Oscar M
Member
Yesterday, I planned on having a day out using the West Midlands Day Ranger. I was intending to travel from Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street and in the late afternoon/early evening make a return journey.
I was intending to catch a direct CrossCountry service from Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street, calling at Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham Spa only using the following tickets:
Off-peak day return from Bristol Temple Meads to Bromsgrove - £15.80
West Midlands Day Ranger - £28.80
I bought these tickets because Bromsgrove is the first station that the CrossCountry service passes through which is within the West Midlands Day Ranger boundary.
The off-peak day return to Bromsgrove is not valid via Birmingham, however, my assumption was that as I use the ticket for the portion of my journey up to Bromsgrove then switch to a day ranger once the train passes through for onward travel to Birmingham, I haven't technically travelled via Birmingham on that ticket.
I enquired GWR, CrossCountry and National Rail regarding whether this ticket is actually valid and I have received mixed answers. The staff member at the GWR ticket office was unsure and so I contacted National Rail and CrossCountry. CrossCountry informed me that their system deemed the ticket as invalid, and advised me to talk to the train manager onboard the service I was intending to catch.
National Rail have told me the ticket should be valid but have also advised me to either contact CrossCountry or talk to the train manager onboard (And as CrossCountry have also advised me to talk to the train manager, that appears to be my only option, which I'm not too keen on doing as I would have already bought the tickets by then).
I would appreciate some advice on the validity of these tickets. Thanks!
I was intending to catch a direct CrossCountry service from Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street, calling at Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham Spa only using the following tickets:
Off-peak day return from Bristol Temple Meads to Bromsgrove - £15.80
West Midlands Day Ranger - £28.80
I bought these tickets because Bromsgrove is the first station that the CrossCountry service passes through which is within the West Midlands Day Ranger boundary.
The off-peak day return to Bromsgrove is not valid via Birmingham, however, my assumption was that as I use the ticket for the portion of my journey up to Bromsgrove then switch to a day ranger once the train passes through for onward travel to Birmingham, I haven't technically travelled via Birmingham on that ticket.
I enquired GWR, CrossCountry and National Rail regarding whether this ticket is actually valid and I have received mixed answers. The staff member at the GWR ticket office was unsure and so I contacted National Rail and CrossCountry. CrossCountry informed me that their system deemed the ticket as invalid, and advised me to talk to the train manager onboard the service I was intending to catch.
National Rail have told me the ticket should be valid but have also advised me to either contact CrossCountry or talk to the train manager onboard (And as CrossCountry have also advised me to talk to the train manager, that appears to be my only option, which I'm not too keen on doing as I would have already bought the tickets by then).
I would appreciate some advice on the validity of these tickets. Thanks!