A Few Questions About My Advance Tickets To York

PompeyTony · 4th June 2012, 09:07

Good morning - my first post! I have purchased Advance Ist Singles for our trip to York next month from Portsmouth Harbour to York. The purchase was based on South West Trains 07:45 Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo plus East Coast 10:30 London Kings Cross to York.

My queries are:

1) Although it says 'Booked Trains Only' only the East Coast section has the departure time as I had to book a seat. Can I leave Portsmouth Harbour earlier?

2) I assume only the East Coast section allows me to sit in First Class? It's our 29th wedding anniversary and we've never ever gone First Class on any journey!

3) If South West Trains mess up my connection - ie. No train/delays etc. Is it tough luck and buy a new same day ticket at Kings Cross?

4) I had assumed we would need our Oyster Cards for the cross London connection but there is a + icon on our ticket - does this enable us to use the ticket on the Underground?

Hope I haven't duplicated previous posts and given you all sufficient information.

Thank you.

John @ home · 4th June 2012, 09:22

Welcome to the Forum, PompeyTony!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PompeyTony

1) Although it says 'Booked Trains Only' only the East Coast section has the departure time as I had to book a seat. Can I leave Portsmouth Harbour earlier?

Yes. The Portsmouth - London train is non-reservable. See Advance Fares FAQs.

Quote:

Q25. Can passengers on an advance ticket travel on earlier connecting trains?

A. Yes if it is non-reservable, no if it is reservable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PompeyTony

2) I assume only the East Coast section allows me to sit in First Class? It's our 29th wedding anniversary and we've never ever gone First Class on any journey!

No. You have a First Class ticket for the whole journey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PompeyTony

3) If South West Trains mess up my connection - ie. No train/delays etc. Is it tough luck and buy a new same day ticket at Kings Cross?

No. You may catch the next East Coast train. See Advance Fares FAQs.

Quote:

Q22. Can a passenger travel on any other service than the one on which they are reserved, without changing the booking?

A. The following principles apply. ...

2) Once the journey has begun. If the passenger is delayed and the train company or its partners [are] at fault, which should be check by [staff] control office, change to a train of the same company is allowed to get them to their destination with the least delay. This is irrespective of the combination of rail tickets held.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PompeyTony

4) I had assumed we would need our Oyster Cards for the cross London connection but there is a + icon on our ticket - does this enable us to use the ticket on the Underground?

Yes, it does.

PompeyTony · 4th June 2012, 14:12

Thanks very much for the prompt reply, it was much appreciated.

kwvr45 · 4th June 2012, 14:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by John @ home

Welcome to the Forum, PompeyTony!

Yes. The Portsmouth - London train is non-reservable. See Advance Fares FAQs.

It might be worth just checking this with the actual booking you made. I have used Advance tickets quite a few times on SWT, most recently a month or so ago when I had a Advance fare from Leeds to Portsmouth Harbour which was marked "EC & Connections", yet I had a reservation for the SWT leg from Waterloo. SWT use the counted places system for advance fares which while you don't actually get a seat reservation, you normally get an allocated train which you have to travel on. Your booking may have no reservation for the PMH - WAT leg, but it is worth just checking how many coupons you actually have.

wintonian · 4th June 2012, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwvr45

It might be worth just checking this with the actual booking you made. I have used Advance tickets quite a few times on SWT, most recently a month or so ago when I had a Advance fare from Leeds to Portsmouth Harbour which was marked "EC & Connections", yet I had a reservation for the SWT leg from Waterloo. SWT use the counted places system for advance fares which while you don't actually get a seat reservation, you normally get an allocated train which you have to travel on. Your booking may have no reservation for the PMH - WAT leg, but it is worth just checking how many coupons you actually have.

For the SWT (Portsmouth to Waterloo) leg a reservation coupon should be printed which states something like coach * seat * .

This I believe in effect makes the service reservable even though you do not get a specific seat meaning you do need to travel on the booked train.

PompeyTony · 4th June 2012, 15:52

I only have 3 Coupons + Collection Receipt. 2 Advance Ist Tickets - Portsmouth Stns to York ( +EC & Connections) together with a Mandatory Reservation Coupon for the London Kings X to York leg showing Coach letter and our 2 seats.

dvboy · 4th June 2012, 17:14

You should have 2 reservation coupons - one to go with each ticket.

kwvr45 · 4th June 2012, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvboy

You should have 2 reservation coupons - one to go with each ticket.

