StanstedExpress to/from Stansted Airport

sylwia.o

I need to collect my mum from Stansted Airport this week.
I would be going with my two kids but coming back with my mum and my niece as extra so basically 1 adult and 2 kids one way and 2 adults 3 kids back.
I went to stanstedexpress website to buy tickets and the prices were huge plus it wouldn't give me the option of such travel with different number of passengers for return ticket so I just bought Return ticket for 2 adults and 3 kids (65£) thinking I'd save few pounds since single ticket both ways would be 30 + 42 .... and suddenly i realised what i just did and that ticket could be invalid on the onward journey as the mail confirming purchase stated whole group must travel together both ways and when I called the customer service lady said that for the ticket to be valid two adults must travel both ways ...
any idea how i can go around it now?

Mr_Singleton

Disgraceful..... but they get away with it.

Neil49

Take a look at the Families and Friends railcard.

Up to 4 adults and 4 children can travel on one card. 60%discount on kids fares and third off for adults.

It costs £30 for an annual card. Try code MFFR10 for a 10% discount.

Check the terms and conditions here

https://www.railcard.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjw-dXaBRAEEiwAbwCi5vz-tt7JyMD3VjWbN7fLV-eNFfilIQdtK_DPfvw-a3ZcyYMSD0vvChoCtGwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

You can buy online and get a smartphone based card within minutes (I think). I've got a Senior railcard on my phone but I'm not sure if all railcards are available that way. If you want a physical card it will take a few days to arrive

lammy82

The OP has already bought this ticket, so there's no point buying more tickets unless they can get a refund first.

Looks like you've got a Group Offer ticket which requires all the group to travel together. I've not used this so not sure how strictly they are actually enforced.

Maybe your best bet is to invite an adult and child travelling to the airport to join your group for a free ride? You might need to get there early to identify someone though!

Hopefully someone who has used this ticket type will come along and fill in the details of how the tickets are checked, i.e. do you get individual tickets that work in the barriers and no human interaction, or do you get a special ticket that requires you to be 'checked' as a group at each end...?