Forced to buy a second ticket

yorkie2

I would ensure copies of everything are taken before posting, and consider sending it recorded delivery.

If no joy from Virgin, consider going to Watchdog/Passenger Focus etc - and please let us know how you get on (please PM me directly as I may miss a thread here).

I am very concerned that more than one person claimed this, it demonstrates a lack of training by Virgin in this area. I wonder how many people are overcharged in this way? If you or anyone else is going to take a similar journey in future, I can possibly arrange for someone to be at Euston to meet you and take note of what occurs (possibly filming it - if you give your permission) and expose Virgin's bad practices.

Glad you got the job Now ensure you get some decent compensation from Virgin!

Poly,put_the_kettle_on

wealdroam wrote: »

Do you feel able to give us the full journey details?

Sorry- long day & I forgot I'd even posted this. I did, by coincidence pick my tickets up today though!

Copy/pasted details:

Outward journey
7 Mar 2011

Return journey
11 Mar 2011
Depart:
Canterbury West dep. 10:07
Change at:
Tonbridge arr. 11:09
dep. 11:19
Redhill arr. 11:50
dep. 12:00
Southampton Central arr. 13:59
dep. 14:24
Arrive:
Weymouth, 16:00
Changes: 3 Duration: 5h 53m


Depart:
Weymouth dep. 12:03
Change at:
Southampton Central arr. 13:28
dep. 13:33
Brighton arr. 15:18
dep. 15:32
Ashford International arr. 17:18
dep. 17:23
Arrive:
Canterbury West, 17:39
Changes: 3 Duration: 5h 36m

Passengers
1 Adult Off Peak Return£29.00
valid via: Via Barnham
Valid on off-peak services by the route and Train operator shown. Return travel any day within 1 month.


I am the least train savvy person on the planet, but hope this might help in some way. As a train related afterthought- I was stuck at the level crossing today when the Orient Express trundled by.

yorkie2

That's a Canterbury Stations - Weymouth (WEY) Off Peak Return (SVR) Route Barnham.

If you wish to travel via London at a time when the Off Peak ticket is valid, then the excess would be (£79.70-£29.00)/2 = £25.35. (Or a brand new ticket and a refund request if you encountered staff as clueless as encountered by the OP!)

The Route Barnham ticket has this restriction:

Restriction : 4B
Restriction applies Monday to
Fridays only.

No travel restrictions on
other days to both outward and
return journeys.

Valid on any train scheduled
to depart at or after 0930.

MORNING TRAVEL
Travel is also allowed on the
following departures from the
stations listed:
(Long list but neither Canterbury or Weymouth are on it)


The +Any Permitted ticket (that is additionally valid via London) is also valid after 0930, but with some evening restrictions on services between London Paddington and Reading (no evening restriction out of Waterloo/Victoria and no restriction west of Reading).

It would probably be a lot quicker via London as you'd be combining high speed lines and travelling at speeds of up to 125mph, but much more costly.

dzug1

Poly,put_the_kettle_on wrote: »

Sorry- long day & I forgot I'd even posted this. I did, by coincidence pick my tickets up today though!

snip detail

I am the least train savvy person on the planet, but hope this might help in some way. As a train related afterthought- I was stuck at the level crossing today when the Orient Express trundled by.

Both those routes take you through Barnham - it's between Redhill or Brighton and Southampton. You'll be fine

Poly,put_the_kettle_on

Thanks for the info guys- when I saw the two different routes I was a little concerned.
I could get there quicker- but at less than £30 as opposed to the next option of nearly £80, it makes the trip (MIL avoidance, mse style...) justifiable. It also means that I get plenty of time to study en-route; and the more I get done on the train the more I can kick back & have fun when I get there

yorkie2

Poly,put_the_kettle_on wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys- when I saw the two different routes I was a little concerned.

I couldn't work out what you meant as it's a return ticket, and unless you have obtained an excess, a return ticket is the same routeing out & back, in this case Route Barnham. But I see what you mean now. All Route Barnham means is that you have to go via Barnham, but there are numerous valid ways to get between Canterbury and Barnham.