Indeed, whenever I have used an Advance ticket either wholly or partly on SWT I have always had a reservation coupon restricting me to particular trains.

ainsworth74 · 4th June 2012, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvboy

You should have 2 reservation coupons - one to go with each ticket.

Not necessarily, sometimes you can get on coupon that has more than one reservation on it. From what the OP has said this sounds like what has happened here (assuming that they shouldn't have a reservation between PMH and WAT).

dvboy · 4th June 2012, 17:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwvr45

Indeed, whenever I have used an Advance ticket either wholly or partly on SWT I have always had a reservation coupon restricting me to particular trains.

I meant for the EC leg as there are two tickets, there should be two reservation coupons, surely.

ainsworth74 · 4th June 2012, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvboy

I meant for the EC leg as there are two tickets, there should be two reservation coupons, surely.

As above, not necessarily.

dvboy · 4th June 2012, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ainsworth74

As above, not necessarily.

Didn't see your post sorry, but this isn't something I've ever seen myself.

MCR247 · 4th June 2012, 17:59

I always get a reservation coupon for two seats when I book advance tickets if thats what ainsworth74 was saying?

wintonian · 4th June 2012, 18:11

I have 2 tickets for a trip out on EC for later this week and the reservations came on a single coupon.

In that case if you do not (and they say you should only have the 3 coupons) have a reservation coupon for the SWT leg then you may get an earlier train, personally I have always had such a coupon for the SWT leg so am a bit suprised there wasn't one.

Greenback · 4th June 2012, 18:14

The last few Advance tickets I have bought for myself and Mrs G have all come with two seat reservations on one coupon, plus a ticket for each of us.

4th June 2012, 09:07	#1
PompeyTony Member Join Date: 4 Jun 2012 Posts: 6	A Few Questions About My Advance Tickets To York Good morning - my first post! I have purchased Advance Ist Singles for our trip to York next month from Portsmouth Harbour to York. The purchase was based on South West Trains 07:45 Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo plus East Coast 10:30 London Kings Cross to York. My queries are: 1) Although it says 'Booked Trains Only' only the East Coast section has the departure time as I had to book a seat. Can I leave Portsmouth Harbour earlier? 2) I assume only the East Coast section allows me to sit in First Class? It's our 29th wedding anniversary and we've never ever gone First Class on any journey! 3) If South West Trains mess up my connection - ie. No train/delays etc. Is it tough luck and buy a new same day ticket at Kings Cross? 4) I had assumed we would need our Oyster Cards for the cross London connection but there is a + icon on our ticket - does this enable us to use the ticket on the Underground? Hope I haven't duplicated previous posts and given you all sufficient information. Thank you.

4th June 2012, 17:14	#7
dvboy Established Member Join Date: 6 Sep 2011 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 1,281	You should have 2 reservation coupons - one to go with each ticket. __________________ Season ticket: Network West Midlands nNetwork All Zones. JourneyCheck twitter feeds: FCC, FGW, FTPE, FSR, GA, SWT

4th June 2012, 18:11	#14
wintonian Established Member Join Date: 15 Jan 2010 Location: Hampshire Posts: 4,889	I have 2 tickets for a trip out on EC for later this week and the reservations came on a single coupon. In that case if you do not (and they say you should only have the 3 coupons) have a reservation coupon for the SWT leg then you may get an earlier train, personally I have always had such a coupon for the SWT leg so am a bit suprised there wasn't one. __________________ -My blog: wintonian.net-

4th June 2012, 14:12	#3
PompeyTony Member Join Date: 4 Jun 2012 Posts: 6	Thanks very much for the prompt reply, it was much appreciated.

4th June 2012, 15:52	#6
PompeyTony Member Join Date: 4 Jun 2012 Posts: 6	I only have 3 Coupons + Collection Receipt. 2 Advance Ist Tickets - Portsmouth Stns to York ( +EC & Connections) together with a Mandatory Reservation Coupon for the London Kings X to York leg showing Coach letter and our 2 seats.

4th June 2012, 17:59	#13
MCR247 170397 Established Member Join Date: 7 Nov 2008 Location: Nottingham Posts: 7,559	I always get a reservation coupon for two seats when I book advance tickets if thats what ainsworth74 was saying?

4th June 2012, 18:14	#15
Greenback Moderator Join Date: 9 Aug 2009 Location: Llanelli Posts: 9,377	The last few Advance tickets I have bought for myself and Mrs G have all come with two seat reservations on one coupon, plus a ticket for each of us.