Advance Train Tickets

alistairstubbs

I have bought advanced tickets to London with Virgin Trains. My first leg is to Crew on Arriva and then from Crew to London Euston with virgin. On my ticket it stipulates the train from Crew to Euston but does not for the leg before that does that mean I can go on any train? I stipulated a train when booking but that is not mentioned. The reason I ask is that the time between trains at crew is only 11 mins and Arriva trains are not that usually on time and I don't want to miss the Virgin train so thought I would get the train half an hour before to give me a 40 min change over.

cookie365

For the first leg did you get a 'reservation' that shows a specific train, but no seat number, with *** instead?

If so, you have to use that train, but there's no seat reserved.

Otherwise, you can use any train for the first leg, subject to the ticket's rules for off peak etc.

alistairstubbs

The reservation doesn't mention the first leg at all only the second one.

wealdroam

alistairstubbs wrote: »

The reservation doesn't mention the first leg at all only the second one.

Just use a reasonable connecting service.
The one thirty minutes earlier will be fine.

alistairstubbs

I have just been online with Virgin Trains to ask them and have been told that it is encoded into the ticket the train I should be on and the train manager will know if I get on the earlier one. I very much doubt this is true as they usually only give the ticket a glance. My last 4 journeys they have not asked to see my railcard either.

dggar

alistairstubbs wrote: »

I have just been online with Virgin Trains to ask them and have been told that it is encoded into the ticket the train I should be on and the train manager will know if I get on the earlier one. I very much doubt this is true as they usually only give the ticket a glance. My last 4 journeys they have not asked to see my railcard either.

I would assume that the people at Virgin have misunderstood your question and had assumed you were asking about getting an earlier Virgin train from Crewe.
Virgin Trains don't have any say about the operating policies of Arriva trains and their train managers.
Any restrictions on travel have to be visible to the user of the ticket and not encoded so that can only be read by ticket machine only available to train managers.

alistairstubbs

I have just read the Terms and conditions they stipulate:-


ADVANCE ticket type which has the following terms and conditions:

• Description: Non-refundable ticket, only valid for the date, time and trains as displayed on the ticket.
• When can I use the ticket: Must travel on the date/time displayed on the ticket.
• What trains can I use this ticket on: On the train specified on ticket.

As there is nothing specified on the ticket I presume I can travel on any train.

dggar

alistairstubbs wrote: »

I have bought advanced tickets to London with Virgin Trains. My first leg is to Crew on Arriva and then from Crew to London Euston with virgin. On my ticket it stipulates the train from Crew to Euston but does not for the leg before that does that mean I can go on any train? I stipulated a train when booking but that is not mentioned. The reason I ask is that the time between trains at crew is only 11 mins and Arriva trains are not that usually on time and I don't want to miss the Virgin train so thought I would get the train half an hour before to give me a 40 min change over.

If the Arriva train is late Virgin have to let you on to the next available train that allows you to complete your journey.


The minimum connection time to change between trains at Crewe is 10 mins.


http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=48377&highlight=Advance+FAQs

alistairstubbs

Thanks dggar on the link you provide it says


"Q25. Can passengers on an advance ticket travel on earlier connecting trains?

A. Yes if it is non-reservable, no if it is reservable."


So as my first leg is non-reservable I can travel on the earlier train. :-)

wealdroam

alistairstubbs wrote: »

So as my first leg is non-reservable I can travel on the earlier train. :-)

Yes, as I said yesterday.

dggar

alistairstubbs wrote: »

Thanks dggar on the link you provide it says


"Q25. Can passengers on an advance ticket travel on earlier connecting trains?

A. Yes if it is non-reservable, no if it is reservable."


So as my first leg is non-reservable I can travel on the earlier train. :-)

I was thinking Q4, section 2 was most relevant to your situation.