Excess Fare Refunds

[kefkef]

Hi all, please be gentle, it's my first time!

I think i have the right forum, so here goes.

I had a STD Advance ticket i purchased for travel on the 24th Feb from London Terminals to Leeds, travelling on the 17:49 train. My meeting finished early and i arrived at Kings Cross and went to the ticket office to ask about a change of journey time. They advised me it would be £51.20 to change from my booked train (17:49) to a Super Off Peak ticket which would allow me to travel on any train that day during off peak hours. The charges were £41.20 standard excess super off peak fare and £10 change of journey fee.

Before i had a chance to catch the train i was called back to the meeting and ended up spending the rest of the day in London where i was then offered a lift back to Leeds from a colleague.

My question is; Can i claim back the excess fare i paid as i didnt use the ticket (i'm not bothered about the original advance ticket fee as i know i cant claim that back, just the excess journey fee of £10 and the change to a super offpeak £41.20). I still have the receipt and unstamped tickets in my possesion.

Many thanks,

Keith

 

[First class]

Is that actually even permitted?

I thought advance tickets could only be changed into other advance tickets for a later date...

If you've not used the excess ticket, then I would imagine a £10 refund fee would apply and you would receive £31.20 refund as you would not get the change of journey fee back either.

 

[LondonLarry]

You'll only be able to claim back the cost of the excess £41.20, less a £10 admin fee.

The £10 'change of journey fee' is an admin charge and won't be refund. You'll only get £31.20 refunded back to you.

If the whole trip is on expenses, can't you reclaim the cost of the Advance ticket and excess (including admin fee)? That way, you won't be out of pocket.

 

[kefkef]

Have spoken to the HR people at work, i cant claim any of it back, their line is that i should have just waited and got the original later train back, rather than trying to get back early by changing the ticket to an earlier time. According to them, its all my fault! Nice people in our HR dept!

Is it national rail i need to contact to get the £31.20 fee back? Would i be able to get the refund by going to the Leeds ticket office, or do i have to make a trip back down to Kings Cross ticket office (in which case it is not worth bothering about)

 

[LondonLarry]

Is it national rail i need to contact to get the £31.20 fee back? Would i be able to get the refund by going to the Leeds ticket office, or do i have to make a trip back down to Kings Cross ticket office (in which case it is not worth bothering about)

You can pick up a refund form from any staffed station. Complete the form and hand it in at any staffed station or send it to East Coast Customer Relations. (if the ticket office isn't staffed by East Coast, they'll forward it on to East Coast to process the refund.)

 

[trickyvegas]

You can pick up a refund form from any staffed station. Complete the form and hand it in at any staffed station or send it to East Coast Customer Relations. (if the ticket office isn't staffed by East Coast, they'll forward it on to East Coast to process the refund.)

I've done this myself before, after I had a training course cancelled by my employer and it was processed pretty quickly without fuss as far as I can recall.

 

[yorkie]

Be careful! East Coast used to 'lose' claims under National Express (unless you were on their priority list of people who hassled them over lost claims), I know this from speaking to a (now former) member of staff. Hopefully the practice has now stopped, but take copies of everything before you send anything to them, and consider sending it recorded!

 

[kefkef]

Thanks for all the advice folks. Refund is being processed for £31.20 by the ticket office in Leeds.

K

 

[Failed Unit]

Be careful! East Coast used to 'lose' claims under National Express (unless you were on their priority list of people who hassled them over lost claims), I know this from speaking to a (now former) member of staff. Hopefully the practice has now stopped, but take copies of everything before you send anything to them, and consider sending it recorded!

I haven't heard of it happening under east coast (nor had any personal experience but I may have been on the blacklist). Recently claimed for a 2 hour delay due to January's weather, refund no problem. I am so glad national express have gone as that was £100 so national express would have lost the tickets or tried some way to squirm out of it!

 

[John @ home]

I haven't heard of it happening under east coast

They seem to have 'lost' my claim for 6 January.