Through ticket for a longer route

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Sometimes using the National Rail website it will offer me a journey from Swindon to stations west of Exeter via Reading rather than via Bristol or Westbury.  Is there a through fare for that route or is it just a case of buying a ticket to Reading and one from there to my destination?

If it is a case, as I suspect, of two separate tickets and I buy two advance ones am I covered if the first train misses the connection at Reading?

I am talking about travelling at "normal times" not during the current flood conditions.

[JayMac]

Full details for permitted routes are below as well as a link to all the fares. As you can see there are no permitted routes from Swindon to Plymouth via Reading (I've checked the other main routing point of Exeter - that has the same maps). There are also no 'via Reading' fares or easements. Therefore to travel this way you'd need more than one tickets.

National Rail Enquiries may well give you the option of travel via Reading but this will come with the caveat of 'You need to buy more than one ticket for this journey'.

Routeing information: http://www.trainscanbecheaper.info/permitted.aspx?from=SWI^» (Swindon - next trains)&to=PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)&v1=&v2=&v3=&v4=&v5=&ShowRoute=Y&AnalyseMaps=N

Fares information: http://brfares.com/#fares?orig=SWI&dest=PLY&rlc=

[paul7575]

If it is a case, as I suspect, of two separate tickets and I buy two advance ones am I covered if the first train misses the connection at Reading?

Yes, you are covered.  The confirmation is in the Advance fares FAQs^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions) of the ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) retail manual - which is not available to the public unfortunately, but is online on one of the rail forums IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly). 

The only necessary precaution I can think of is that if planning a combination of Advance fares you must allow the normal connection time at your interchange station.

Paul

[JayMac]

If it is a case, as I suspect, of two separate tickets and I buy two advance ones am I covered if the first train misses the connection at Reading?

Yes, you are covered.  The confirmation is in the Advance fares FAQs^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions) of the ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) retail manual - which is not available to the public unfortunately, but is online on one of the rail forums IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly). 

Sorry bobm, I missed this bit of your post earlier today. I was in a bit of a rush. paul7755 is correct and the detail he refers to (which should be in the public domain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)) is as follows:

Frequently Asked Questions about travelling with Advance fares.

Q22 - Can a passenger travel on any trains other than the one on which they are reserved, without changing the booking?

A: The following principles apply.

1). Start of the Journey. It is the passenger^s responsibility to turn up at the start of the journey in time for the first train. If they miss it due to problems parking, taxi not turning up etc, they must buy a new ticket;

2). Once the journey has begun. If the passenger is delayed and the rail industry or its partners (as shown below) is at fault, which should be checked with your Control Office, change to another train of the same company is allowed to get them to their destination with the least delay. This is irrespective of combinations of rail tickets held. Examples are:

Included: are passengers travelling on valid:

Through domestic or international tickets; e.g. Brighton-Scarborough route ^TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) X & Connections^;

Through rail & partner tickets for which there is a through bus, tube, ferry or metro fare, e.g. Zone U12-Leeds, Wisbech Coach-York; Ryde Pier-Hull, etc;

Combination of domestic rail-only tickets

I've highlighted the most relevant points to show that a combination of Advance Purchase tickets allows you to travel on a later service if the first train is delayed and you miss your booked second one. Whilst this FAQ answer contains the caveat that this only applies to delays within the control of the rail industry, if travel on both Advances is with the same TOC you'll be very unlucky to be refused onward travel following a delay on your first service due to circumstances beyond the control of the industry.

It's important to restate another point paul7755 made. You MUST allow for the minimum official connection time at your interchange station. In this particular case, Reading, that is 7 minutes.

[bobm]

Thanks to both of you. 

I am now armed with the info should I decide to travel that way if the planner offers a quicker route (or avoids a voyager!)