'...and connections' Advances -- which trains can you connect into if delayed?

[181]

If you have a '[TOC] and connections' Advance ticket, and the train operated by the TOC in question is delayed so you miss the intended connecting train, does anyone know what the rules are about which train you can take instead?

1) If the missed connecting train is reservable, can you take the next suitable train whether it is reservable or not? If that train is also reservable, does it matter which TOC runs it?

2) If the missed connecting train isn't reservable, do you have to wait for the next non-reservable one, or can you take a reservable one instead if it will get you to your destination sooner? This has been brought to my mind by an actual example: I've just bought a 'VT & Connections' Advance from Windermere to Leamington Spa, involving a +7 connection at Coventry into the local service to Leamington. If this is missed, do I have to wait for the next local an hour later, or can I take the XC that gets to Leamington somewhat sooner?

(And if my ticket can be used on the XC, would the fact that it's a 1st class advance mean that I could use it in 1st? -- it's a 1st class ticket to Leamington, but not intended to be used in 1st on that leg).

My journey to Leamington is in fact part of a split (bought through Trainsplit in one transaction, so the connection times must be OK) involving another tight connection into a train to Oxford, but if staff are aware of the rules (is there a significant risk that they won't be?) there presumably shouldn't be a problem using the Leamington-Oxford ticket on whatever XC train I end up on (I'm not expecting to use it on Chiltern + GW as it's XC only).

 

[yorkie]

If you have a '[TOC] and connections' Advance ticket, and the train operated by the TOC in question is delayed so you miss the intended connecting train, does anyone know what the rules are about which train you can take instead?

You may take "appropriate" connecting trains; if you are delayed then the range of trains which are considered "appropriate" might potentially be greater than would otherwise be the case, in which case seek staff advice if practicable.

1) If the missed connecting train is reservable, can you take the next suitable train whether it is reservable or not? If that train is also reservable, does it matter which TOC runs it?

If delays occur, I would expect most train companies to act in the best interests of the customer in such circumstances

2) If the missed connecting train isn't reservable, do you have to wait for the next non-reservable one, or can you take a reservable one instead if it will get you to your destination sooner? This has been brought to my mind by an actual example: I've just bought a 'VT & Connections' Advance from Windermere to Leamington Spa, involving a +7 connection at Coventry into the local service to Leamington. If this is missed, do I have to wait for the next local an hour later, or can I take the XC that gets to Leamington somewhat sooner?

As the route does not exclude XC (in public or hidden electronic data) there is nothing to stop you taking the next available service, including where that is operated by XC. Be warned that for much of the day you would not get a seat on this service.

(And if my ticket can be used on the XC, would the fact that it's a 1st class advance mean that I could use it in 1st? -- it's a 1st class ticket to Leamington, but not intended to be used in 1st on that leg).

First class tickets are valid in First class accommodation on any service that your ticket is valid in.

I do not agree that 1st class is not intended to be used between Coventry and Leamington; I have done a dummy booking for Windermere to Leamington and found availability on a Virgin & Connections Advance 1st fare including on XC between COV & LMS.

The electronic data has no restriction on the use of XC services on this route (subject to the usual caveats regarding availability of Advance quotas); it just so happens that a train operated by West Midlands Trains is the most appropriate connection for your itinerary.

My journey to Leamington is in fact part of a split (bought through Trainsplit in one transaction, so the connection times must be OK) involving another tight connection into a train to Oxford, but if staff are aware of the rules (is there a significant risk that they won't be?) there presumably shouldn't be a problem using the Leamington-Oxford ticket on whatever XC train I end up on (I'm not expecting to use it on Chiltern + GW as it's XC only).

You are entitled to use a combination of two or more tickets for one journey; if delays occur your tickets are valid for the through journey all the way to Oxford on appropriate alternative services. As the route is XC only, you would normally be expected to use XC however if there were major delays on XC and an alternative option provided by other operators was available, consult staff and show all tickets and they might let you use an earlier service in order to minimise your overall delay. But this is unlikely to be advantageous to you as these trains do not convey 1st class and are highly unlikely to get you there much quicker (if at all) than awaiting the next XC service, except in the most exceptional of delays in which case ticket acceptance would likely be in place for all ticket holders anyway.

A benefit of having booked this as a through journey from an accredited ticket "splitting" provider is that you have one clear through itinerary and this can make it easier to provide evidence of the contract for your entire journey, and it can sometimes make it easier to claim delay compensation. Booking it as one journey through such a site doesn't increase consumer rights as such but it makes it easier to evidence those rights and can sometimes avoid disputes when staff are less familiar with the rules.

I hope your journey goes well, but if it doesn't, feel free to ask us for advice on the day, and if it is possible to seek staff advice for alternative connections I would encourage you to do so.

 

[181]

Thankyou, that's useful. Hopefully all will go according to plan, but with two sub-10-minute connections I can't be sure (I wouldn't be relying on them if I had a rigid deadline by which I had to be at my destination).

 

[yorkie]

Thankyou, that's useful.

You're welcome

Hopefully all will go according to plan, but with two sub-10-minute connections I can't be sure (I wouldn't be relying on them if I had a rigid deadline by which I had to be at my destination).

If arrival time is ever crucial and you want to add extra time, go to 'advanced' options, specify the station(s) where you want the extra time changing, choose 'change at' and then enter the additional minutes you require (the time you enter is added to the minimum interchange times)