Group Save 3 but now only two travelling?

[mediamazter]

Have a Group Save 3 ticket for Newport (South Wales) to Paddington next Sat.
Off Peak Singles..

One of the group is no longer able to travel.. I guess this invalidates the ticket or can i still use it as its 3 travel for the price of 2.. as we have both paid the full fare.

Or can I get this changed to two singles before travel as to not cause any hassle...

Failing that I have seen posts on here about guards charging people for Luggage on seats.. So could I put all the luggage on a seat and say it has a ticket (ok this ones a joke)

Cheers

B

 

[island]

Three GPS-3 tickets cost less than two full-fare tickets so technically you haven't paid the full fare.

The safest thing to do would be get the tickets refunded at a £10 admin fee and buy two regular tickets. Some guards won't object to two people travelling on a GPS-3 as long as all three tickets are presented, but it isn't technically allowed. A possible outcome is that you could both get Penalty Fares for £197 each. Scrap that; see below.

 

[LexyBoy]

You can't be charged a Penalty Fare, but you could be charged the Anytime fare.

Most FGW guards are reasonable and you'd be very unlucky to have an issue. Best to ask the guard before boarding.

 

[Be3G]

Three GPS-3 tickets cost less than two full-fare tickets so technically you haven't paid the full fare.

Whilst you're technically correct about that, it is only by a very small amount to (presumably) account for rounding so that there's no possibility for adverts saying ‘three for the price of two’ or whatever to be false by a few pence.

 

[island]

You can't be charged a Penalty Fare, but you could be charged the Anytime fare.

Can you explain why you think passengers with the described tickets, which are invalid, can't be charged a Penalty Fare?

 

[John @ home]

Can you explain why you think passengers with the described tickets, which are invalid, can't be charged a Penalty Fare?

Yes. The journey is Newport (South Wales) to Paddington. Newport (South Wales) is not in an FGW Penalty Fares area. See their Penalty Fares map.

 

[Haywain]

You can't be charged a Penalty Fare, but you could be charged the Anytime fare.

Most FGW guards are reasonable and you'd be very unlucky to have an issue. Best to ask the guard before boarding.

It may well be the case that you wouldn't have a problem, but it would be far better to go back to the ticket office where you bought the tickets and get them exchanged for two undiscounted (and therefore unquestionably valid) tickets. I think in these circumstances there is a very good chance that you won't be charged an admin fee on the refund, although that is not certain.

 

[tony6499]

Try and grab someone who is travelling to London to join you

 

[transportphoto]

Try and grab someone who is travelling to London to join you

Tickets are non-transferable and therefore would be invalidated by doing this, we can not advise this.

TP

 

[Temple Meads]

Tickets are non-transferable and therefore would be invalidated by doing this, we can not advise this.

TP

Though of course if it was done away from the earshot (and eye shot) of railway staff, it's highly unlikely that you'd get caught....

Not that I condone such practises....

 

[island]

Yes. The journey is Newport (South Wales) to Paddington. Newport (South Wales) is not in an FGW Penalty Fares area. See their Penalty Fares map.

Very well, I stand corrected. Well, I sit corrected. But you know what I mean.

 

[LexyBoy]

@island: furthermore, FGW's PF scheme is split into three areas, in order that long distance travellers are not subject to huge penalties for mistakes, as is supposed to be required for a PF scheme to be approved (compare EMT). Thus someone travelling from Bristol to London can't get a PF, but if travelling to Swindon, or from Didcot, they could.

It may well be the case that you wouldn't have a problem, but it would be far better to go back to the ticket office where you bought the tickets and get them exchanged for two undiscounted (and therefore unquestionably valid) tickets. I think in these circumstances there is a very good chance that you won't be charged an admin fee on the refund, although that is not certain.

If it's essential to get that train then I agree. If they could get the next train, having exchanged tickets, then I'd try asking the guard.

 

[Flamingo]

Ask the guard before boarding (make sure you have all three tickets with you), or find someone travelling Nwp-Pad when waiting at the station to sit with you, (or say No 3 is in the loo/buffet but here's his ticket - joke! or arrange a bag with a coat over it to look like someone sleeping - another joke!).

I can't think of many guards who would be concerned if you can show all three tickets.

What time train are you on?

 

[Haywain]

If it's essential to get that train then I agree. If they could get the next train, having exchanged tickets, then I'd try asking the guard.

It's nothing to do with which train the OP is travelling on. These are walk-up tickets (I don't believe FGW offer Groupsave on Advance tickets) so they are flexible. Asking the guard is OK for the outward journey, but what if the guard on the return is less accommodating? I think the OP would be well advised to make sure their tickets are fully valid at the outset rather than getting caught out when they are part used.

 

[Flamingo]

It's nothing to do with which train the OP is travelling on. These are walk-up tickets (I don't believe FGW offer Groupsave on Advance tickets) so they are flexible. Asking the guard is OK for the outward journey, but what if the guard on the return is less accommodating? I think the OP would be well advised to make sure their tickets are fully valid at the outset rather than getting caught out when they are part used.

The op has already said they are single tickets ie. one way!

 

[mediamazter]

Thanks for the advice... Was hoping to get the 9.09 from NWP

Ill ask the Guard first.. I will have all 3 tickets...

Happy to pay the £10 admin fee if its a no..

"Tickets are non-transferable and therefore would be invalidated by doing this, we can not advise this."

How would anyone know if I have transferred the ticket to someone else.. I have all 3 tickets... The 3 people travelling are not named?.. I picked all 3 tickets up so technically im transferring 2 to other people or am I not ?

B

 

[bb21]

How would anyone know if I have transferred the ticket to someone else.. I have all 3 tickets... The 3 people travelling are not named?.. I picked all 3 tickets up so technically im transferring 2 to other people or am I not ?

Well, you have your answer there.

We cannot condone it though. Train companies have spies on this site. Now they will be doing a revenue block on the 0909. (OK, I'm probably scaremongering a little here.)

 

[WelshBluebird]

Yes. The journey is Newport (South Wales) to Paddington. Newport (South Wales) is not in an FGW Penalty Fares area. See their Penalty Fares map.

Off topic I know, but how on earth are Keynsham and Oldfield Park penalty fare stations when you cannot buy a ticket at either station for the vast majority of the day?

 

[bb21]

Off topic I know, but how on earth are Keynsham and Oldfield Park penalty fare stations when you cannot buy a ticket at either station for the vast majority of the day?

In that case, I would imagine that you can only be Penalty Fared when the station ticket office is open.

I assume it would also simplify matters when they do eventually introduce TVMs at those stations.

 

[Flamingo]

Just wondering if I might be working it, probably not though.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
What happened in the end?

 

[Urban Gateline]

Off topic I know, but how on earth are Keynsham and Oldfield Park penalty fare stations when you cannot buy a ticket at either station for the vast majority of the day?

There's a FGW TVM taking Cash and Cards at Keynsham, so that would fit well with Penalty Fare schemes as it must be used before boarding if it is working! Although interestingly no Penalty Fares apply to SWT services that call there just a few times a day as there is no SWT PF scheme on the line west of Salisbury!

 

[mediamazter]

Everything went fine... Found a third person at Newport to use the ticket

Nice ride arrived on time..

 

[Flamingo]

Everything went fine... Found a third person at Newport to use the ticket

Nice ride arrived on time..

Glad to hear it!

 

[455driver]

Everything went fine... Found a third person at Newport to use the ticket

Nice ride arrived on time..

So you found a third person and had a nice ride?

Thats service for you!