Taunton to Exmouth: valid ticket?

[whole diary]

[Eliza]

I want to travel from Taunton to Exmouth on a weekday, for which the standard, off-peak, open return fare is ^11.90, with a Senior Railcard.  There is a train departing Taunton at 10.53 (the 09.06 Paddington to Plymouth service) BUT the National Rail website does not quote a fare for this particular service.  Would the ^11.90 fare be valid? 



 

[bobm]

The fare would be valid on that train.  The only reason it is not quoted is because there is a later train from Taunton which connects with the same train at Exeter St David's to Exmouth.  It is the 11:17 which arrives at 11:43 with the train to Exmouth leaving at 11:49.  It is operated by Cross Country, but is usually formed of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) - the same type as the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service at 10:53.

[JayMac]

Perfectly valid.  

The restrictions on that fare, the Off Peak Return (return valid for 1 month) can be read here:
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)&dest=EXM&rlc=SRN&tkt=SVR

The relevant part of the text for your journey is:

Tickets are valid on all trains timed to depart at or later than 0833

However, if it's a day trip to Exmouth, returning to Taunton later the same day, then there's the cheaper Off Peak Day Return:
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=TAU&dest=EXM&rlc=SRN&tkt=CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))

The relevant part of the text is:

Not valid on trains timed to depart before 09:00

[Eliza]

Thank you, bobm and bnm, for your replies clarifying the situation.  I have now booked our tickets and priority seating by telephone but catching the 10.53 train caused raised eyebrows at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Assisted Travel.  Our seats are reserved on the 10.53 service but the tickets are issued for the 10.16 train - in order to generate the ^11.90 fare, presumably.  There was no problem with the connecting trains on the return journey a few days later.

Let's travel hopefully - and it's only to Exmouth!

[JayMac]

Happy travels!