Ticket for a further destination is cheaper

[freddie1729]

I've found a fare where it is cheaper to go to a station further than I want to go to. Break of journey is permitted, so am I allowed to get the cheaper ticket even though I have no intention of travelling further?

A (made up) example of what I mean:
London to Cambridge Return: £12
London to Newmarket (via Cambridge) Return: £10

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I've found a fare where it is cheaper to go to a station further than I want to go to. Break of journey is permitted, so am I allowed to get the cheaper ticket even though I have no intention of travelling further?

A (made up) example of what I mean:
London to Cambridge Return: £12
London to Newmarket (via Cambridge) Return: £10

As long as break of journey is permitted (i.e. it's not an Advance, or one of the limited number of thus restricted Off-Peak tickets), you are perfectly entitled to make use of only part of the ticket's validity if you so desire.

You aren't making any representation to the train company that you actually intend to travel from A to B when you buy a ticket from A to B. All you are saying is that you would like the right to be transported between A and B, and, if the fare is one which allows break of journey, that you would like the right to be transported between A, B and/or any intermediate station along the way.

By taking your money the train company then accepts that bargain of £££ for [rights] - therefore the question of what you intend to do with the rights you are purchasing simply doesn't enter into it.

Hope that explains it a bit.

 

[FenMan]

The quick answer is there is no problem, provided the ticket permits break of journey in both directions. I've purchased tickets to a particular station many times, but have never actually been there.

 

[freddie1729]

Thanks for both the answers! Looks like I'll be getting this ticket in the future.

 

[IanD]

Doesn't it also depend on whether the stopping short station is on a permitted route from A to B rather than just a stop a through train makes from A to B?

For example some London to Gravesend tickets may be valid via HS1 and round the coast of Kent via Ashford and Margate etc. due to through trains but are they valid to break your journey en-route?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Doesn't it also depend on whether the stopping short station is on a permitted route from A to B rather than just a stop a through train makes from A to B?

For example some London to Gravesend tickets may be valid via HS1 and round the coast of Kent via Ashford and Margate etc. due to through trains but are they valid to break your journey en-route?

This will depend on what the passenger is told when buying their ticket - i.e. whether or not they are told they can break their journey along the route of travel shown. See here for further discussion of this in relation to what you've mentioned.

 

[IanD]

I wasn't aware of that thread but it just backs up what I said.

Please let us know how you get on when you actually try it.