Cambridge to Kings Cross Off-Peak Travelcard return portion never valid?

[Mick Sterbs]

I was about to purchase an Off Peak Day Travel Card from Cambridge to Kings Cross but upon checking if my required return time (about 18:00) was off peak or not I looked up Trainline departures. To my surprise every train is Peak from 00:05 till 23:44

Since this is going to be only my second rail journey since tickets were single or return, first or second class this is very confusing.

Can one off you learned ones tell me how they can get away with selling a ticket with a return half that cannot be used?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Don't buy tickets from Trainline.com as they charge booking fees that you can avoid with other retailers.

It sounds like it is probably a mistake, but be careful of two things:
* the super Off-Peak Day Travelcard is only valid on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
* there is a Greater Anglia Only version of the Off-Peak Day Travelcard, which will not be valid on trains from Kings Cross to Cambridge.

How much is the ticket you are trying to purchase?

 

[Haywain]

I suspect that the problem is to do with the Greater Anglia only ticket.

 

[ainsworth74]

Is this the Off-Peak Day Travelcard costing £31.80? If it is then this sounds like a mistake on the system as that ticket is valid to arrive in London Kings Cross after 04:29 and before 10:00 and is valid to depart Kings Cross at any time other than between 04:29 an 09:30 or after 16:28 until 19:01.

Could you advise what your journey requirements are as we can than check which ticket you need?

 

[Mick Sterbs]

Is this the Off-Peak Day Travelcard costing £31.80? If it is then this sounds like a mistake on the system as that ticket is valid to arrive in London Kings Cross after 04:29 and before 10:00 and is valid to depart Kings Cross at any time other than between 04:29 an 09:30 or after 16:28 until 19:01.

Could you advise what your journey requirements are as we can than check which ticket you need?

I shall be leaving Cambridge at about 10:00 exact time not vital. I then wish to return to Cambridge by 19:00 but cannot leave London till after 17:30.

BTW I was about to buy my ticket from Virgin and was only looking at Trainline departures for the 'peak' information.

 

[gordonthemoron]

National Rail just says:

Return Trains, not valid on trains timed to depart:

• London Terminals after 04:29 and before 09:30;
• London Liverpool Street after 16:28 and before 18:35;
• London Kings Cross after 16:28 until 19:01;
• northbound from Seven Sisters after 04:29 and before 09:40, after 16:44 and before 18:50;
• northbound from Stratford (London) after 04:29 and before 09:38, after 16:35 and before 18:42;
• northbound from Tottenham Hale after 04:29 and before 09:40, after 16:40 and before 18:41

 

[ainsworth74]

I shall be leaving Cambridge at about 10:00 exact time not vital. I then wish to return to Cambridge by 19:00 but cannot leave London till after 17:30.

Right in that case the £31.80 Off-Peak Day Travelcard is valid on trains arriving into London after 1000 so for Cambridge to Kings Cross that'll be from the 0855 departure from Cambridge onwards.

Returning that ticket is not valid from Kings Cross between 1628 and 1900 so the last train to Cambridge before the peak is the 1614 and the first after the peak is 1914. Any trains from Kings Cross to Cambridge between those are not allowed on this ticket.

If you have to travel between those times then you'll need the Anytime Day Travelcard costing £47.90 which is, as the name suggests, valid at any time.

BTW I was about to buy my ticket from Virgin and was only looking at Trainline departures for the 'peak' information.

They're fine. They don't charge booking fees or card fees or similar.

 

[Paul Kelly]

To my surprise every train is Peak from 00:05 till 23:44

Peak restrictions apply to tickets, not trains. There is no such thing as a peak train; it depends on the ticket held. I suspect you are looking at validity of an Anytime Day Single from London to Cambridge which is a completely different ticket and in no way relevant to determining the peak restrictions on an Off-Peak Day Travelcard from Cambride to London.

You can use my site www.brfares.com for checking restrictions if you want something more comprehensive/thorough than the Trainline: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=CBG&dest=0035&tkt=ODT

 

[Mick Sterbs]

Thank you all. Particularly ainworth74. He's Myman