Can you excess from a period return to a day return?

[mangyiscute]

Pretty much as the title says - I got a Oxford to Milton Keynes off peak return routed not via London and wanted to excess to via London. I was offered an excess to the off peak period return rather than the off peak day return, so I assumed that you couldn't excess to the day return. However, I now realise that the member of staff wouldn't have known that I was returning on the same day anyway, so if I had said that I was returning the same day, would they have been able to sell me an excess to the day return?

 

[Wallsendmag]

No I don't believe so.

 

[CyrusWuff]

No I don't believe so.

Just to expand on that:

Whilst it's theoretically possible to do so (in that a TIS will probably let you), it's not advisable as it involves reducing flexibility.

Should you then decide to stay overnight you'd need a further excess to restore that original one month validity.

 

[mangyiscute]

Just to expand on that:

Whilst it's theoretically possible to do so (in that a TIS will probably let you), it's not advisable as it involves reducing flexibility.

Should you then decide to stay overnight you'd need a further excess to restore that original one month validity.

But would a staff member offer it - I knew for like 99.9% certainty I will be returning today (the only case I wouldn't is if there was a big issue on the paddington and Marylebone lines and I couldn't get out of London) so the flexibility didn't matter to me.
This does bring up another point to me of some flows which don't have a day return offered - the worst example for me is reading to Swindon which I would imagine the vast vast majority of passengers are returning the same day considering it's a 25 minute journey but there is no day return for some reason, meaning passengers are forced to pay more

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This does bring up another point to me of some flows which don't have a day return offered - the worst example for me is reading to Swindon which I would imagine the vast vast majority of passengers are returning the same day considering it's a 25 minute journey but there is no day return for some reason, meaning passengers are forced to pay more

Similarly Stalybridge to Huddersfield, typically a 17 minute direct journey but no day returns available.

Should you then decide to stay overnight you'd need a further excess to restore that original one month validity.

Presume you can't normally ever excess a day return to a period return, after the day return's validity has expired.

 

[CyrusWuff]

But would a staff member offer it - I knew for like 99.9% certainty I will be returning today (the only case I wouldn't is if there was a big issue on the paddington and Marylebone lines and I couldn't get out of London) so the flexibility didn't matter to me.

I suspect it may be one of those areas where "shopping around" would produce the desired outcome. The wording in Knowledgebase, as with most excesses, is that you should use the "appropriate Return fare for the journey being made."

This does bring up another point to me of some flows which don't have a day return offered - the worst example for me is reading to Swindon which I would imagine the vast vast majority of passengers are returning the same day considering it's a 25 minute journey but there is no day return for some reason, meaning passengers are forced to pay more

The guidance in such cases is: "Note: When applying excess to tickets, the closest matching ticket appropriate for a journey should be used. If a ticket does not exist for the journey required (for example if excessing an SVR to SOR) then the unused portion of the original ticket should be refunded whenever possible and a new appropriate ticket purchased."

Presume you can't normally ever excess a day return to a period return, after the day return's validity has expired.

Officially no, but some staff may show discretion and do so.

 

[Haywain]

Presume you can't normally ever excess a day return to a period return, after the day return's validity has expired.

Correct. Tickets that have expired should not be excessed.

 

[Watershed]

Pretty much as the title says - I got a Oxford to Milton Keynes off peak return routed not via London and wanted to excess to via London. I was offered an excess to the off peak period return rather than the off peak day return, so I assumed that you couldn't excess to the day return. However, I now realise that the member of staff wouldn't have known that I was returning on the same day anyway, so if I had said that I was returning the same day, would they have been able to sell me an excess to the day return?

I see no reason why you should not have been sold (or at least offered) the excess to the Day Return. NRCoT 13.2 refers:

The price for [a change of route excess] will be the difference between the amount paid for the Ticket you hold and the lowest price Ticket available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to travel by that route.

There is nothing in there which says that the "lowest price Ticket" must be of the same ticket ype.

 

[Haywain]

I see no reason why you should not have been sold (or at least offered) the excess to the Day Return. NRCoT 13.2 refers:


There is nothing in there which says that the "lowest price Ticket" must be of the same ticket ype.

In issuing such an excess for a return leg I think it would be reasonable for the original return coupon to be endorsed to note that such a change has been made.

 

[mangyiscute]

I see no reason why you should not have been sold (or at least offered) the excess to the Day Return.

I would say in fairness to the member of staff I had bought a period return and didn't make any reference to the fact that I was returning the same day (although I did query about the cheaper fare but they said "oh that's an off peak day return and you have a period return" or something along those lines.

Turns out that they accidentally gave me the excess the wrong way round (Oxford to Milton Keynes whereas I needed it Milton Keynes to Oxford) so I imagine they have little to no training/experience with this type of thing, so who can blame them for getting it wrong?

If I ever do this journey again, I reckon the easiest way of doing things would be to just purchase the via London day return for £3 more and then zero excess it to the cheaper route (in other words not do anything) since the £1.50 saved if it all goes smoothly is not really worth the hassle

 

[Watershed]

I would say in fairness to the member of staff I had bought a period return and didn't make any reference to the fact that I was returning the same day (although I did query about the cheaper fare but they said "oh that's an off peak day return and you have a period return" or something along those lines.

I would have persisted with (gently) pushing back and saying that you're happy to excess to a day return.

Turns out that they accidentally gave me the excess the wrong way round (Oxford to Milton Keynes whereas I needed it Milton Keynes to Oxford) so I imagine they have little to no training/experience with this type of thing, so who can blame them for getting it wrong?

This bit I can understand; it's easy enough to issue an excess the 'wrong' way around.

If I ever do this journey again, I reckon the easiest way of doing things would be to just purchase the via London day return for £3 more and then zero excess it to the cheaper route (in other words not do anything) since the £1.50 saved if it all goes smoothly is not really worth the hassle

You don't need to obtain an excess to use it on the cheaper route and indeed you are likely to face some difficulty in finding a ticket office that will issue you with a zero excess.