Rail Travel: Tips on Cheap Tickets

Livingthedream

balletshoes wrote: »

this is probably going to sound like a really stupid question, but I generally don't travel by train, so don't know the ins and outs of advance ticket rules etc.

If I buy an advance single ticket, without split ticketing, what happens if any of the 3 trains I have to get are late and this means I can't catch the train I'm booked on the next leg of the journey? ie an advance single Nottingham to Dundee is £58. It changes at Darlington and Haymarket (for example) If the Nottingham train is delayed and is too late into Darlington to catch my scheduled Darlington to Haymarket leg of the journey, can I use my ticket on the next train on the same route?

Yes, on a through Advance ticket if you miss a connection then you safe to go on the next one. But always ask the train manager before you board just to make sure it's OK, especially if you have an 'East Cost & Conn' advance ticket and the next train 'North' is a Crosscountry one.

Livingthedream

Steve_xx wrote: »

. whereas with split ticketing you would face a real problem if one of the journey sections was late.

And where's that quoted please?

Steve_xx

Livingthedream wrote: »

And where's that quoted please?

Here:

One thing to watch out for

In the very rare event that you book specific tickets, your split ticket stop coincides with the place you change trains, and your first train runs late, your second ticket might not be valid for the next leg of the journey.
Eg, if you travel from Aford to Cshire via Btown and split your tickets at Btown, plus need to change trains there, if the Ashire to Btown train is late, your ticket may not be valid for the later Btown to Cshire train.

and here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets

Livingthedream

Steve_xx wrote: »

Here:

One thing to watch out for

In the very rare event that you book specific tickets, your split ticket stop coincides with the place you change trains, and your first train runs late, your second ticket might not be valid for the next leg of the journey.
Eg, if you travel from Aford to Cshire via Btown and split your tickets at Btown, plus need to change trains there, if the Ashire to Btown train is late, your ticket may not be valid for the later Btown to Cshire train.

and here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets

Unfortunately, MSE Martin not to sure on that, hence the wording 'might not be valid'

But if have two tickets for one journey. The National Rail Conditions of Carriage state
quote:

19. Using a combination of tickets
You may use two or more tickets for one journey as long as together they cover the entire journey and one of the following applies: ...
(b) the train you are in calls at a station where you change from one ticket to another.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system...misc/NRCOC.pdf

And as long as you keep to the split station's minimum connection time you will be OK, this can be found here just enter the station name.

Steve_xx

Livingthedream wrote: »

Unfortunately, MSE Martin not to sure on that, hence the wording 'might not be valid'

But if have two tickets for one journey. The National Rail Conditions of Carriage state
quote:
And as long as you keep to the split station's minimum connection time you will be OK, this can be found here just enter the station name.

I think you meant to say MSE Martin not "too" sure?

There is an additional portion to Clause 19, as follows:

You must comply with any restriction shown on the tickets relating to travel in the trains of a particular Train Company or Train Companies (see Condition 10).
If you do not comply with this Condition, you will be treated as having joined the train without a ticket and the relevant parts of Condition 2 or 4 will apply, either to the entire journey, or from the last station where the train stopped at which at least one of the tickets was valid.

Livingthedream

Steve_xx wrote: »

I think you meant to say MSE Martin not "too" sure?

There is an additional portion to Clause 19, as follows:

You must comply with any restriction shown on the tickets relating to travel in the trains of a particular Train Company or Train Companies (see Condition 10).
If you do not comply with this Condition, you will be treated as having joined the train without a ticket and the relevant parts of Condition 2 or 4 will apply, either to the entire journey, or from the last station where the train stopped at which at least one of the tickets was valid.

Sorry old bean to disappoint, but the key wording in your quote is 'You' or 'You do not'. It's not your fault that the train was late and as you kept to the minimum connection timings it's the Train companies' fault and their problem to sort out, so that quote is irrelevant.

Steve_xx

Livingthedream wrote: »

Sorry old bean to disappoint, but the key wording in your quote is 'You' or 'You do not'. It's not your fault that the train was late and as you kept to the minimum connection timings it's the Train companies' fault and their problem to sort out, so that quote is irrelevant.

You don't need to be sorry and you do not disappoint.

Clearly, yourself and Martin Lewis disagree about this. Personally, I don't know. The links that you have provided are ambiguous and they do not specifically vest responsibility on the carrier in the case of split-ticketing, so far as I can see.

Livingthedream

Steve_xx wrote: »

Clearly, yourself and Martin Lewis disagree about this.

Well not really, I say it's valid and by his own words Martin lewis doesn't know, no disagreement there.

Steve_xx wrote: »

Personally, I don't know.The links that you have provided are ambiguous and they do not specifically vest responsibility on the carrier in the case of split-ticketing, so far as I can see.

What the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, ambiguous and open to interpretation I wonder why that is?;)

Gurj73

Hello, looking for some help please....

Wish to get to London Euston from Birmingham NS on Fri 8th Septfor about 12.00/12.30 latest.......I am trying secure the £10.50 cheaper ticket if at all possible.

I see from the Advance Ticket National rail page - which was last updated 14th June that Virgin rail are up to the 8th Sept. My question is if I log in now, will the prices I see on their website now take me past that date, i.e. would the 9th Sept prices include the Advanced ticket prices ?

Thanks

dzug1

Gurj73 wrote: »

Hello, looking for some help please....

Wish to get to London Euston from Birmingham NS on Fri 8th Septfor about 12.00/12.30 latest.......I am trying secure the £10.50 cheaper ticket if at all possible.

I see from the Advance Ticket National rail page - which was last updated 14th June that Virgin rail are up to the 8th Sept. My question is if I log in now, will the prices I see on their website now take me past that date, i.e. would the 9th Sept prices include the Advanced ticket prices ?

Thanks

Isn't it as simple for you to login and find out as for someone here to do that and tell you the answer?

You are going to have to do that to buy the ticket anyway.