Getting "permission to travel on later train" after missing the one you're booked on

p1an0player

Recently I missed (by five minutes) a train that I had an advance purchase ticket for. I politely asked in the station what I could do. The first person I spoke to at the information desk opened a folder and said there was a whole list of possible scenarios, but she wasn't sure about them and I should go to the ticket office. At the ticket office I was told simply to buy another ticket. I guess my reason for missing the train wasn't on the list of scenarios and therefore I wasn't given permission to travel on the next train.

I'd like to know what those scenarios are, possibly to exploit them in the future. Possibly this is unethical, however I am unhappy that they wouldn't let me use the value of my advance ticket towards a new one, and that the cost of walk-up single tickets is outrageously expensive.

duchy

When I've done this I've simply got the next train and it has never been questioned but I've not pointed it out either.
(Talking about long distance jouneys like between London and Manchester & London and Cardiff both of which happened to me this year.

tubechallenger

Out of interest - how did you miss the train? Being late to the station? If so then they were right not to let you use your ticket on another train - and forcing you to buy a new walk-on single. This is due to the fact that the singles are designed to be used for one train.

However - if you had missed your train as a result of another one coming in late then you could have just had a word with the train manager / guard as it rolled in and tell them that you missed it. They're normally fine with that.

p1an0player

tubechallenger wrote: »

Out of interest - how did you miss the train?

On this occasion I was late to the station because of a bus taking longer than expected. It's very easy for them to say "but you should have allowed more time".

On a separate occasion, my ticket was "reserved leg + connections before and after". I arrived late for the reserved leg because the underground part of the connections took me longer than expected.

tubechallenger

Well - on this occasion then as I say, you were due to pay the open single cost, although they may have been a bit more friendly and allowed you to "XS" the ticket - ie, buy an open single but use the current ticket you have as a voucher towards it. Was it GNER by any chance?

On the separate occasion, if you were relying on rail and underground transport then they should have let you on the next available (that's key to if they do it) train.

Sam_Bee

Yes, twice in London, i've blamed it on (valid) tube problems, for which they revalidated it onto the next train. On one occasion they did check there were genuine problems, but you could go down that path.

babs

Years ago I went to London on train to attend a Christening and during that my 4 year old decided to swing a belt round his head which needed stitches. I was late catching the train (by 5 minutes) due to sitting in Chelsea and Westminster hospital for hours.

I was alone at night with 2 young children, one with a bandaged head and GNER still insisted I had to buy new tickets!

Made my blood boil!

bunking_off

With Virgin I've always found that if you ask nicely at the ticket office they'll at least let you off with just paying the difference between the advance purchase & full fare. Problem is if you have a Value 1st advance, they'll only allow you to upgrade to the full 1st class fare (not nice!).

TimothyEBaldwin

tubechallenger wrote: »

On the separate occasion, if you were relying on rail and underground transport then they should have let you on the next available (that's key to if they do it) train.

I think one may still have to travel on the same companies trains - if possible. For international tickets, it is the fastest possible route by any participating operator, even if an upgrade to a higher class is required.

tubechallenger

TimothyEBaldwin wrote: »

I think one may still have to travel on the same companies trains - if possible. For international tickets, it is the fastest possible route by any participating operator, even if an upgrade to a higher class is required.

No - it's any train. They have a contract (with you when purchasing the ticket) to provide the travel you have paid for in a manner that is as quick as possible if you were delayed by another rail or underground service.

Tom

alan99_2

Sam_Bee wrote: »

Yes, twice in London, i've blamed it on (valid) tube problems, for which they revalidated it onto the next train. On one occasion they did check there were genuine problems, but you could go down that path.

Interesting. Does this apply to Eurostar. I have a cheapo advance ticket from London on Tuesday, getting to Waterloo by tube. If stuck in a tube tunnel by signalling problems will Eurostar allow me the next available train?
Ps I dont think my ticket is Waterloo CIV ? as I am commencing my journey from London and not travelling on another network rail train.

Alan