Season Ticket Question

mikecapone

I currently travel from Hall Road (HLR) to Manchester for work and was looking at purchasing a season ticket.

When I put this into the National Rail season ticket calculator it returns a cost of £3,152.00.

However if I was to input Southport as the start of my route, the cost is £2,612.00 and the ticket states 'Travel is allowed via any permitted route'. As Hall Road is on the Southport to Liverpool line,would I be able to purchase/use this ticket by saying that I have travelled from Southport>Liverpool>Manchester?

If it was only a few quid, I would not be bothered, but this is a significant saving.

Many thanks for your help.

klint

Check the Terms and Conditions for season tickets on the National Rail website. In particular, the first paragraph under "Using your Season Ticket".

KeithP

Yes, that Southport season ticket is perfectly valid for travel via Liverpool to Manchester from Hall Road.

ic

Routeing information
Your ticket may indicate a route or train company that you must use to complete your journey. In all other cases you are allowed to use any permitted route for the journey you are making – this is also the case where no route is shown. Permitted routes cover all the reasonable routes available for making the journey indicated, including all direct services and suitable connecting services. When you book your journey online, any ticket offered in connection with the timetable or itinerary produced by the journey planner will be accepted as a permitted route.

If I search for Southport to Manchester, a route is not listed running via your station - so that reads to me that it is not considered a reasonable route. Guess you need to ask at a station - staff will be helpful.

Cornucopia

I'm going to say it is okay.

1. The Permitted Routes Calculator cites Sandhills as a valid routing point for Southport-Manchester Oxford Road. This suggests that journeys via stations in the Liverpool area are permitted. (It calls it an "Easement", but I don't know whether that is significant or not).

2. One of the trains suggested by the Journey Planner for Southport (12:43)-Manchester actually calls at Hall Road.

I'm sure it would be possible to use the permitted routes guidance to get a definitive answer, but unfortunately it IS rocket science.

ic

railforums.co.uk have some very knowledgeable folk on these matters.

mikecapone

Thank you all for your help!

KeithP

ic wrote: »

If I search for Southport to Manchester, a route is not listed running via your station - so that reads to me that it is not considered a reasonable route.

If I search for Southport to Manchester Piccadilly on National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner I can see several trains calling at Hall Road. (hint: those journeys listed with just one change, at Liverpool South Parkway, are the ones).

Edited to add:
Good to see that railforums.co.uk confirmed that.