Southwestern trains evening day return ticket on 23rd; is it still valid on the 24th?

thelawnet

Basically I'm going to the theatre, and the trains between about 21:30 and 00:30 are all cancelled, the 00:30 is not possible as I have an online meeting at 1am (different timezones)

I might therefore just stay in London overnight; do you know if a day return/evening return should be accepted the next day, or am I required to instead buy two singles?

MSE_James

It doesn't look like any easements to normal ticket rules have been introduced for the overtime ban period on SWR

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-help/train-ticket-refunds/non-strike-refunds 

thelawnet

It is not very clear 

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-help/train-ticket-refunds/strike-refunds

Customers with Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak tickets for travel on a strike day can instead use their ticket on an alternative date:

• Tickets for 24 December can instead be used on either the 21, 22, 23 December or up to and including Thursday 29 December
  

Time restrictions will still apply which means off peak tickets cannot be used during peak periods.

It is not clear whether a 'day return' for the 24th can be used to travel out on the 23rd, back on the 24th.

baser999

My understanding was that a day return ticket had to be used same day, so you’d need to be on a train before midnight. However in present climate with trains not running the general rules might be waived

spenderdave

I think it is 4am the next day that day returns can be used to, not that it will help you. Not sure where you are travelling from but there is a very limited SWR service on Christmas Eve with many lines having no trains at all.

MSE_James

thelawnet said:

It is not very clear 

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-help/train-ticket-refunds/strike-refunds 

That page is for 'strike days' - the link I posted is for 'non-strike days'

SWR is drawing a distinction between the days when strike action is being taken, and those with a reduced timetable due to the overtime ban. 

The OP said they were travelling on 23 December, which is a 'non-strike day' in SWR terms. 

thelawnet

MSE_James said:

thelawnet said:

It is not very clear 

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-help/train-ticket-refunds/strike-refunds 

That page is for 'strike days' - the link I posted is for 'non-strike days'

SWR is drawing a distinction between the days when strike action is being taken, and those with a reduced timetable due to the overtime ban. 

The OP said they were travelling on 23 December, which is a 'non-strike day' in SWR terms. 

yes, but you can buy a ticket for the 24th on the 23rd (or any previous day), and it would be valid on the 23rd, due to the 24th being a strike day.