Alighting at a different station than on return ticket.

Impet_Limpet

My other half makes a return journey from layton (a minor "one-train-an-hour" unstaffed station) to bolton costing £7.40 with his railcard.

The return journey at 21:07 involves going from bolton to blackpool North (one station past layton), then boarding another train (15mins later) to go back in the direction from where he came to get off at Layton (a 3 min journey).

On one recent occasion he instead exited at blackpool north as I was passing the station at the similar time so the lift was more convienient. The automated barrier "says no". He was told by gating assistance he would need to pay an extra amount (95p) as he had passed his stop.

I would understand if the fare was return fare was higher between blackpool and bolton than it is between layton and bolton but they both cost £7.40 return!

He asked in future whether he should ask for a return ticket from blackpool to bolton when he boarded the unstaffed station at layton and was told he couldn't!

I have emailed northern rail but am yet to receive a reply but wondered if anyone had similar experiences with boarding trains that miss your minor station and having to double back on the same line vs leaving the major station beacuse it's quicker to get home than other means (its actually faster to get a bus back to layton than wait for the connection from blackpool - but he refuses to pay the bus fare as he's be paying twice for the same journey )

DaveMacD

Sounds like they're being arsey about it. Try writing to their customer services to highlight the problem.

MarkyMarkD

Normally speaking:

You are not allowed to join late. So you cannot buy a ticket from Blackpool to Bolton and join at Layton.

You are allowed to alight early. So you could buy a ticket from Bolton to Blackpool and alight at Layton.

But as far as I can see, an Off-Peak Day Return (the fare I assume you are talking about) allows breaks of journey in both direction, which would make the ticket barrier (and staff member) wrong.

Impet_Limpet

I did think that myself as on occasion alighted at blackpool north when traveling from manchester after a night out on a 00:16 train as no trains stop at all at layton! The staff never had a problem then I always assumed because the ticket costs are the same for whichever station you exit.

Yes it is the off peak day return he buys. Are there any links proving/showing/allowing a break in the journey on off peak returns?

Bolton-blackpool-layton, as that is his return journey would that mean alighting at blackpool in this case should be considered alighting early?

AirlieBird

The National Rail Conditions of Carriage allow you to start, break or end your journey at any intermediate station the ticket is valid for, providing your ticket does not prohibit a "break of journey".

Doubling back is not allowed unless it is specified in the National Routing Guide.

With regard to the excess fare he should be charged the difference between the price you have paid and the lowest priced ticket that would have allowed you to travel to the station.

It is section 16 of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage

16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations
You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you
want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return
ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to
some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant
Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications.

If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station
when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess
fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of
the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to
start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have
used.

Impet_Limpet

You may start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel on Off-Peak tickets unless the ticket restriction for the journey you are making does not allow it. If you intend to start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station, please call 08457 48 49 50 to check if it is available on your specific journey.

Thank you!!

I just rang national rail to confirm that blackpool north is considered an "intermediate" station where alighting is allowed. :j

I will print that excerpt of the condition of carriage just in case as he is alighting there tonight because I need to travel up that way.

So yes (if) the excess fare does apply (although according to the person I spoke to alighting at blackpool north is allowed - I don't think they realised the journey involved doubling back) however the excess fare is £0.00p

therefore fuss about nowt..