Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Livingthedream

But Bogof_Babe that's stopping revenue for the Rail Companies and on a walk on fare Newcastle to London, that's quite a bit of money.

Just had a look on Freecycle and there is a few rail tickets for offer, but Freecycle does have a disclaimer 'about legal items' so they have a right to pull those items at any time.

Bogof_Babe

Fair enough ltd, when you put it like that. The whole thing is a bit of a muddle anyway isn't it (been reading above about the Wrexham/Chester/London anomaly, which seems to be more like the rule than the exception).

Livingthedream

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Fair enough ltd, when you put it like that. The whole thing is a bit of a muddle anyway isn't it (been reading above about the Wrexham/Chester/London anomaly, which seems to be more like the rule than the exception).

That was an interesting debate, hopefully, some would understand what I was getting at. But rightly so, I stopped the debate and backed down as someone could do this incorrectly and get into trouble.

But back to Money Saving, for the people of Scotland, Scotrail have unveiled their new online Season ticket Outlet and it's promotion is 12 months for the price 11 months (Monthly Season tickets)

Here's the Link which includes the T & C's

Steve_xx

I think it states somewhere that these rail tickets are "non-transferable". Obviously that means that you cannot buy them and then give them to someone else. However, if I buy say two return tickets online, one for me and one for someone else, and I pay for them with my credit card, does it mean that only I can use the two tickets? It seems to be so, but of course I always buy tickets for myself and my partner. How would the rail company know who had originally purchased them and what business is it of theirs anyway who I choose to buy tickets for?

epm-84

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Just out of interest, are you allowed to offer an unwanted Advance ticket on Freecycle? I sometimes have a change of plan and can't use one I've already bought, and it seems a shame to waste it if someone could use it.

An advance ticket on rail is just the same as booking on EasyJet or Ryanair. Your booking is 100% non-flexible and if you require any changes you need to pay an admin fee.

Tbh I think it's a grey area as the rule is it to be used by the person it was bought for, but you are permitted to buy a ticket for someone else. If you have a 5 year old son/daughter they don't have to buy their own ticket - the parent is allowed to buy it for them.

I don't understand that. You can buy any ticket in advance via a train operator's site, e.g. I often buy a Southport to Formby (Merseyrail) day return while I'm online buying something else, and collect it at Hereford station before I leave home, just because it saves me queuing at the ticket desk or machine at Southport on the day I want to use it. They can't stop you buying a Chester to Bache in advance can they?

I think they're getting at the fact that if you travel on a Merseyrail service without a ticket you can get penalty fared. So presumably the staff at the ticket barrier can penalty fare you if you say you need a ticket from Bache to Chester as you would have just got off a Merseyrail service without a ticket, but then couldn't if you asked for Mouldsworth to Chester, for instance.

You're right that you can buy a ticket at any station. You can buy a Newcastle to Durham ticket at Penzance station if you wanted to.

terryw

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

:eek: What on earth are they worried about? It's already paid for fgs.

I have got to agree with you 100 per cent! In this particular case though, by trying to give a ticket away on the station premises I was probably breaking the rules about soliciting (no off-colour jokes please!) on railway premises!.

bw

Bogof_Babe

I used to book tickets online for my boss when I was working. Didn't realise that was breaking the rules .

I can understand (maybe) why if you book an Advance ticket it will be paid for in someone's name, and the details are on record, so perhaps they are thinking that in the event of some sort of disaster they would know who is on the train, although that doesn't stand up as it might be full of people who had bought walk-on tickets on the day.

I really don't understand the logic of tickets not being transferable, and would love someone to explain it to me.

My OH doesn't use the Internet so I always buy the tickets for both of us. There is a facility to state how many tickets you want for your journey at the selection stage, so obviously they expect people to be buying multiples if they wish.

KeithP

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I used to book tickets online for my boss when I was working. Didn't realise that was breaking the rules .

From the National Rail Conditions of Carriage...

6. You may not transfer a ticket to another person
A ticket may only be used by the person for whom it has been bought. It may not be resold or passed on to anyone else unless this is specifically allowed by the terms and conditions which apply to that ticket and which are set out in the notices and publications of the relevant Train Company.

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I can understand (maybe) why if you book an Advance ticket it will be paid for in someone's name, and the details are on record, so perhaps they are thinking that in the event of some sort of disaster they would know who is on the train, although that doesn't stand up as it might be full of people who had bought walk-on tickets on the day.

Advance Singles can also be bought anonymously using cash at a ticket office.

Bogof_Babe

A ticket may only be used by the person for whom it has been bought

Well that leaves plenty of scope then doesn't it?


I didn't know you could buy Advance tickets at a ticket office . So does that mean that although I can't collect a pre-booked one at most Merseyrail stations, if I find online a suitable one I can go in and demand it? If that's the case is it incumbent on all ticket counter staff to offer the cheapest fare to anyone wanting to purchase a ticket in advance? In practice do they do this?

Livingthedream

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I really don't understand the logic of tickets not being transferable, and would love someone to explain it to me.

Here we go, flak jacket and helmet on;

IIRC one of the reasons train tickets ain't transferable, is that the different in price between an Off Peak Single to an Off Peak Return is normally negligible and therefore to stop ticket touting.

ie. if I was to travelling one way Newcastle to London I should use a Walk on Off Peak Single, however, what I could do is buy an Off Peak Return and tout the return part outside Kings Cross, cos somebody would buy it.