Overnight off-peak returns

[whole diary]

[The Grecian]

I'm planning to travel on the return (i.e. not outward) section of an Axminster-Bristol off-peak return this weekend. I'm planning to overnight in Exeter on Saturday but does anyone know if I can use it on the Axminster-Exeter section on Saturday and the Exeter-Bristol section on Sunday? Or once I've started the return journey am I required to complete it the same day unless it's impractical? The return would be valid for use on either day.

Having looked at the Conditions of Carriage I can't see anything that says you have to use it the same day - Conditions 11 and 16 suggest I'd be allowed to do this. However, as the cost of an Exeter-Bristol single is about ^1 less than an Axminster-Bristol return, I don't want to almost double the cost of my journey due to a misunderstanding - if I had to buy another ticket, Axmin-Exeter would be much cheaper.

Any thoughts? 

[brompton rail]

Surely  the RETURN half of an Off Peak Return has to be completed before the date on the ticket - i.e. within a month. Therefore you could get off at each station between Bristol and Axminster and spend a night at each if you wished (I don't think there are 30 stations between are there?!)

[JayMac]

Break of journey rules for Off Peak Return tickets from National Rail Enquiries:

Where Break of Journey is available on your specific journey, if you wish to stop overnight or it is not possible to complete the journey by 0230 on the day following the last day of validity, you may continue your journey the following morning. Travel must resume before 1200, where the time restrictions that apply to the ticket should be observed and no further break of journey is allowed except to change trains.

[Brucey]

I've looked up AXM-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) in the Fares Manual and this is the restriction relating to Break of Journey:

BREAK OF JOURNEY             
                             
Off-Peak Singles and the     
outward portion of Off-Peak   
Returns are valid for travel 
on the date shown on the     
ticket. Where a passenger     
wishes to stop overnight or   
the journey cannot be         
completed within one day,     
break of journey for an       
overnight stay is allowed.   
Where a journey continues into
the next day, travel must     
resume before 1200 and any   
relevant time restrictions   
apply (except where regarded 
as an unbroken continuation   
of the previous day's travel 
where the first connection of
the day may be taken).       
No further break of journey   
is allowed except for the     
purpose of changing trains.   
Please note that break of     
journey is not permitted on   
some journeys, as detailed_in
the ticket restrictions.     
                             
Return portions of Off-Peak   
Return tickets are valid for 
travel until 0230 on the day 
following the last day of     
validity (i.e. one calendar   
month from the outward       
journey). If a passenger is   
still travelling at 0230, they
may stay on the train to     
complete that part of the     
journey but no further break 
of journey is allowed and all
travel must be completed by   
1200.                         
                             
Note: Cross London transfers 
will only be accepted by     
London Underground on the     
date shown on the ticket (or 
last day of validity for     
Off-Peak Returns) and until   
0429 the following day.       

[inspector_blakey]

Yes, it's fine. You can break and resume your journey as many times as you wish within the validity period of the ticket, as long (a) it's a ticket type that allows break of journey, (b) you never double back and (c) you observe any time restrictions the ticket has.

Don't be put off if you happen to have the ticket cancelled by a guard applying a date to it either. Barry Doe covered a similar issue in RAIL a few issues back, where a passenger held a Lancaster - Euston return ticket and broke his journey at Preston. The guard between Lancaster and Preston had cancelled it with the date 25/02. When said passenger resumed his journey on 27 Feb, the guard who examined the ticket told him, wrongly, that it was no longer valid.

[brompton rail]

It might be a good idea to explain to a ticket checker that you intend to break your journey at Exeter (or where ever you choose) so that they know your plans. They may choose not to date stamp or punch the ticket. Same could apply when you resume your journey. By getting your explanation in first would demonstrate you are honest.

[readytostart]

It might be a good idea to explain to a ticket checker that you intend to break your journey at Exeter (or where ever you choose) so that they know your plans. They may choose not to date stamp or punch the ticket. Same could apply when you resume your journey. By getting your explanation in first would demonstrate you are honest.

Or the more suspiscious guard could think you're not wanting it stamped so you can use it again and again!