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

tubechallenger

Eurostar are normally quite good with things like that - if you can prove you came in by train. Even if you haven't got a Waterloo CIV ticket they do normally write notes from train managers to say X was late and therefore you missed a connection so I can't see them having too much of an issue.

Tom

p1an0player

tubechallenger wrote: »

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?

This was Midland Mainline. Despite asking two people very politely, I wasn't allowed to pay the difference, they (politely) insisted on me buying a whole new ticket. (I didn't buy a MM ticket though, I knew of a much cheaper way of getting a walk-up single which was by using Hull Trains)

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.

On that occasion it was GNER! at King's Cross I felt like a naughty schoolboy as I was grimly quizzed as to why I had missed the train; had I allowed enough time?; why hadn't I printed off the itinerary? They checked and couldn't see any evidence of delays on the incoming service, but I persuaded them that it was an underground problem which they eventually accepted with some reluctance; they did then give me permission to travel on the next service.

I wonder if GNER has quotas/targets for this, they had a handwritten spreadsheet with a list of everyone who they had allowed to travel on a later service; I had to give my name and postcode.

alan99_2

tubechallenger wrote: »

Eurostar are normally quite good with things like that - if you can prove you came in by train. Even if you haven't got a Waterloo CIV ticket they do normally write notes from train managers to say X was late and therefore you missed a connection so I can't see them having too much of an issue.

Tom

Ok thanks. But I am a using the cheapest Eurostar fare £59 return. Also I am travelling solely by tube, via Oystercard. I dont think I could get a tube manager to say I was delayed.
But welcome any further comments.

Does anyone know.
If I was travelling on Waterloo CIV ticket would Eurostar be obliged to accomadate me on a later train , if only the tube ws delayed ?

Alan

p1an0player

I had quite a good experience with Eurostar from this point of view; I arrived after the 30-min check-in cut-off point, but before departure, at Disneyland. It was entirely my fault for being late.

They wouldn't let me get on that Eurostar but they did convert my ticket so I could travel from Paris Gare du Nord for no extra cost (which would have cost a lot more had I planned to travel from there).

nearlyrich

I missed a train from Euston to Manchester after a five minute taxi ride took almost an hour due to congestion, we were sat in one place for ages, Virgin let us on the next train no problems but it was a quiet time and the train was nearly empty.

TimothyEBaldwin

tubechallenger wrote: »

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

As quick as possible could mean a scheduled flight, or even a private charter. This obviously isn't the case, so could you provide reference to law which settles the matter to the next train of any operator?

Condition 42 of the National Conditions limits a train companies liability to 20% the price of a ticket. It is simple to argue, that what is printed on the ticket still applies, apart from the times it is no longer possible to follow. At least for Virgin Cross Country, Virgin West Coast, Hull Trains, GNER and First Scotrail, the ticket has a restriction to the particular companies trains (and connections).

I have seen cases where people have been held to the restriction to use a particular companies trains when a train has been cancelled.

TheImportanceOfBeingIdle

Generally what happens is you have to buy a full price ticket. The reason being that the same number of Advance Tickets are allocated for each train. If you are late because of a problem with a train then they'll let you travel. If you're late and it's your fault then it's tough luck. If you get caught using the ticket on a train you haven't booked it for then you will get a nice fine to pay. The only time you would be allowed to use your tickets on another train service is if the company you booked with had problems and they were unable to run any trains on that route.

tubechallenger

alan99 wrote: »

Ok thanks. But I am a using the cheapest Eurostar fare £59 return. Also I am travelling solely by tube, via Oystercard. I dont think I could get a tube manager to say I was delayed.
But welcome any further comments.

Does anyone know.
If I was travelling on Waterloo CIV ticket would Eurostar be obliged to accomadate me on a later train , if only the tube ws delayed ?

Alan

It's London International CIV FWIW, as the ticket also allows travel to Liverpool Street for the boat trains for boats to Hook of Holland via Harwich International. Basically in order to purchase a CIV ticket, go to the ticket office of your most local NR station and ask for one. They'll probably ask for a reference number (SWT won't do this ... few people have tried to con SWT on that one) or your ticket just to prove you have a Eurostar reservation.

I'd suggest trying to get a London Intl CIV ticket from your nearest CIV station and going via there just to cover your back. Or just try to get to the "termini" of trains from that staiton and make the journey from there. You should allow the minimum journey time as stated on nationalrail.co.uk between X and Waterloo + 20 minutes.

Generally what happens is you have to buy a full price ticket. The reason being that the same number of Advance Tickets are allocated for each train. If you are late because of a problem with a train then they'll let you travel. If you're late and it's your fault then it's tough luck. If you get caught using the ticket on a train you haven't booked it for then you will get a nice fine to pay. The only time you would be allowed to use your tickets on another train service is if the company you booked with had problems and they were unable to run any trains on that route.

One thing to add - thetrainline doesn't comply with cross London journies very well if you're starting your journey in London. I had a mate who had a Bath Spa - Upminster 'advance single' which Trainline had sold as being possible in one day (2242 off Bath Spa I think it was!) but he later realised that it wasn't possible, despite trainline saying it was. Anyway, he had a word with the train manager on the 2200 off Bath Spa and he let him travel - it's all to do with discretion.

As quick as possible could mean a scheduled flight, or even a private charter. This obviously isn't the case, so could you provide reference to law which settles the matter to the next train of any operator?

Condition 42 of the National Conditions limits a train companies liability to 20% the price of a ticket. It is simple to argue, that what is printed on the ticket still applies, apart from the times it is no longer possible to follow. At least for Virgin Cross Country, Virgin West Coast, Hull Trains, GNER and First Scotrail, the ticket has a restriction to the particular companies trains (and connections).

I have seen cases where people have been held to the restriction to use a particular companies trains when a train has been cancelled.

In reality the National Rail conditions of carriage is a set of guidelines that TOCs can choose to use in many situations - in many cases discretion is used when it says advance purchase tickets. You'll find that they won't provide an alternative flight mainly because it requires a 2nd amount of expenditure - if its by rail it doesn't. It doesn't have to be the same operator if tickets are modified to allow travel by different trains, either - it's all very complicated to explain and it's hidden in the various retail manuals we have.

AngLangS

Returning from London to Cardiff after fliying from USA, booked on an Advance fair - if my flight is late coming in what do I do to ensure First Great Western don't make me buy new tickets?

Thanks for any help

coral

Realistically you shouldn't risk travelling on a pre-booked fare if you aren't sure what train you can make. I would amend the tickets to "saver" which means you can travel on any off peak service on the day of issue, eve if its not the one you reserve seats on. Otherwise you are relying on the generousity of the train manager that day!