Split tickets and missed connections

rev_henry

I've just booked a journey virtually the full length of England splitting several times to save money. I would have done this online but I had vouchers to use so had to go to my local ticket office.

I did some research regarding what happens with regards split tickets for a through journey if one segment is delayed causing you to miss a connection. According to railforums, here http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1179633&postcount=10

Provided one allows for the minimum connection time at each interchange station, if one leg is delayed causing you to miss a booked connection, you ARE permitted to take the next service, even if you are on split tickets.

So that was all well and good, however the ticket office clerk insisted on lecturing me for several minutes that this was incorrect, it doesn't matter what NRCoC say, if one leg is delayed causing me to miss a connection I will have to buy a brand new ticket. He was especially concerned that I had only allowed an 8 minute connection time at Wolverhampton and 14 at New Street and was extremely reluctant to sell me the split tickets I wanted. Despite those connection times being sufficient to cover the minimum connection time and that my overall journey was the same as an official one booked on a through ticket, so to speak. In the end he did, I could see we were getting nowhere as I remain convinced he was wrong and I was right.
So, am I right? Was he wrong? Trouble with railforums is it has all this information but no citations - I can hardly print off a forum post and show it to station staff if one of my connections lets me down. 'Someone on the internet said...'

barbarawright

Surely if you book a ticket that can only be used on one particular train and you miss it, you have to get a new ticket. Doesn't matter why you missed it

wealdroam

barbarawright wrote: »

Surely if you book a ticket that can only be used on one particular train and you miss it, you have to get a new ticket. Doesn't matter why you missed it

That is not correct.

National Rail Conditions of Carriage say that one can use more than one ticket for any journey.

If you are delayed during your journey then you are allowed to travel on the next service.

barbarawright

wealdroam wrote: »

That is not correct.

National Rail Conditions of Carriage say that one can use more than one ticket for any journey.

If you are delayed during your journey then you are allowed to travel on the next service.

But this wouldn't be regarded as the same journey if you havent' bought a through ticket, would it|?

wealdroam

barbarawright wrote: »

But this wouldn't be regarded as the same journey if you havent' bought a through ticket, would it|?

The second sentence of my post explained that:

wealdroam wrote: »

National Rail Conditions of Carriage say that one can use more than one ticket for any journey.

In particular, Condition 19 of The National Rail Conditions of Carriage state:

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...

To find out more about split ticketing you might like to read MSE's Cheap Train Tickets article.

barbarawright

According to that article "In the rare event that you book specific tickets, your split ticket stop coincides with the station where you change trains, and your first train runs late, then your second ticket might not be valid for the next leg of the journey. "

Quentin

barbarawright wrote: »

According to that article "In the rare event that you book specific tickets, your split ticket stop coincides with the station where you change trains, and your first train runs late, then your second ticket might not be valid for the next leg of the journey. "

That good article was written by MSE's Jenny.


(Who is not an authority on the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.)


You will find that what the NRCoC says (as quoted in #5) trumps anything written by MSE Jenny on the rules over using more than one ticket on a journey!

barbarawright

Weldroam pointed to the MSE article. Which clause in the NRCoC proves your point? And have you successfully travelled in a different train from the one your ticket is for by claiming you missed your previous train even if it was booked separately?

Voyager2002

barbarawright wrote: »

Weldroam pointed to the MSE article. Which clause in the NRCoC proves your point? And have you successfully travelled in a different train from the one your ticket is for by claiming you missed your previous train even if it was booked separately?

I have had that experience: my late-running train arrived at Birmingham New Street; I briefly told the chap at the ticket barrier what was happening; he applied a rubber stamp to my remaining tickets and when they were checked during my onward journey the ticket collector did not say anything.

Having said that, I would never allow less than half an hour for a change at New Street.

wealdroam

barbarawright wrote: »

Which clause in the NRCoC proves your point?

Condition 19.

rev_henry

Thanks all. Good to hear the staff generally know what they're doing down at the Birmingham end. Hopefully all will go to plan.