[AAB]

Hi all, having searched the net looking for a solution I thought I'd ask here where there seems to be a wealth of knowledge.

I have a Saver Return from London Euston to Inverness, with a seat reservation for the 20:01 sleeper service on 23/12/07 but would like to board the train that this booking is for in either Crewe or Preston.

I phoned up Scotrail yesterday and asked whether this was possible and they said no, as they'd give my seat to someone else if I wasn't in it as its a point to point ticket, or something along those lines.

Now checking the conditions of carriage, it seems to suggest I can.

16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations
You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications.
If you start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station when you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. This excess fare will be the difference between the price paid for the ticket you hold and the price of the lowest priced ticket(s) available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to start, break and resume, or end your journey at that station on the service(s) you have used.

I can't seem to find specific conditions of carriage for Scotrail Sleeper services, or Scotrail ones either, the Saver Return conditions mention that you can only break the journey on the return portion, but nothing about where the journey must start.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Cheers.

[paul1609]

I'd say Scotrail are right but only because this is a compulsory reservation service you must have a reservation for your journey. I'm not clear whether this is your out or return journey. if return I suspect the scot rail services are set down only.

If it's your outward portion - then it's certainly not going to be accepted anyway due to the no break of journey terms of the Saver return outward portion, with your ticket being a London - Inverness you can't really go on another service when the sleeper is already a direct one.

[AAB]

This is for the outward part of my journey.

Basically I'm going to be in Leeds that weekend from the 22nd to 24th which wasn't planned when I booked the ticket, and rather than having to go back to London on the 24th to then get on the train north again I was hoping to be able to get on at Preston.

So if anyone has any suggestions as to what else I can do then they'd be much appreciated.

I guess I could see if they would change my London return to Inverness to a Preston return to Inverness? Though that obviously gives me hassle of trying to then find a cheap way back from Preston on the return journey.

[yorkie]

Originally Posted by Tom

If it's your outward portion - then it's certainly not going to be accepted anyway due to the no break of journey terms of the Saver return outward portion, with your ticket being a London - Inverness you can't really go on another service when the sleeper is already a direct one.

Erm yes they would "I got the Virgin train to Liverpool and changed at Crewe". Perfectly legit.

There is NO SUCH RULE saying you can only get direct trains - you are making that up. Please don't make rules up. Even on a "Route Direct" ticket you don't have to take direct trains!

My advice? Tell them you did just that!

[91101]

You can CHANGE trains on a Saver, but you cannot undertake a BREAK OF JOURNEY

[Max]

What's actually defined as a break of journey though? Presumably you're allowed to get off at the station you have to change at anyway, go off for a few hours, and pick up an onward connection?

[me123]

Originally Posted by Max

What's actually defined as a break of journey though? Presumably you're allowed to get off at the station you have to change at anyway, go off for a few hours, and pick up an onward connection?

I presume that it can be defined as "an unnecesary long stopover at the interchange station".

Presumably, you can only stay at the interchange station as long as you need to (ie, to get you connection). But, how can they tell? The time on the ticket is so small, and the conductor won't check unless they're bored and on a quiet train or something.

I presume, also, that if there are frrequent direct trains, you can't change in the middle. Again this is hard, if noty impossible, to regulate.

[yorkie]

Originally Posted by me123

I presume that it can be defined as "an unnecesary long stopover at the interchange station".

Wrong. It's LEAVING RAILWAY PREMISES except to use station facilities or to change trains. So you can leave the barrier at Leeds to go to the ticket office, or Marks & Spencers in the station, and you can exit at Moor Street to walk to New Street, and so on.

Originally Posted by me123

Presumably, you can only stay at the interchange station as long as you need to (ie, to get you connection).

Wrong.

Originally Posted by me123

But, how can they tell?

They can't.

Originally Posted by me123

The time on the ticket is so small, and the conductor won't check unless they're bored and on a quiet train or something.

Huh?

Originally Posted by me123

I presume, also, that if there are frrequent direct trains, you can't change in the middle. Again this is hard, if noty impossible, to regulate.

Nothing prevents you changing trains, and nothing prevents you taking any permitted route. The existence of direct trains does NOT make them compulsory.

Unfortunately the views expressed above are shared by some jobsworths in the rail industry and they do try to catch innocent customers out sometimes. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Originally Posted by AAB

..I phoned up Scotrail yesterday and asked whether this was possible and they said no, as they'd give my seat to someone else if I wasn't in it as its a point to point ticket, or something along those lines. .

Phone up, get a NEW reservation from Preston, say "I already have a saver from Preston". Then phone up another day and cancel the original reservation. Problem solved, and avoids them asking annoying questions.

You could do it in one go if you say you have exchanged the ticket, but that may be more hassle as it may be outside the scope of what they've been 'programmed' to do. I don't know.

Oh, and you can do sleeper reservations at a station - you don't have to phone FSR.

[me123]

Well, I was proved completely wrong . Thanks for subtely correcting me Yorkie