Return ticket quirk?

SammyS1987

Noticed this on a trip to London earlier this week.

An Off-Peak Day Return originating at Paddock Wood to London Bridge costs £12.80
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/PDW/LBG/tomorrow/1030/dep/tomorrow/1430/dep

An Off-Peak Day Return originating at London Bridge to Paddock Wood costs £16.10
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/LBG/PDW/tomorrow/1030/dep/tomorrow/1430/dep

Is there any reason why if you were doing the later journey you couldn't buy the tickets as if you were travelling the former. In both cases you get tickets valid in each direction?

thelawnet

That's not quite right.

The £12.80 ticket is a Super Off-Peak Return, the £16.10 is an Off-Peak Return.

Many tickets towards London have Super Off-Peak tickets that are missing in the opposite direction.

If you want to travel from London Bridge to Paddock Wood single you can buy the Paddock Wood - London Bridge return and throw away the outbound and just use the return, and this will save you £3.20, but what you can't do is use the return and then subsequently use the outbound.

SammyS1987

thelawnet wrote: »

...what you can't do is use the return and then subsequently use the outbound.

Why not? How would anybody know? It would still be a valid ticket.

UsetheFORCE

SammyS1987 wrote: »

Noticed this on a trip to London earlier this week.

An Off-Peak Day Return originating at Paddock Wood to London Bridge costs £12.80
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/PDW/LBG/tomorrow/1030/dep/tomorrow/1430/dep

An Off-Peak Day Return originating at London Bridge to Paddock Wood costs £16.10
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/LBG/PDW/tomorrow/1030/dep/tomorrow/1430/dep

Is there any reason why if you were doing the later journey you couldn't buy the tickets as if you were travelling the former. In both cases you get tickets valid in each direction?

The Paddock Wood to London Bridge ticket will be what used to be called a Pricebuster, now Super Off Peak.

This applies to many locations off peak travelling between many areas of Kent into London on Southeastern. Designed to encourage people to travel into London during the week outside commuter hours.

In theory you could do what you are suggesting however the National Conditions of Carriage may say that you must have a valid return ticket with your out ticket, this may be an issue if someone questions you and the return portion has been cancelled or collected.


I have actually done what you are suggesting between Folkestone Central and London.

thelawnet

SammyS1987 wrote: »

Why not? How would anybody know? It would still be a valid ticket.

Nope

"A return ticket (including a two-part return ticket) is only valid for the outward journey shown on that ticket if the ticket is completely unused. You may not use the outward part of a return ticket after you have used the return part."

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/nrcc/NRCOC.pdf

Travel without a valid ticket can be a criminal offence.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Livingthedream

SammyS1987 wrote: »

Why not? How would anybody know? It would still be a valid ticket.

Dates and/or time of day the tickets are used are normally how you'll be found out by an eagle eyed guard or ticket examiner, however, the chances are you would get away with it, but as thelawnet has correctly stated it's against the conditions of the ticket, therefore making them invalid.

Owain_Moneysaver

SammyS1987 wrote: »

Why not? How would anybody know? It would still be a valid ticket.

Because if you're using the Out the ticket examiner can ask to see the Return coupon - and swipe it through his machine and see whether, when and where it's been passed through a ticket barrier. The mag stripe on tickets is encoded on each pass.