or getting different out and back would have cost more. And I am very fortunate that I could get a lift from Chippenham. The 19:30 from Paddington gets there at 20:45 and the bus to Melksham leaves at - you guessed it - 20:44 Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: eightf48544 on July 05, 2012, 07:34:42 Another example of the current fares policy being "Not Fit for Purpuse"
I don't even fully understand Restriction XC let alone 2C/9I, CI/CJ, Q8 & WO mentioned as well! Perhaps the chairman of ATOC should be challenged to give a public lecture on the fares system and be subject to questioning about the cheapest route between two stations plus the restrictions on that fare, to see if he can find the correct fare. This is actually a useful oportunity to ask what is restriction CI/CJ and what's the code for St Pancras International Eurostar connecting tickets. In this case I think from Southampton or may be Tamworth. Although I believe when I posted before about Tamworth I was told they aren't valid from Tamworth via Derby and you have to drag your suitcase from Euston. Also who would suggest to try to get tickets from Southampton or Tamworth to Etaples Le Touquet via Calais Fretune. I was thinking DB in Surbiton but its an 0970 number or Ffestiniog. Title: Re: Super Off Peak validity Post by: Southern Stag on July 05, 2012, 12:31:25 CI/CJ restricts tickets on EMT from London St Pancras. So a Melksham to Leicester ticket would be valid from London St Pancras between 10:26 and 15:15 and after 18:59, the return portion would be valid arriving in to London St Pancras after 11:29, that's in addition to the restrictions on travel from London Paddington westwards. Tickets from Southampton Central for connecting with the Eurostar are unrestricted, travel is by any train.
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