Change of Route Excess

[sonic2009]

Winsford - Derby has two fares via Stoke & via Tamworth.

The via Stoke offers both CDR & SVR & SOR
The via Tamworth offers SVR & SOR only.

If I wanted to change the route when travelling with the CDR on the via Stoke fare.

What would be the one way excess? I've worked it out as 1/2 difference between CDR via Stoke and SVR via Tamworth.

I hold a 26-30 railcard.

 

[robbeech]

This would be correct. However you’d have to do that before the ticket portion expires. So for example if you did the outbound on Monday on a CDR and wanted to come back Thursday using change of route excess to the SVR you’d need to do that before the end of Monday.

 

[yorkie]

Winsford - Derby has two fares via Stoke & via Tamworth.

The via Stoke offers both CDR & SVR & SOR
The via Tamworth offers SVR & SOR only.

If I wanted to change the route when travelling with the CDR on the via Stoke fare.

What would be the one way excess? I've worked it out as 1/2 difference between CDR via Stoke and SVR via Tamworth.

I hold a 26-30 railcard.

I agree with @robbeech above.

Here is a reply I made recently on this very subject:

If you wish to travel via a route that is not permitted by the ticket held, e.g. if you held a "via Manchester" ticket and wished to travel back via Doncaster, then the excess to the appropriate (ie. cheapest available) ticket type with the correct route. This is charged at HALF the difference in fares.

 

[MichaelAMW]

I agree with @robbeech above.

Here is a reply I made recently on this very subject:

I don't, if the person is coming back another day, because you don't have any ticket valid to return on another day that may be excessed. It's actually two excesses: CDR to SVR via the cheapest route, then half the difference between the two SVR fares. Otherwise, you are obtaining the "discount" for buying a CDR, on a SVR journey. In this case I disagree with your narrow interpretation of the word "appropriate" as being equivalent to "cheapest". In general, yes, it's the cheapest fares but they still need to be valid on the days in question.

 

[Paul Kelly]

But once the CDR has been excessed into the SVR it is valid on both days? Or are you arguing that the excess confers the route validity of the VIA TAMWORTH SVR, but the time validity (1 day) of the CDR remains? Is this documented anywhere?

 

[yorkie]

I don't, if the person is coming back another day, because you don't have any ticket valid to return on another day that may be excessed.

I was just answering the original question.

There is no evidence to suggest the customer wishes to travel back another day so I think we are adding unnecessary complexity by discussing it, however I see no reason why the journey could not be made in accordance with the fare that has been excessed to; here is the definition of an excess fare, as documented in the TSA:

“Excess Fare” means a variation in the Rights and Restrictions applicable to a Fare which has the impact of converting that Fare into another Fare”

It's actually two excesses: CDR to SVR via the cheapest route, then half the difference between the two SVR fares.

I don't understand what you mean by this but if you are quoting a rule, please feel free to quote it and state your source.

The exact wording in iKB for the excess fare the customer is enquiring about is as follows:

Return tickets - change of route in one direction only
Half the difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.

And here are the general principles:

The Excess fare to charge is the difference between the price of the ticket held and the price of the cheapest ticket(s) available for immediate travel on the chosen service.

The cheapest available ticket(s) suitable for the journey being made may vary, depending on the specific train, time of day or day of week on which customers wish to travel. The cheapest ticket could be an Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket.

Otherwise, you are obtaining the "discount" for buying a CDR, on a SVR journey. In this case I disagree with your narrow interpretation of the word "appropriate" as being equivalent to "cheapest". In general, yes, it's the cheapest fares but they still need to be valid on the days in question.

I do not attempt to invent my own definition of the word "appropriate"; it's defined in the iKB:

Reference to 'appropriate fare' means the cheapest Single or Return fare available for immediate travel on the chosen service.

 

[MichaelAMW]

To reply to Yorkie - message in many parts is a bit too hard to quote usefully.

I was replyng to Robbeech, who appeared to be adding that complexity you refer to and said it was half the difference between the CDR and the higher-price SVR. My underlying point is that if you went to the booking office before any travel and wanted to go out on Monday, and back on Thursday via the higher-priced route, you would be sold the cheaper SVR and an excess that was half the difference between the two SVRs. If you start with a CDR then the excess would have to be up to the price of that cheaper SVR + excess. As I said, to excess the return half to a higher-price route you need a ticket that is valid to return on the day in question, which you wouldn't have with a CDR. Hence my suggestion that it amounts to two excesses: the first gets you a ticket valid back on another day and the second the change of route.

Based on what you have quoted, I am correct. The "price of the cheapest ticket(s) available for immediate travel on the chosen service" is the combined price of the cheaper SVR plus half the difference to the higher SVR fare.

 

[yorkie]

To reply to Yorkie - message in many parts is a bit too hard to quote usefully.

I was replyng to Robbeech, who appeared to be adding that complexity you refer to and said it was half the difference between the CDR and the higher-price SVR. My underlying point is that if you went to the booking office before any travel and wanted to go out on Monday, and back on Thursday via the higher-priced route, you would be sold the cheaper SVR and an excess that was half the difference between the two SVRs. If you start with a CDR then the excess would have to be up to the price of that cheaper SVR + excess. As I said, to excess the return half to a higher-price route you need a ticket that is valid to return on the day in question, which you wouldn't have with a CDR. Hence my suggestion that it amounts to two excesses: the first gets you a ticket valid back on another day and the second the change of route.

Based on what you have quoted, I am correct. The "price of the cheapest ticket(s) available for immediate travel on the chosen service" is the combined price of the cheaper SVR plus half the difference to the higher SVR fare.

This is incorrect; I have published the correct excess fare procedure above.

The excess is Half the difference between the price already paid and price of the cheapest Return ticket, available for immediate travel that allows the customer to travel on the route and Train Company of their choice.