Advance tickets on one specified train

[lawried123]

Hi, could I just ask for some advice from the experts on here. I have booked two advanced tickets from Retford to Wokingham. The itinerary says Retford to king's Cross and then Waterloo to Wokingham. The tickets we have say on specified LNER trains and connections. The specified train is the 1443 from Retford to king's Cross but there is nothing on the ticket itself about the train from Waterloo.
I have realised that it would be an earlier arrival at Wokingham if we went from Paddington to Reading then down to Wokingham which is normally a valid route on an any permitted ticket.
Does anyone know if this would be permitted bearing in mind that there is nothing on the ticket about which route to take from London to Wokingham. I just wondered if the original itinerary is programmed into the system so that we wouldn't be allowed through the barrier ar Paddington onto the train to Reading.
Any advice appreciated or would it be just be safer to just stick with the original itinerary,
Thanks, Lawrie

 

[MrJeeves]

You only need to follow the trains specified on the ticket. Any part of your journey not covered by what's on there is up to you.

 

[AlterEgo]

I wouldn't try it from Paddington. To get an early arrival like that into Wokingham you will probably need to take a fast, reservable train to Reading. You can't usually take reservable trains on the +CONNECTIONS part of an Advance*, and that is why the itinerary forced you to go on the slower unreservable train via Waterloo.

*I know this isn't in the written TnCs but it is how it is enforced.

 

[Deafdoggie]

You'd struggle to get through Paddington gateline with a perfectly reasonable valid ticket!

 

[JonathanH]

You can't usually take reservable trains on the +CONNECTIONS part of an Advance*

Strictly I think that should be

"You can't take reservable trains on the +CONNECTIONS part of an advance unless that is part of your booked itinerary and you have reservations for those trains."

There are plenty of reservable trains that form part of the "connections" part of itineraries now, as more 'local' trains have become reservable.

Any advice appreciated or would it be just be safer to just stick with the original itinerary,

In relation to this query, all GW trains from Paddington are reservable other than the Didcot stopper. GW trains on the North Downs line are also reservable. Therefore, to travel on any of those reservable trains they would need to be on the itinerary.

Easier to just go from Waterloo in line with the route booked.

It might be noted, that looking at the LNER website, the booking engine returns two advance fares for the 1443 from Retford travelling to Wokingham. The advance fare for the itinerary travelling via Paddington and Reading is more expensive (and quicker) than the advance fare for the itinerary via Waterloo, reflecting the quota which applies on the GWR train.

 

[yorkie]

Hi, could I just ask for some advice from the experts on here. I have booked two advanced tickets from Retford to Wokingham. The itinerary says Retford to king's Cross and then Waterloo to Wokingham. The tickets we have say on specified LNER trains and connections. The specified train is the 1443 from Retford to king's Cross but there is nothing on the ticket itself about the train from Waterloo.
I have realised that it would be an earlier arrival at Wokingham if we went from Paddington to Reading then down to Wokingham which is normally a valid route on an any permitted ticket.
Does anyone know if this would be permitted bearing in mind that there is nothing on the ticket about which route to take from London to Wokingham. I just wondered if the original itinerary is programmed into the system so that we wouldn't be allowed through the barrier ar Paddington onto the train to Reading.
Any advice appreciated or would it be just be safer to just stick with the original itinerary,
Thanks, Lawrie

Stick to going via Waterloo.

If you wish to go via Paddington, then specify via Paddington to generate the itinerary you desire. Without an itinerary via Paddington, I would not say your ticket is valid via Paddington.

Our site allows up to 3 via points and up to 3 avoid points (within via/avoid you can have [don't] change at and also [don't] call at).