Can any permitted route be used for an alternate train journey?

MilesT6060842

thelawnet said:

 Note that for return tickets the outbound ticket ceases to become valid as soon as the return journey is started.

This is specific version on the general "no doubling back rule" for tickets. 

Travelcards partially bypass the "no doubling back" rule for trips wholly within the London zonal fare structure (only Zones 1-6 I think, not the full 1-9, but should be clear on the ticket since zones will be listed)

"Rover" tickets (regional versions for various number of days, or all UK for a number of days) obviously aren't affected by doubling back rule, similar to travelcards.

When looking at off-peak, rover, and travelcard type tickets, check the details online before travelling for exclusions of specific trains/periods to/from London terminus stations or elsewhere that might impact your plans

thelawnet

MilesT6060842 said:

thelawnet said:

 Note that for return tickets the outbound ticket ceases to become valid as soon as the return journey is started.

This is specific version on the general "no doubling back rule" for tickets. 

Travelcards partially bypass the "no doubling back" rule for trips wholly within the London zonal fare structure (only Zones 1-6 I think, not the full 1-9, but should be clear on the ticket since zones will be listed)

"Rover" tickets (regional versions for various number of days, or all UK for a number of days) obviously aren't affected by doubling back rule, similar to travelcards.

When looking at off-peak, rover, and travelcard type tickets, check the details online before travelling for exclusions of specific trains/periods to/from London terminus stations or elsewhere that might impact your plans

A travelcard is two products really. So for example Woking - London Travelcard is a Woking - London return ticket plus a 1-6 travelcard. So you could for example travel Woking - Waterloo - Surbiton - Waterloo - Woking on such a ticket, because the Waterloo- Surbiton journeys are effectively a one-day season ticket (unlimited journeys in either direction).

But you could not travel Woking - Waterloo - Woking - Waterloo - Woking.

What you could potentially do is get the Woking - Waterloo day travelcard and add a second Woking - Surbiton return ticket. The train does NOT need to call at Surbiton for this to be valid, because you are combining a return ticket with a zonal or season ticket. This would be different from say, Woking - Surbiton return plus Surbiton - London return, where the tickets would ONLY be valid if the train calls at Surbiton.